Man convicted of murder in ’83 disappearance of Michigan man

WHITE CLOUD, Mich. – A jury convicted a person of homicide within the disappearance of a western Michigan man whose physique nonetheless has not been discovered after almost 40 years.

Richard Atwood was 25 in 1983 when he was final seen in White Cloud in Newaygo County, 45 miles north of Grand Rapids.

Roy Snell, who was 18 at the moment and residing within the space, was discovered responsible Wednesday of committing homicide throughout one other crime.

Jurors have been advised that Atwood was referred to as somebody who offered marijuana within the White Cloud space. Snell’s DNA was discovered on cigarette butts in Atwood’s automotive. Investigators stated theft was a potential motive.

“I’m grateful we will lastly present justice for the sufferer’s household,” Legal professional Basic Dana Nessel stated. “Investigating a decades-old chilly case with out a physique may be very difficult.”

Snell, now 57, was arrested in Hennepin County, Minnesota, in 2020. He was splitting his time between Ohio and Minnesota, protection lawyer Stephanie Koorndyk stated.

“Every thing was very circumstantial,” she stated Friday. “There was no physique. There was no homicide weapon. I don’t assume we’ll ever really know what occurred.”

The proof included incriminating statements made by Snell when he was in a Grand Rapids-area jail years in the past.