CALHOUN COUNTY, Mich. — Police believe a body found Friday was that of a missing Calhoun County man and they have arrested a relative of his on a charge of open murder.
Calhoun County sheriff Matt Saxton told FOX 17 the body is believed to be that of 28-year-old Robert Barroso II. The Battle Creek man was last seen arguing with a 29-year-old relative near his Kingman Avenue home on Dec. 27. Both men left the scene and Barroso has not been seen since then.
Police found Barroso’s car last Monday in Lee Township. The body believed to be Barroso’s was discovered at 6 p.m. Friday at an undisclosed location in rural Lee Township, after a person of interest led detectives to the location. Later Friday, the 29-year-old man was arrested on open murder charges and is being held in the Calhoun County jail.
Calhoun County prosecutor David Gilbert will review the information provided by detectives and formal charges are expected later.
Saxton told FOX 17 that the case is still an ongoing investigation by the Calhoun County Major Crimes Task Force. The Battle Creek Police Department crime lab is processing the scene.
Detectives are awaiting forensic identification procedures to be completed at the Western Michigan Homer Stryker School of Medicine to confirm that the body is that of Barroso.
The Calhoun County Major Crimes Task Force includes detectives from the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Battle Creek Police Department, Michigan State Police, Emmett Township Department of Public Safety, Marshall Police Department, Albion Department of Public Safety and the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Patawatomi Tribal Police.
