Serial killer fears in Michigan after 5 deaths in 10 months, police spot chilling pattern

Police have started an investigation into a string of killings in the last 10 months along the Lansing River Trail in Michigan, as per a report of the Sun which said cops are fearing a serial killer could be behind the deaths. The deaths occurred between October 2025 and August 2026, with four of the five victims found within a span of less than two months this summer, the report claimed.

While hinting at that the cases may be related, Police Chief Robert Backus in a press conference said, “One question that we are being asked is, ‘Do we have a serial killer in Lansing?”

5 deaths in 10 months

The first victim, Ryan Chouinard, was found dead in late October 2025. Police have yet to determine the exact cause of his death.


In the second case, Robert Smith, 57, was found on July 13, 2026, with severe head trauma. He died four days later, on July 17, and his death was ruled a homicide.

Another victim, Denis Dunnebacke, 70, was found unresponsive along the trail on July 29. He died in the hospital shortly afterward, but police have not cited a cause of death.

Daniel Lusk, 22, was found stabbed on August 20. The latest victim, Louis Woodruff, 57, was found with severe facial injuries under a bridge on August 30. He died on September 1.

Why police suspect the cases could be linked

According to The Sun, police have cited similarities in the victims’ backgrounds, the locations of the incidents and the nature of the injuries in four of the cases.

“Based on how we found our victims and their surroundings, it would lead us to believe that this could be a pattern,” Backus said.

All five victims were white men between the ages of 22 and 70. Police also believe the attacks may have occurred during the early morning hours. All five men were unhoused in the Lansing area, the report said.

Investigators suspect that the victims may have been attacked while lying down or potentially sleeping. In four of the cases, blunt-force trauma or other traumatic facial injuries were reported or suspected.

Police have not identified a weapon that could link the deaths. Limited surveillance camera coverage along the trail has also made it difficult for investigators to identify a potential suspect.

The Lansing River Trail is a popular destination for hikers and other visitors and is reportedly visited by tens of thousands of families every year.