Michigan Man With Dementia Kills Daughter, Shoots Wife For Not Letting Him Drive

A man from Charlevoix County, Michigan, shot his wife and daughter, ultimately killing the latter.

Paul Henry Crest, 82, was charged with open murder, assault with intent to murder and two counts of using a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Police officials said the man was in the early stages of dementia and was upset with the wife for taking away his car keys, not allowing him to drive.

The incident took place on Sunday when the troopers from the state police’s Gaylord post were called to a residence in Bay Township based on a report that two people were shot.

Petoskey Department of Public Safety officers found the wife who made the call inside the home with a gunshot wound to her right hand and hip and the daughter dead in the basement. The deceased had numerous gunshot wounds on her torso, while the suspect was found with a gunshot wound on his left hand.

The victim and suspect were both rushed to McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey. The suspect was then transferred from McLaren to Munson Medical Center in Traverse City for further treatment.

Charlevoix County Prosecuting Attorney Allen Telgenhof said, “The case is charged at this time as open murder which means that if the case were to go to trial, the jury would be asked to decide whether it is a murder of the first or second degree.”

“We do not have enough information on this individual’s mental health condition and history to draw any conclusions at this time,” Telgenhof said.

Crest was lodged in Charlevoix County Jail and was due to appear in court on April 7.