VICKSBURG, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Michigan Attorney General’s office is saying that a re-opened case in the death of a Kalamazoo County teen will not be resulting in charges.
16-year-old Erik Cross was killed in 1983 when he was struck by a driver while walking home from a party in Brady Township. According to a police report, he was found dead by his father outside of his family home the next morning.
The cause of Cross’s death was believed to be a traffic accident, until further investigaton determined that it was likely intentional. The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office took a renewed interest in the case after receiving tips from callers and collecting information related to the victims death.
The office referred the case to the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor in 2017, requesting five open murder or conspiracy to commit murder charges for suspects believed to be implicated in Cross’s death. After none of the charges were officially filed, members of the Cross family went to the state Attorney General for help.
In February 2019 the Michigan Attorney General’s Office confirmed it was reviewing the Cross case partially because of the new evidence available.
Nearly a year later, the office has announced that it is declining to pursue charges. AG Office staff met with the Cross’ family in Kalamazoo on Thursday, January 23rd to personally inform them of the decision.
The office said in a statement that the amount of evidence made available isn’t sufficient enough to warrant further investigation and charges.
