Hearing held for murder suspect

Witnesses gave descriptions of how MSU student Katherine Brown, her boyfriend and members of her boyfriend’s family were killed during a preliminary hearing Thursday for the man accused of their murder, police said.

Ottawa County Sheriff’s Lt. Mark Bennett said medical examiners and law enforcement officials testified that Brown, 18; Tyler Zimmer, 17; and Charmaine Zimmer, 53, were all dead by the time a fire was set to cover up the Sept. 29 killings. Brown’s boyfriend, Jeremy Zimmer, was shot once in the head and may have still been breathing when the fire was lit, Bennett said.

Medical examiners have said Brown was killed by blunt trauma to the head, while the Zimmers were shot.

The man accused of the murders, 31-year-old Troy Brake, was arrested Oct. 16 for allegedly beating a prostitute. Brake was in possession of a .40-caliber Glock handgun similar to the one used to kill the Zimmers and a subsequent search of his home revealed the alleged murder weapon.

More witnesses will testify at the next hearing on Dec. 15.

Brake’s defense attorney, Paul McDonagh, could not be reached for comment.