Timothy J. Kildee, nephew of Rep. Dan Kildee, charged with killing his father

The Genesee County prosecutor on Thursday morning said he has charged 27-year-old Timothy John Kildee, the nephew of U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint Township, with murdering his father and 15 other counts including armed robbery and other felonies.

A district court judge arraigned Timothy J. Kildee on Thursday morning from his hospital bed, where the suspect is being treated for injuries sustained after a car crash in his father's car immediately following an incident in which Prosecutor David Leyton alleges he shot and killed Timothy Edward Kildee, who is the congressman's brother, at his home in Mount Morris outside Flint early Tuesday morning.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson described the alleged incident earlier this week as a "tale of violence" involving one of the best-known families in the Flint area. Dan Kildee, and before him, his uncle, the late U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Flint, have represented the region for 36 years. Last year, Dan Kildee announced he would be stepping down after this, his sixth two-year term in the U.S. House.

"As you might expect he’s hurting," Leyton said of the congressman, who the prosecutor said he spoke with Wednesday. "It’s a very difficult situation for him and his family. It’s a very close-knit family."

Leyton said no bond was set for the felony murder charge and the bond on the remaining felonies was set at more than $1 million total. Swanson said the suspect is being monitored while in the hospital and once discharged will be transferred to the county jail.

Other charges include counts of armed robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, home invasion and other charges.

Leyton said Judge David Guinn is set to hold a preliminary hearing on April 9 but that may be delayed if either Leyton or Timothy J. Kildee's attorney requests a competency exam. The prosecutor said there were "potentially issues of mental health" regarding the suspect and witness testimony that he may have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the alleged incident.

The prosecutor said the district court judge agreed to issue a no-contact order regarding Candice Luxton of Burton, the suspect's sister, whose home he apparently visited before the alleged incident. The judge declined to issue such an order involving the suspect's brother, Jacob Kildee, who is the prosecution's main witness regarding events leading up to Timothy E. Kildee's death.

On Tuesday, Swanson described how Timothy J. Kildee apparently visited his sister's house in Burton and then, during a verbal argument, displayed a firearm, leading police to be called. The sheriff said Timothy J. Kildee fled, later contacting his mother, Timothy E. Kildee's ex-wife. She later picked him up around 5 a.m. and was transporting him to his father's house when he jumped from the moving vehicle, the sheriff said.

After she contacted her ex-husband, Timothy E. Kildee apparently went looking for his son with his other son, Jacob, who was in the basement of the home, hearing him leave, according to Swanson. A short time later, the other son heard both return and get into an argument, with Timothy J. Kildee demanding his father give him his wallet and car keys. After that, Jacob Kildee heard a single gunshot, the sheriff said.

Soon after that, authorities say, Timothy J. Kildee crashed his father's car into a pickup in neighboring Genesee Township, suffering serious injuries. The two passengers in the pickup were not seriously harmed, Swanson said.

An obituary for Timothy E. Kildee posted on the Sharp Funeral Home's website said he was a 1982 graduate of Flint Southwestern High School and lived in Mount Morris for more than 30 years, working as a journeyman millwright for Local #1102. It said he "enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, collecting guns and the outdoors."

The post also said contributions were welcome to the Genesee County Prevention Coalition, an organization working to reduce mental health and substance abuse disorders in Flint.

On Tuesday, members of Michigan's congressional delegation from both parties arranged to have a photo of them and dozens of other members of Congress taken standing on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in support of Dan Kildee, some holding signs saying, "We love you Dan," and "Sending love and support to the Kildee family."

Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @tsspangler.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Timothy J. Kildee, nephew of Rep. Dan Kildee, charged with killing his father