(FOX 2) - A northern Michigan man was arrested and charged in a domestic violence case months after his wife died following an investigation by state police.
The court appearance follows a lengthy probe into the 74-year-old man, who had previously been squatting in a cottage with his wife up north.
The backstory:
Troopers from Michigan State Police's seventh district were called out to a cabin in Otsego County in June 2024 following reports that two people were illegally staying there.
Both the 68-year-old woman and her husband, later identified as John Bromley, were homeless when they were found living in the cabin.
After confirming the couple did not have permission to stay there, police observed the woman had extensive bruising and difficulty breathing. She was taken to a hospital where she disclosed a history of domestic abuse to police.
The woman died a few days later.
According to state police, Bromley tried gaining access to the morgue after his wife died by impersonating a trooper. He was denied access.
Months of investigating soon followed, along with an autopsy, before a report was turned over to the Otsego County Prosecutor's Office.
Where the case stands:
An arrest warrant was issued for Bromley last month which was entered into the Law Enforcement Information Network.
Bromley was taken into custody during a traffic stop in Oakland County after police observed him speeding.
He was taken back to Otsego County on Feb. 9 before he was arraigned in the 87th District Court on counts of Aggravated Domestic Violence and First Degree Vulnerable Adult Abuse.
He was given a $50,000 cash surety bond.
He was charged in Grand Traverse County on a separate charge of impersonating an officer.
The Source: Information from Michigan State Police's Seventh District was used while reporting this story.
