Macon
The suspect in a string of Lansing slayings dating back to July was arraigned on charges of open murder, torture and first-degree criminal sexual conduct Wednesday at Lansing’s 54-A District Court.
The charges against 28-year-old Matthew Macon are in connection with the death of 41-year-old Lansing resident Karen Delgado-Yates in August.
Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III said the charges stemmed from new evidence relating to Delgado-Yates’ murder. The evidence was obtained by the prosecutor’s office on Tuesday.
Dunnings said he couldn’t discuss the specifics of the evidence.
Macon was charged with open murder for the death of 64-year-old Sandra Eichorn in August in addition to charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and first-degree home invasion resulting from an Aug. 28 incident.
Macon will undergo a preliminary examination for all three cases on Oct. 30 at Lansing’s 54-A District Court.
Macon also is believed to be connected to the murders of four other women dating back to 2004.
The charges come on the heels of a Lansing State Journal report that Macon confessed to the January 2005 murder of Lansing Community College professor Carolyn Kronenberg.
Macon’s attorney, Mike O’Briant, said Michigan State Police Detective Lt. Jamie Corona violated a gag order placed on the case in speaking with the Lansing State Journal.
A criminal contempt hearing against Corona was scheduled during Macon’s arraignment for Nov. 9.
Michigan State Police spokeswoman Melody Kindraka confirmed that there was a conversation between the investigator and the Lansing State Journal, but would not speak as to whether Corona erred in speaking on the issue.
“We’re still sorting through a lot of this information,” Kindraka said.
“This is a very complex issue.”
Claude McCollum, who was convicted of the Lansing Community College professor’s murder in February 2006, was released Tuesday after spending more than a year and a half in prison.
He is currently awaiting a second trial.
McCollum was released after the prosecutor’s office received new evidence in the case, which is believed to include Lansing Community College surveillance video and DNA evidence.
Dunnings said McCollum’s release was not connected to the report of a confession by Macon.
McCollum’s attorney, Hugh Clarke Jr., said any reports of a confession related to the Kronenberg case will not be necessary for acquitting his client.
“At this point, as I’ve said all along, I don’t need anything from that case to help out (McCollum’s) case,” Clarke said.
“The videotapes prove that Mr. McCollum was not at the scene.”
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O’Briant said he anticipates additional charges will be brought against Macon in the future.
“I do expect more, but I don’t know when,” O’Briant said.
“That’s up to the prosecutor’s office to decide.”
Dunnings said there is no timeline for filing more charges against Macon and that Lansing police are continuing to investigate the other homicides.
