PIERSON, Mich. – A West Michigan couple were found murdered two and a half years ago and the killer remains on the run.
Michael and Kathy Greene were found stabbed to death, then their home on Big Whitefish Lake was set on fire.
Right after the murders, Montcalm County Deputies received more than a hundred tips and leads, but still no arrests.
FOX 17 got in touch with investigators to see where the case stands now and takes a closer look at what it’s going to take a catch one of West Michigan’s Most Wanted.
All signs, including the house where the crime was committed has been erased from the banks of Big Whitefish Lake.
But the memories still haunt Detective Tom George with the Montcalm County Sheriff’s Department.
Det. George said, “I woke up many nights thinking what could have been done differently? What are we missing? Where is this going to go? What can we do to get some closure for this family?”
It was late on October 29th, 2010 when Detective George first awoke from sleep and was sent to the home on Shorecrest Drive.
“There was a house fire and there were two people found in the home,” Det. George said.
Michael and Kathy Greene were getting ready to downsize their lives and focus on being grandparents. Both would be found by firefighters in the basement of their home, stabbed to death.
Almost instantly, tips from neighbors came pouring in.
Det. George said, “We have reason to believe that there were multiple offenders at the home at the time. Some of them may be offenders, some may be witnesses.”
As the days, weeks and months pressed on, the trail for suspects grew dark and desolate. Investigators remain confident the answers are out there, urging those with a direct connection to come forward and confess.
“They can have some control over their future as well if they are willing to come forward and cooperate,” Det. George said.
In December of 2011, Christopher Perrien was arrested and charged in the shooting death of another couple with the last name Greene from Delta Township.
When Sgt. George learned of the arrest, he was hoping it would be the break they were looking for.
“When that call came in,” Det. George said, “it peaked our interest right away.”
Perrien is currently on trial for the murder of Michael and Terri Greene in Eaton County.
“Unfortunately Mr. Perrien is not cooperating. However we were able to identify acquaintances of his. backtrack and put him in areas at about the same time frame. We extensively worked that lead with the same curiosity everyone else had. But at this point we have not found anything to tie him into our Greene homicide,” said Det. George.
Tips for the Greene murders in Montcalm County have now stopped. Deputies are still waiting for information from the Greene’s home computer to come back from the lab, hoping it will shed new light into why they were killed.
The state is also keeping other evidence from the murders for comparison if it’s needed down the road.
Until then, Det. George is confident someone knows something.
“We have high hopes when we can convince someone in the public who knows what happened that will come forward and in essence do the right thing and open up this case,” the detective said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Montcalm County Sheriff’s Department or Silent Observer at 1-866-774-2345. The information could be worth up to $1,000. The Michigan Arson Prevention Committee is also willing to give $5,000 for information. The number is 1-800-44-ARSON.
