Beulah man charged with homicide

Jordan Travis, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·1 min read

Feb. 6—BEULAH — A Beulah man faces one count of homicide open murder after police found his neighbor dead inside her home in Homestead Township.

Jeffrey Duane Stratton, 57, was arraigned on the single count in 85th District Court on Sunday, and is being held in Benzie County's jail without bond, according to a Michigan State Police release.

He kept the MSP and other law enforcement in a standoff Friday after a MSP K-9 team led police to his Cinder Road address, just down the road from the home where they found 72-year-old Linda Henry dead.

Both addresses are between Weldon and Haze roads, maps show.

Benzie County sheriff's deputies found Henry after responding to reports of a breaking-and-entering in progress just before 2 p.m. Friday, as previously reported. There was smoke in the home and Homestead Township firefighters helped put out a small fire.

Police made a perimeter outside Stratton's home after tracking him there and called in an MSP Emergency Support Team. The standoff ended Friday evening when Stratton tried to run and police tackled him. They took him to be checked for minor injuries before taking him to Benzie County Jail.

Investigators don't know yet of a connection between the two neighbors, or what occurred prior to Henry's death, said MSP Lt. Derrick Carroll.