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Morning fires may have been part of contentious divorce; ends in suicide

Posted at 12:44 PM, May 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-18 17:08:28-04

ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The Kent County Sheriff's office believes that this morning's suspicious fires in Algoma Township were part of a contentious divorce and resulted in a suicide attempt.

The fire started about 6:45 a.m. in the 12000 block of Algoma Avenue.  Responding crews found two pole barns and a home at the property on fire.  No one was home. The person who called 911 about the fire informed dispatchers that there was a contentious divorce ongoing with the owner of the property, a 71-year-old man.

Algoma Twp.

At about 9:30 a.m., an employee at a funeral home in the 13000 block of Northland Drive called dispatch that a 71-year-old man had come in and dropped off a last will and testament.  That man was still sitting in a vehicle in the parking.

Deputies responded and as they were approaching the man fired two shots to his own head. He was taken to hospital in critical condition, with life-threatening injuries.  He died later Friday afternoon. They determined that the man was the owner of the buildings that were set on fire.

Investigators determined later that the man's wife was due to come to the home Friday to remove property.  They believe that may have contributed to today's events.

The case is still under investigation.