STANTON, Mich. -- An ex-convict from Stanton is now charged with the murder of 80-year-old Alan Dale Nelson, who was found shot to death in his home on Nevins Lake March 29 after a series of home invasions.
Friday afternoon, 48-year-old Alan Lee Morse from Stanton was arraigned on charges of open murder, felony murder, first and second-degree home invasion and two charges of felony firearms.
According to police, Morse was behind bars at the Montcalm County Jail on unrelated charges of home invasion and possession of child pornography and has been locked up for weeks.
Court documents reveal the Morse lived near Nevins Lake and that he was armed with a .22 caliber rifle during the March home invasion.
Nelson and his family were very well-known in the community. Neighbors told Fox 17 that prior to the homicide they left their doors unlocked, but that soon changed.
We spoke to those neighbors again Friday, they say they're relieved Morse is behind bars and they hope that justice will soon be served.
"We're relieved someone has been arraigned for the situation, we just want to see justice served," said Roy Overley, the President of the Nevin's Lake Association.
"It's like a large family around the lake, I think all lakes are like that. All of the neighbors within a certain facility feel like family, so sure, we all look out after another and feel responsible for one another," said Overley.
We ran a criminal background check on Morse and found that he has an extensive criminal record, including multiple convictions for breaking and entering, as well as home invasion and obstructing police.
