EMMETT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A woman already accused of concealing the death of her mother now faces a felony charge for allegedly embezzling from a Battle Creek-area church.
Police say Marcia Lutz, who was arrested in July, embezzled between $20,000 and $40,000 from First Christian Church in Emmett Township.
Church officials say they first noticed discrepancies in accounts on Jan. 17.
That’s the same day Lutz’s 74-year-old mother’s remains were found buried outside her home in Leroy Township, south of Battle Creek.
Police were tipped off by Phyllis Lutz’s friends from church, who said they hadn’t seen or heard from her since September. Authorities believe she died around that time. They say she was suffering from a medical condition before her death.
Marcia Lutz has also been charged with a felony count of concealing the death of an individual and a misdemeanor count of failing to report the discovery of a dead body.
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