A man is facing prison time after concealing the dead body of his girlfriend in a bedroom of their home -- a felony which carries up to five years.
Jeffrey Michael Thomas, 50, was arrested Sunday after the body of his girlfriend, Jennifer Ann Butkowski, 32, was discovered by police in the couple's home located in Rockwood, Mich., a small town about 20 miles southwest of Detroit.
Authorities were initially alerted when a neighbor called 911 after witnessing Thomas jump out of a second-story window of the bi-level house, said Police Chief Randy Krause.
“We have no idea whatsoever why he jumped out of the window,” Krause added.
Once officers arrived at the home, they noticed a pungent odor coming from the bedroom. After moving to investigate the smell, police observed that the windows to the bedroom were open despite sub-zero temperatures outside. It was then that they noticed the body of Butkowski on the bed, wrapped up in a plastic sheet. It's believed the woman died around a month ago.
Police said Thomas was behaving in an incoherent manner and was sparsely clothed. He also claimed to not be alone.
“He indicated there were armed suspects inside the house,” Krause said. No one else was found to be in the home, according to police.
Thomas was arrested and taken to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
“We are still waiting on results from the medical examiner for the cause of death,” said Krause on Tuesday. “Due to the nature of the body, it’s unlikely the results will come back today. We will investigate the case as a homicide until it is proven otherwise.”
Source: thenewsherald.com
