Suspected Grindr killer to plead insanity

Attorneys plan to request psychiatric examination 

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FRIDAY, Jan. 3 — Lawyers of an alleged murderer contend their client is legally insane and therefore cannot be held criminally liable for the recent killing of a Swartz Creek man and the subsequent mutilation of his corpse. 

According to his attorneys, Mark David Latunski, 50, of Morrice, will plead insanity next week in 66th District Court after he was charged last week with open murder and mutilation of a body in the recent death of Kevin Bacon, a 25-year-old member of the LGBTQ community, college student and hairstylist from Swartz Creek. 

“I cannot really get into much of anything, but he indicates his true name is Edgar Thomas Hill,” explained Doug Corwin, Shiawassee County’s public defender and one of Latunski’s court-appointed attorneys. “I can tell you that we’ll be filing for a forensic examination. We will be filing an insanity defense on his behalf.” 

Latunski was arraigned on the open murder charge — which carries the possibility of life in prison upon conviction — on Monday after Michigan State Police said they discovered Bacon’s mutilated body in the basement of Latunski’s rural home in the 700 block of W. Tyrrell Road outside the village of Morrice. 

Bacon had reportedly met Latunski on the popular gay hookup site Grindr on Christmas Eve. According to a Flint Journal interview with a friend, Bacon said he was going to be out for a while but was still having fun. His family reported him missing when he couldn’t be found on Christmas morning. And police started searching. 

MSP Public Information Officer Dave Keiser said Bacon’s car was found by local police later that day, parked at a Family Dollar in Clayton Township. His phone, wallet and a few articles of clothing were found inside. MSP investigators were called onto the scene later that day. Bacon’s body was found in Latunski’s basement Sunday. 

It’s unclear what led investigators to Latunski’s home. Keiser declined to elaborate as the investigation continues. 

At Latunski’s arraignment hearing, he claimed his real name was “Edgar Thomas Hill” and insisted that Mark Latunski was actually his nephew, attorneys said. Corwin said his team hasn’t found evidence to explain or substantiate the claim, instead pointing to upcoming plans to present an insanity defense as the case proceeds. 

“So far, we haven’t found anything to explain that one,” Corwin added. 

Latunski is due back for another hearing on Jan. 8 and 14. In the meantime, he’s being held at the Shiawassee County Jail without bail. Visit lansingcitypulse.com  for continued coverage as the criminal case proceeds.  

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