MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) — A man has been arrested after officers found a woman’s body in Muskegon Heights.
The Muskegon Police Department said the human remains were found late Monday night near Summit Avenue and 6th Street in Muskegon Heights. A small memorial with balloons and a teddy bear could be seen in the snow near the intersection Tuesday.
According to an MPD news release, investigators believe the body is that of a Muskegon woman who was reported missing in October 2021.
Prosecutors confirmed to News 8 that Timothy Day, 39, was arrested in connection to the disappearance of Brenda Hooper, 49. Jail records show he faces a charge of obstructing police in a criminal investigation. Arraignment was scheduled for Wednesday.
Police say tips led them to Hooper’s body.
Day was her boyfriend when she went missing. At the time, investigators said, there was no indication he had anything to do with it.
A week after she disappeared, Day posted on Facebook, asking for help reaching out to her and saying no one had seen or heard from her in days. He went on to ask for prayers.
“Certainly in any investigation that involves somebody going missing, the first people we want to talk to are those who were closest to that person, (Day) being one of them,” Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Hilson said. “But ultimately there was nothing at the onset that would point us in his direction. Things have changed since then.”
Now, Hilson said, he believes evidence will show Day was involved in Hooper’s death.
“Investigators had been working over the last couple of weeks on this particular missing person,” Hilson said. “I’d say within probably the last week or so, we had a lot of very fast-moving developments as it relates to the investigation.”
The case remains under investigation. Hilson said more charges could be issued soon.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Muskegon Police Department at 231.724.6750 or Silent Observer at 231.722.7463.
—News 8 digital executive producer Rachel Van Gilder contributed to this report.
