SHERMAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A missing Muskegon father found dead in Newaygo County was beheaded and had his hands cut off, police told a judge Tuesday.
Anthony Shawn Blamer, Jr., 29, appeared in court Tuesday afternoon on a felony charge of disinterment or mutilation of a dead body and a second felony charge of concealing the death of an individual in connection to the death of 24-year-old D’Anthony Keenan. Blamer, who lives in Fremont, is also being charged as a habitual offender.
In court Tuesday, police told the judge that Keenan was shot with his own gun during a struggle following a dispute over money. They said the suspect admitted to buying the chainsaw to dismember Keenan, police said.
According to police, Blamer said he dismembered Keenan so he could not be identified, then dumped his head and hands miles away from the rest of his body.
An undated courtesy photo of D’Anthony Keenan, provided by loved ones.
Keenan’s body was found in dense woods along Crystal Lake Trail between West 20th Street and 28th Street in Newaygo County’s Sherman Township around 6 p.m. Saturday.
Keenan’s family says he had no connections to the Newaygo area and they don’t think he traveled there on his own.
Authorities found Keenan’s missing SUV at a carpool lot on South Maple Island Road south of 48th Street near Fremont Monday afternoon.
A Michigan State Police crime lab vehicle sits near the SUV believed to belong to D’Anthony Keenan. (Aug. 7, 2017)
Blamer was arrested Monday, according to court records.
Keenan leaves behind a 1-year-old son and an infant.
Investigators are seeking tips from anyone with information about what happened. They specifically requested anyone with trail cameras that might have captured something along Crystal Lake Trail between Friday afternoon and Saturday evening to call the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Office at 231.689.5288 or Silent Observer at 231.652.1121.