(WWJ) – Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson confirmed Monday the body found by a hunter in Saginaw County has been identified as Kelly McWhirter.
McWhirter, 60, was reported missing in Mid-October after her family didn't hear from her and she failed to show up to work. Days after her disappearance her husband, Steven Higgins, killed himself during a confrontation with police.
Last Wednesday Swanson said a hunter who was training his bird dogs discovered a partially decomposed body near St. Charles, Mich.
The body was confirmed to be that of McWhirter — a former secretary at the Genesee County Sheriff's Office — on Monday after DNA and dental records showed a 100% match, Swanson said.
Swanson said Monday authorities believe she was killed sometime between Oct. 14 and the early morning hours of Oct. 17. Higgins is also believed to have dumped her body during that time frame.
While he didn't disclose further details out of respect for McWhirter's family, Swanson said the cause and manner of death have been confirmed by what was found at the scene in St. Charles. Swanson noted "there was a lot of blunt-force trauma but Higgins took it one step further."
The investigation stretched from Sandusky, Ohio, to parts of Northern Michigan. Swanson said authorities are still working with the FBI to piece together parts of Higgins' phone to learn more about McWhirter's final days.
"Her life was snuffed out by domestic violence at the highest level," Swanson said.
The sheriff's office shared the following domestic violence resources. Anyone who is a victim or knows of someone in need of help is urged to call:
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
Michigan Domestic Violence Hotline: 866-864-2338
YWCA of Greater Greater Flint: 810-238-7233
