Man charged with strangling girlfriend

ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) - A Plainwell man has been officially charged with the murder of his girlfriend.

Jeffery Robert Witt was arraigned Thursday afternoon in the Allegan County District Court for open murder in connection to the death of Amy Hartman.  

If convicted, Witt will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Plainwell Public Safety Director Bill Bomar said in court Thursday that emergency personnel were called to a Plainwell home near the intersection of Grant and Morrell streets around 5 a.m. Wednesday, where they found Hartman was not breathing.

Witt was at the house when authorities arrived.

Authorities and Witt attempted CPR, Bomar said, but it was unsuccessful.

Then police noticed injuries to Hartman's face and neck that seemed suspicious and found loose hair around the house.

Hartman's 17-year-old son said he heard Witt and his mother talking loudly on Tuesday night, Bomar said.

An autopsy revealed that Hartman died of strangulation. She also suffered injuries to her head.

Witt has denied any wrongdoing, Bomar said, but admits he was at the house, where he lived with Hartman, all night.

Police said they had never been called to Hartman's house before and that they do not know Witt's motive.

Friends and family told 24 Hour News 8 that they were shocked that Witt had been arrested and that they had never seen signs of abuse.

"It was definitely a shocker to me," said neighbor Cory Barnes. "I had never, never thought he would do something like that."

"I really hope it's something else," said friend Julie Shannon. "It's very shocking and hard to take."

Witt remains in the Allegan County Jail without bond.

He does not have a criminal record.