GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Grand Rapids Police say an autopsy reveals a 61-year-old woman who was found dead Wednesday afternoon died from blunt force trauma.
Police said in a news release the Kent County Medical Examiner determined Aleta Lung's death was a homicide, and that she had died two to three days before her body was found. The location was the 34-hundred block of Haleh Circle, which is near the East Beltline and south of Burton Street.
The Kent County Prosecutor's Office has authorized a charge of open murder against the suspect, whom Grand Rapids Police identify as 47-year-old Randy Buckner. Investigators say a car registered to the victim later was found near Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the suspect was taken into custody.
Here are more details from a GRPD news release:
“Based on evidence at the scene and information provided by family members of the victim, our primary suspect was Randy Buckner, aged 47, who had been in a dating relationship with Aleta,” said GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom.
Detectives discovered that a car registered to the victim was missing and the keys were not located in the residence. Information obtained by detectives showed the suspect was traveling in a westward direction. Buckner was ultimately located driving the stolen car near Albuquerque, NM, where he was taken into custody by local authorities.
“Once it became known that Aleta’s body had been discovered, we knew we had limited time before the suspect could be in a position to flee the country. He had already put over a thousand miles between himself and the scene before Aleta’s body was discovered,” said Chief Winstrom. “While we can’t know with certainty what his plans were, thanks to the excellent work of our Major Case detectives, we were able to locate the suspect in the United States. We extend our gratitude to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their assistance in getting justice for Aleta and her family.”
The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office authorized a charge of open murder, and the intra-state extradition process is pending. The suspect will be arraigned upon return to Kent County.
While a suspect is in custody, anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to contact the Grand Rapids Police Department or Silent Observer. Detectives can be reached at (616) 456-3380 or tips can be sent safely and anonymously through Silent Observer.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, help is available. Contact 211, the National Domestic Violence Hotline (800-799-7233), the Grand Rapids Police Department, or your local law enforcement agency.
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