A string of brutal killings along a popular Midwestern walking path has raised fears that a serial predator may be stalking some of the most vulnerable people in Lansing, Michigan.
According to Western Journal, local authorities are now openly weighing the possibility that a single assailant is responsible for five homicides committed in less than a year on or near the Lansing River Trail, a recreational corridor that winds through the state capital. Earlier this month, police confirmed they were investigating whether a lone killer was targeting the area, a development that has rattled residents and underscored the dangers faced by the citys homeless population.
Karen Holt, a criminology professor at Michigan State University, told Fox News, I definitely think we need to be cautious, but we also need to be rational. She added, As someone who studies violence, the first thing that came to mind was the victims and the vulnerability of these victims and the method of the violence.
Holt emphasized that the pattern of victims fits a grim and familiar profile for violent offenders. One of the patterns with either single or serial homicide offenders or just violent offenders is that they tend to go after individuals who are particularly vulnerable, she explained.
Authorities have confirmed that all five victims were homeless men, living on the margins of a city that, like many others, has struggled with crime, addiction, and mental illness in its transient population. Holt noted that killers sometimes target homeless individuals because they lack credibility, which she said possibly decreases the likelihood that theyre going to be caught.
The killings span from October 2025 to August 2026, forming a disturbing timeline of violence along the same trail system. The victims ranged in age from 22 to 70, with many of the deaths attributed to blunt force trauma or stabbing, suggesting a level of brutality that has alarmed both investigators and residents.
Last month, police arrested 23-year-old Edward Joseph Smith in connection with the stabbing of 22-year-old Daniel Lusk, one of the youngest victims. No motive has been released, and investigators have not publicly linked Smith to any of the other homicides, leaving open the question of whether a broader pattern is at work.
Holt told Fox News that Lusks killing stands out because he was the only victim who was stabbed rather than beaten. Smith has been charged with murder in that case, but the remaining investigations are ongoing, according to The New York Times, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of multiple perpetrators.
Lusks father, Dean, described his son as a young man battling addiction who had cycled through rehab and prison but remained in close contact with his family. He said he frequently visited his son to bring food and clothing, only to watch the system fail him and others living along the trail.
There were incidents that happened down there before my son got murdered, Mr. Lusk said. The cops were well aware of it, and they refused to do anything about it.
His criticism reflects a broader frustration often voiced by families and advocates who believe law enforcement and city officials are slow to act when the victims are homeless, addicted, or otherwise marginalized. In a climate where progressive policies have often prioritized leniency and harm reduction over enforcement, such tragedies raise hard questions about whether vulnerable people are being left unprotected.
Police Chief Robert Backus addressed the possibility of a serial killer during a recent news conference, acknowledging both the publics fears and the limits of what investigators can confirm. We are looking at the idea or the possibility that these may be related cases But we cannot move forward in an investigation thinking that these are all the same person. We have to look at these on a case-by-case scenario, he said.
Derick Byrd, 56, who has previously stayed along the river trail and reportedly knew some of the victims, described the growing sense of fear among the homeless community. Its scary knowing that even if youre homeless, you cant even lay out here and go to sleep without somebody beating you, he said.
In response to the killings, Backus announced that temporary cameras have been installed along the trail as a stopgap measure. City officials are also considering permanent upgrades such as improved lighting, though such basic public-safety infrastructure has too often lagged behind in urban areas where transient populations congregate.
Backus maintained that the trail remains safe during most of the day, attempting to reassure residents who use the path for recreation and commuting. He added that the primary danger appears to be during the overnight hours, when the homeless often seek shelter under bridges and in secluded areas with little visibility or surveillance.
The first known victim, 54-year-old Gino Chouinard, was discovered dead on the trail, though his cause of death has not yet been determined by the medical examiner. The second, 70-year-old Dennis Dunnebacke, was found under a bridge in July, and his cause of death also remains undetermined, further complicating efforts to establish a clear pattern.
The third victim, 57-year-old Robert Smith, died of head trauma just one day after Dunnebacke was found. His case was ruled a blunt force homicide, marking a sharp escalation in the clarity and severity of the violence.
The final two deaths occurred 10 days apart in August, with both victims discovered under bridges in circumstances similar to Dunnebackes. One was Lusk, and the other was 57-year-old Louis Woodruff, who suffered severe facial trauma, died on Sept. 1, and whose death was also ruled a blunt force homicide.
Chief Backus has attributed delays in solving the cases to a lack of witnesses, limited surveillance footage, and inconclusive or pending medical examiner reports. Those obstacles are common in crimes against the homeless, who often live in isolated encampments, distrust authorities, and are less likely to have family or community advocates pressing for answers.
As Lansing grapples with these unanswered questions, the case highlights a deeper issue: when cities fail to enforce basic public order and protect those living on the streets, predators are emboldened and the most defenseless pay the price. Whether the River Trail killings are ultimately tied to a single serial offender or multiple attackers, the pattern of vulnerable men beaten or stabbed to death in the shadows of a state capital is forcing officialsand votersto confront the real human cost of neglecting law enforcement, mental health, and addiction treatment in the name of progressive experimentation.
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