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Suspect in Kent Co. homicide extradited from New York after lying to police

Posted at 4:18 PM, Jan 18, 2015
and last updated 2015-01-18 16:34:17-05

KENT COUNTY, Mich. — A 27 year-old man from Grand Rapids has been extradited back to Kent Co. after fleeing to upstate New York following a homicide investigation last September.

David Wayne Dugas is a suspect in the killing of 56 year-old Joseph Chenier Jr., whose body was found by construction workers September 25th in the area of Ann Street Park- a public park on Grand Rapid’s Northwest side, closed by the city years ago.  According to his death certificate, Chenier died of Head Trauma.

Though Dugas is not being charged with Chenier’s death at this time, Police have named him as the suspect in the homicide and believe he failed to share important information about the crime with them.  

He allegedly fled to New York about an hour after Grand Rapids Police initially approached him to talk on his involvement.  

Specifically, police are accusing Dugas of lying about knowing the whereabouts of a witness- charging him with ‘lying to police in a violent crime investigation’.

In November, a fugitive task force showed up at the residence Dugas was staying at with his girlfriend in Steamburg, New York to extradite him back to Kent County.

Dugas is currently jailed on $100,000 bond.