NEWAYGO COUNTY, Mich. — A guilty verdict was reached Wednesday in a Newaygo County cold case spanning nearly four decades.
Richard Atwood went missing from White Cloud back in 1983. His car was later found in the Grand Rapids area, but his body was never located.
A suspect, Roy Snell, was arrested in March 2020. He was 55 at the time. The Michigan Department of Attorney General said Snell was the last person known to be seen with Atwood.
Wednesday, a jury found Snell guilty of murder in Newaygo County Circuit Court.
Snell was also convicted on a felony firearms charge.
The trial lasted a little more than two weeks.
Watch video of the verdict being read here:
“I’m grateful we can finally provide justice for the victim’s family,” says Attorney General Dana Nessel. “Investigating a decades-old cold case without a body is very challenging. I thank the cold case team for their diligence investigating and solving this crime.”
Snell is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 9, 2023. He faces life in prison without parole.
“I am heartened that the family of Rick Atwood may begin to find some closure in this verdict,” says Prosecuting Attorney Ellsworth Stay. “I thank the jury for their service during this lengthy trial.”
