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Murderer Tips Police To Crime

Posted at 8:32 PM, Nov 19, 2012
and last updated 2013-02-20 12:50:24-05

A man has confessed to murdering a woman in Montcalm County. Robert Michael Munsell, 29, is being charged with Open Murder for killing Julie Lynn Danielson, 31, at her home in Pierson Township.

In a probable cause recording, a detective with the Montcalm County Sheriff’s Office describes how Munsell confessed to murdering Danielson.

Munsell told the officer that the two had been arguing, when Danielson started pushing him towards the door. Munsell says he got upset and slapped her hard enough to knock her unconscious. That’s when he went upstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. Munsell then proceeded back downstairs where he slit her throat.

Munsell told officers the reason he was covered in blood, was because he hugged Danielson’s body before he left the house.

Munsell has a previous criminal history including an ordinance violation, a misdemeanor for obstructing police, a felony arrest for dangerous drugs, and an assault charge.

The murder happened around 4 a.m. Saturday morning on the 4000 block of Whitefish Woods Drive.

Sheriff William Barnwell says the two were involved in a relationship. Munsell was the one that contact the sheriff’s department, telling them an assault had just occurred at the residence. Munsell was not at the home when police arrived.

“We had no idea what was going on at the house, He did not mention anything about the crime itself. Most of the information was that we needed to get the ambulance there because someone was hurt,” Barnwell said.

Deputies were able to locate Munsell in Grand Rapids and asked him to voluntarily turn himself in for questions.

“He came up and talked to the detective about what happened. He was charged and arrested at the sheriff’s office in GR,” Barnwell said.

Munsell is being held without bond at this time.