In a case that went cold for two decades, the public is finally hearing why police and prosecutors believe Ryan Wyngarden killed his sister, Gail Brink, and her husband Rick.
Testimony at Ryan’s preliminary hearing revealed accusations of incest and jealousy surrounding motive for the murder.
Some of the more surprising testimony came from an ex-girlfriend who claimed that Wyngarden admitted he had sexually assaulted his sister and was jealous of her husband.
A man also testified that Ryan had told him he killed the couple while they were both locked up together.
“He was telling me why he did it. It was anger and jealousy,” said Daryl Cain, a man who testified against Ryan.
Cain says Ryan admitted to him in jail that he murdered his sister and her husband.
He described how Ryan told him about the scene.
“He put up his hand and went, ‘boom, boom, boom boom’,” said Cain.
It was more than 20 years ago that Rick and Gail Brink moved into their Park Township home in Ottawa County.
Shortly after that, investigators say Ryan shot and killed them both at the house in November of 1987.
Rick was found in his car in the driveway and Gail in her bedroom.
There was no clear motive why the murders happened until cold case detectives began digging again, pulling out more alleged family secrets.
”He was crying,” said Crystal Beelen, Ryan’s ex-girlfriend.
Beeelen took the stand saying he obsessively talked about the sister he’s accused of killing.
Then, she testified he allegedly admitted to sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers.
“He told me one of the times, there was a garage behind the house, and he tried to get her to play at sex and she didn’t want to have it and he forced himself on her,” said Beelen.
Ryan’s wife Pam also said in court that she knew Ryan was responsible for the murder.
“I was afraid,” said Pam Wyngarden, Ryan’s wife.
Ryan had to be removed from the courtroom Wednesday after making two outbursts during her testimony.
He was forced to remain in the conference room so there wouldn’t be more disturbances.
“He committed this terrible crime, you’re in fear of him, why would you marry him?”, said the defense attorney.
“I was afraid of my life,” said Pam.
The judge said there was enough evidence to take the case to circuit court and possible trial.
