A family is breathing easier this Christmas season after authorities announced arrests in the murder of Chong Moua Yang four years ago, reports WILX.
Investigators in Bath Township, Michigan say two men shot the hunter in the head despite the fact he was wearing a yellow vest. They say they stole his headlamp, knife, backpack, and shotgun.
Every year right around Thanksgiving the family has held a vigil to bring attention to the case and to promote hunter safety, according to WLNS.
They thanked law enforcement after hearing the news.
“With the arrest of two men, Thomas Olson and Robert Rodway comes bittersweet emotions of excitement and anxiousness. We admit that during these last four years of the investigation, there were times when we were angry, frustrated, and impatient with the whole process. But…we never lost hope,” the family said in a statement.
Prosecutors believe Olson, 34, of Grand Blanc Township, and Rodway, 34, of Saint Johns, killed Yang while hunting. Click on Detroit reports they are being held without bond. Michigan State Police Fugitive Team arrested the men Wednesday night and both were arraigned the next morning.
Both entered not guilty pleas.
“Robert had nothing to do with the death,” said Rodway’s attorney Matthew Newburg to the Lansing State Journal. “We’re going to prove he’s innocent and we look forward to trying his case before a jury.”
No attorney is listed of Olson at this time.
Just last month, authorities released an image of Yang’s hunting rifle hoping to trigger someone’s memory hoping it “may have been sold, gifted, or possibly hidden for the past four years.”
“The Bath Township Police Department worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other local agencies and prosecutors to gather evidence, establish a timeline of events, and locate the defendants,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. “I am grateful for their persistence and hard work in pursuing this case. Chong Yang’s family deserves justice, and we are working hard to make sure they receive it.”
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