 Latest News Story (Cedar Springs, january 19, 2001
Three-and-a-half years after the murder of a Cedar Springs woman and the disappearances of four other people, police are still trying to unravel the mystery. News Eight has learned that the Department of Environmental Quality issued a permit allowing police to dredge Newaygo county's Oxford Lake. That's the same lake where Rachel Timmerman's body was found in 1997. Timmerman's one-year-old daughter, Shannon VerHage, disappeared the same time her mother did. Shannon VerHage has never been found. Prosecutors charge marvin Gabrion Jr. with Timmerman's murder and believe he is responsible for Shannon's disappearance, as well as the disappearances of three other men. With Gabrion still awaiting trial for Timmerman's murder, prosecutors recently revealed some of the evidence against him. That evidence includes a map of Oxford Lake, allegedly written by Gabrion, with three X's on it and the words "body found, one of three". According to the DEQ permit, police want to dredge an area around where Timmerman's body was found. The lake has never been dredged before, though divers have searched the swampy water many times. Because of a gag order on the case, investigators are unable to comment on when, or even if, that dredging may occur. One source said police are still trying to get the money to do the project. Meanwhile, Marvin Gabrion is still waiting to find out if prosecutors will seek the federal death penalty against him at trial. He's eligible for capital punishment because Rachel Timmerman's body was found on federal land. The Justice Department could decide whether to seek the death penalty as soon as mid-February. PHOTO NEXT HOME If you have any information, Contact: Michigan State Police at: (231)652-1662 The FBI at: (616)456-5489 The Silent Observer at: (616)774-2345 Thank you for caring! |