Free Soil Twp. man charged with murder following shooting death.
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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.
LUDINGTON — Corey Ryan Beekman, 32, of 10550 N. US 31, Free Soil Township was arraigned today in Mason County’s 79th District Court on open murder charges, and three other counts, in connection to a shooting incident that took place Tuesday, April 16, at his residence. The incident resulted in the death of William Buchanan, 32, of Mears, and the injury of a 32-year-old female who has not been identified by law enforcement.
Beekman’s charges include homicide — open murder, assault with intent to murder, and two counts of weapons — felony firearm.
Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole said Mason-Oceana 911 received a call at 6:54 a.m. by the female shooting victim inside the home in the 10000 block of US 31. “The caller was able to provide law enforcement valuable information as it related to the name of the shooter, his location in the house, and that there were small children also in the home,” Cole said.
“Law enforcement was able to quickly establish a perimeter around the house and evacuate one wounded female adult and two children,” Cole said. “The wounded adult was able to provide officers with additional information as it related to firearms and that one additional victim was reportedly deceased inside. The wounded victim also advised the alleged shooter was barricaded in a room.”
The female victim and the two children were transported by ambulance to Munson Health Manistee Hospital. The female victim has since been released from the hospital. The children were unharmed.
Cole said Beekman advised officers at 8:25 a.m. that he was coming out to give himself up.
“He was taken into custody without incident by deputies,” Cole said. “Deputies and troopers conducted a check of the residence and did find an adult male deceased from gun shot wounds,” Cole added.
In Michigan, the felony charge of open murder allows the prosecutor to choose between first or second degree murder when issuing a complaint or at trial. A prosecutor may charge open murder, which is a combination of first and second degree murder, and the jury may determine the appropriate degree based on the case. First degree murder is a mandatory life sentence and is charged when the murder is committed in the course of another felony, murdering a peace officer in the line of duty or premeditated murder. Second degree murder may be sentenced up to life in prison and is defined as causing death plus intending to kill or do great bodily harm or knowingly creating a very high risk of death or great bodily harm knowing that death or such harm would be the likely result of the defendant’s actions.
Assault with intent to commit murder is a felony charged punishable by a maximum life sentence. It occurs when an individual who assaults another person and who intends to murder or kill that person.
Felony firearm is a punishable by up to two years imprisonment.
Beekman remains lodged in the Mason County Jail on a $750,000.00 cash/surety bond.
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