Mother Suspected After Michigan Family Of 4 Found Dead In Apparent Murder-Suicide

GARFIELD TOWNSHIP (WWJ) - Authorities believe a Northern Michigan mother may have killed her two small children, her husband and then herself in their Grand Traverse County home.

Michigan State Police say a homicide investigation is ongoing after a family of four was found dead Thursday night, just south of Traverse City.

Troopers from the MSP Cadillac post responded to a home in Garfield Township — just south of Traverse City— for a welfare check on a person who had been missing from work for a couple of days.

Troopers found the home to be "dark and secured," according to a police report. When no one responded to knocks a the door, troopers forced their way in to find two adults and two small children dead.

The deceased have been identified as 54-year-old Jeffrey Mendenhall, 34-year-old Tamisha Mendenhall, and their children: 6-year-old Thomas and 3-year-old Olivia Mendenhall.

The man and his wife were found "in close proximity to each other," police said, which the kids were discovered elsewhere in the house.

State police said carbon monoxide is not a possibility, other natural causes have also been ruled out, and they're treating this situation as a homicide investigation. Although, police said, they believe that there is no evidence to suggest there is any concern for the public's safety.

Police are not releasing the exact location of the scene, which has been described as a "trailer home."

Traverse City Police Capt. Jeff O'Brien, who noted that state police are in charge of the investigation, called the case a possible murder-suicide.

Later in the day, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg indicated Tamisha Mendenhall was the suspected killer.

In an email, he told The Grand Rapids Press and MLive that the deaths do appear to be a "homicide/suicide."

"We believe the female was responsible, but cannot confirm at this point," he said.

An exact cause of death has not been released, pending the outcome of a forensic autopsies on all four family members.