BARRY COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — A man is facing two counts of open murder on top of several other charges for the death of two people in Barry County.
63-year-old Jon Burnett was arraigned on Monday and is accused of killing 21-year-old Bryce DeGood from Haslett and 73-year-old Gary L Peake from Plainwell as well as attempting to strangle his wife.
The shooting occurred near Lewis Road and Lindsey Road in Orangeville Township on Friday at about 4 p.m.
Upon arrival, authorities said they found one deceased in a ditch and another in a nearby residence.
Branch County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor-Pratt says there are several other witnesses that tried to help the victim in the ditch that they’d like to interview to see what other charges Burnett could face.
According to the prosecutor’s office Burnett’s charges are:
- Count 1: Open Murder, a felony carrying a maximum of life in prison
- Count 2: Felony Firearm, a felony carrying a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison
- Count 3: Open Murder, a felony carrying a maximum of life in prison
- Count 4: Felony Firearm, a felony carrying a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison
- Count 5: Assault by Strangulation, a felony carrying a maximum of 10 years in prison
- Count 6: Felony Firearm, a felony carrying a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison
- Count 7: Felonious Assault: a felony carrying a maximum of 4 years in prison
- Count 8: Felony Firearm: a felony carrying a mandatory sentence of two years in prison
Information on a possible motive has not been released and the investigating is still underway.
