Mich. Banker David Widlak Shot in Head "Execution Style," Says Report
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (CBS/AP) Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel says investigators are baffled after results from an independent autopsy indicated that Michigan banker David Widlak was shot in the head, which contradicts an earlier autopsy that claimed no evidence of blunt force.
The severely decomposed body of the 62-year-old bank executive was found Sunday in a swampy area just northeast of Detroit, less than five miles from the building where he was last seen, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"We are shocked at this latest turn of events," the Widlak family said in a statement to The Macomb Daily. "We are now looking to law enforcement officials to conduct a complete and thorough investigation."
Hackel told CBS radio station WWJ Thursday that the discrepancy between the initial autopsy conducted by Macomb County medical examiner Daniel Spitz and the most recent one performed by Oakland County doctor L.J. Dragovic was "unfortunate." Dragovic said that Widlak was shot in the head "execution style," and wrote to the victim's wife, Anne Widlak, that her husband "died as a result of a gunshot wound sustained in the mid-back of his neck."
"It certainly seems that this gunshot was the cause of death. The manner of death - classification of accident, suicide, homicide - is certainly based on a totality of the evidence," Spitz said according to CBS radio station WWJ.
Macomb County investigators say they have not ruled out suicide, but the case is being treated as a homicide.
"We're having a difficult time finding somebody that really we know for a fact would have wanted to hurt him or harm him," said Hackel.
Widlak, who according to a company website was responsible for three divisions of the Community Central Bank Corp Inc., was last seen at the company's administrative offices Sept. 19. A maintenance worker saw Widlak's car in the parking lot and when the worker proceeded to the executive's office around 7:00 a.m. he found it in disarray.
Hackel indicated earlier in the investigation that officials did not find a weapon when Widlak's body was recovered; however, Wednesday divers reportedly discovered a handgun registered to Widlak close to where his body was found, according to WWJ.
Ray Colonius, chief financial officer and acting chief executive officer of Community Central Bank, released a statement Monday saying that staff, management and board officials are "deeply saddened" and offer our thoughts, prayers and condolences to Anne and the rest of his family."
After Widlak's body was found, Anne said that though the outcome of the search was not what she had hoped for, she is "thankful to know he's been located."
The investigation is ongoing.