GAINES TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A Gaines Township woman is charged with open murder for the stabbing death of her husband, Bertram Lee Sr.
Court documents show that the couple was allegedly fighting at their apartment at 6121 Woodfield Dr. SE when Ynes Lee struck Bertram with the knife.
The Kent County Sheriff patrol units along with AMR Ambulance personnel found Bertram with a single stab wound to the chest after responding to a 911 call he placed himself.
“He made the 911 call himself, indicated he was losing consciousness,” said Jon Hess, Kent County Undersheriff. “After talking to him on the phone he was indicating he was getting faint and that was the last we talked to him.”
He was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital while he was still breathing and with a pulse.
However, EMT’s say he was unresponsive, the wound deep.
“It was right at the chest area by the heart and lungs,” said Hess.
He was put on life support at the hospital, but he was taken off the system and passed away on August, 26.
During an interview with investigators, Ynes stated that she and Bertram were in the kitchen arguing and that he was physically holding her when she grabbed a steak knife and stabbed him one time in the chest.
“Allegedly he had a hold of her arms by the wrists and she felt threatened,” said Hess.
An autopsy by the Kent County Medical Examiner’s Office and the cause of death was determined to be a homicide.
The couple had a long history of domestic violence claims and personal protection orders stretching back over a number of years.
Documents show that Bertram Lee had at least three domestic violence offenses on his record.
In 2011, Ynes wrote in a statement to the courts, asking for a personal protection order, “My spouse Bertram Lee has been violent to me on and off for the past 12 years.”
She goes on to day Bertram had been calling her at work and texting her her to “tell me he want me and him dead.”
“There is a long domestic history. I was told today there is an extensive domestic history with our department as well as Grand Rapids Police Department,” said Hess.
Although all the domestic offense charges were against Bertram in the past, he was cleared of his probation for that third offense in August.
The open murder charge indicates that the prosecutor believes the crime is much more serious than an action of self defense.
