A string of deaths along a popular Michigan hiking trail has police asking the question no city wants to hear. At least five men have died along a short stretch of the Lansing River Trail over the past year — all believed to be homeless, all found lying down and possibly asleep when they were attacked — and investigators now fear the cases may be connected. The Lansing serial killer fears went public at a press conference this month, after months of mounting community alarm.
“One question that we are being asked is ‘Do we have a serial killer in Lansing?'” Police Chief Robert Backus said at the briefing, according to the New York Post. “We are investigating all of these cases,” he added, saying authorities suspect “a pattern” — and that they are examining “the idea or the possibility that these may be related cases.”
Photo: Scott.merryfield / Wikimedia Commons (file photo)
The Five Deaths
The five deaths occurred along the same roughly one-mile section of the 20-mile Lansing River Trail, near the downtown area. The trail, frequented by runners, cyclists and walkers, connects downtown Lansing to Michigan State University in East Lansing. Here is what investigators have confirmed about each case, according to the Lansing State Journal and police statements:
1. Gino Chouinard, 54 — October 2025
The first death happened on Oct. 14, 2025, when police were called about an injured person and found Chouinard with facial injuries. He was brought to a local hospital and died on Oct. 27. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was undetermined, and the investigation remains active with no suspect information, police said.
2. Denis Dunnebacke, 70 — July 2026
On July 9 — 268 days after the first death — police working on the trail found Dunnebacke unresponsive, covered in vomit, with injuries to his face. He was transferred to the hospital in critical condition and died on July 16. Medical officials at the time said he could have suffered a medical issue rather than a physical attack, though police investigated it as suspicious. The medical examiner has not issued a finding in his death.
3. Robert Smith, 57 — July 2026
On July 13, Smith was found unresponsive and bleeding from his head. He was taken to a local hospital and died on July 17. This case was determined to be a homicide by the medical examiner in September.
4. Daniel Lusk, 22 — August 2026
On Aug. 20, Lusk was stabbed to death. Police have arrested a suspect in that case — 23-year-old Edward Joseph Smith — who has been charged with open murder. This is the only one of the five cases with a suspect in custody.
5. Louis Woodruff, 57 — August 2026
On Aug. 30, police found Woodruff with facial injuries. He was brought to a hospital and died on Sept. 1. The case has been classified as a homicide.
The Pattern Police Fear
Of the five cases, three have been classified as homicides, one has an undetermined cause, and one is still awaiting a medical examiner’s finding. But the commonalities are what alarm investigators: all five victims were white men between the ages of 22 and 70, all were believed to be homeless, and all were found within the same one-mile stretch of trail.
Most of the dead men suffered what police described as blunt-force traumatic injuries to the facial area, while one was stabbed. And investigators believe the attacks happened in the same window: “We believe our victims were lying down, possibly even asleep,” Backus said. “We don’t know, but based on how we find our victims and their surroundings, this would lead us to think it could be a pattern.” Police believe the injuries may have occurred overnight or in the early morning hours.
Backus stressed that the investigations are active and “fluid,” and that information is subject to change. Police have created a tip line for river trail assaults at (517) 483-6023, and tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers and the department’s social media sites.
Photo: Dj1997 / Wikimedia Commons (file photo)
Is the Trail Safe?
Asked whether he thinks the river trail is safe for public use, Backus told reporters he does “not have a concern for safety on the river trail outside of those hours” — meaning the overnight and early-morning window when investigators believe the attacks occurred. The trail remains a popular daytime destination for runners, cyclists and walkers.
The Lansing State Journal first made the string of deaths public in mid-September, reporting on four of the cases; a Sept. 28 follow-up confirmed a fifth death. Backus broke his silence on the issue at the Oct. 2 press conference, noting there are commonalities between some of the incidents and saying police were aware of no other deaths beyond the five reported by the newspaper.
For now, Lansing waits for answers. The medical examiner’s office is expected to release more findings, and Backus has promised to share them as soon as they arrive. “Our goal, our mandate is that someone will be brought to justice” in all cases, the chief said — while the city confronts the question hanging over its most beloved trail: is a Lansing serial killer still out there?
Related on The Nerdy Humourist: Operation Free Skid Row: FBI and DEA Raids Rock Los Angeles | Erik Prince’s Forces Suffer Battlefield Loss in Congo; Former UFC Fighter Tim Kennedy Wounded
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a serial killer in Lansing, Michigan?
Police have not confirmed that the five deaths are connected. Lansing Police Chief Robert Backus said investigators are examining “the possibility that these may be related cases” and acknowledged a possible “pattern,” but stressed all five remain active, separate investigations.
Who were the five victims found along the Lansing River Trail?
Gino Chouinard, 54 (found Oct 14, 2025); Denis Dunnebacke, 70 (July 9, 2026); Robert Smith, 57 (July 13, 2026); Daniel Lusk, 22 (Aug 20, 2026); and Louis Woodruff, 57 (Aug 30, 2026). All were believed to be homeless. Three cases are classified homicides; one cause is undetermined; one awaits medical examiner findings.
Has anyone been arrested in the Lansing River Trail deaths?
Yes — but only in one case. Edward Joseph Smith, 23, was arrested and charged with open murder in the August 20 stabbing death of Daniel Lusk. No suspects have been identified in the other four cases.
Is the Lansing River Trail safe to visit?
Police Chief Backus said he has no concern about the trail’s safety during daytime hours. The attacks investigators are probing are believed to have occurred overnight or in the early morning hours, when the victims were lying down and possibly asleep.
Sources: New York Post, Lansing State Journal, WILX via CNN Newsource.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.