HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — A 61-year-old Holland man is in police custody, facing charges of open murder, after the early morning death of a 61-year-old Holland woman, according to Holland Department of Public Safety Capt. Keith Mulder.
Officers were called on a report of a domestic assault that just occurred in the 500 block of West 24th Street at 2:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2019.
Neighbors living in the adjoining duplex declined to comment, out of respect for the victim and her family, they said.
Anthony Gudith, 33, a neighbor who lives about a block away from the home, said he frequently rides his bike past the home, and often sees children playing in the duplex yards. The Holland native said he’d never seen much trouble on the street; the home is across the street from West Middle School
“It’s a tight-knit community,” he said, adding that whenever there were incident, police responded quickly. The murder, he said, “is terrible. It’s terrible anywhere. Just terrible.”
A recent acquaintance of the victim, who declined to be named, said she had recently obtained a personal protection order against the suspect, who she believed had broken into her home earlier.
Two Holland DPS K-9 units were among those on the scene in the early morning hours, along with detectives. Police tracked the suspect, interviewed witnesses, and collected evidence. Ottawa County Sheriff’s deputies initially assisted with the investigation.
Police found the suspect at a storage unit on the city’s south side just before 10 a.m. Tuesday, and arrested him without incident, according to Mulder.
He is currently in custody, with open murder charges expected.
No names are being released until after family notifications and the suspect’s arraignment.
This incident remains under investigation and the arraignment is not yet scheduled, according to Mulder.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Holland Department of Public Safety at (616) 355-1150, or via email, policetips@cityofholland.com. Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact Silent Observer at 877-887-4536, or by texting OCMTIP and a message to 274637 or go online and submit a tip using the online form at www.mosotips.com.
