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California man arrested for 1986 Van Buren County cold case

A 51-year-old man was arrested in California in connection to a cold case murder in Van Buren County in 1986.
Credit: Van Buren County Jail
Michael Leon Curry

PAW PAW, Mich. - Michigan State Police have arrested a California man for a 1986 homicide that happened in Bangor, Mich.

According to a release from MSP, Michael Leon Curry is now in custody for the murder Wilda Wilkinson. In 1986, Wilkinson was found dead in her home by her daughter. Authorities began investigating the case at the time and developed several persons of interest, however, the case went cold. 

In 2010, detectives from the MSP began working the case. Over the next several years, suspects were narrowed down by investigators. 

In 2018, MSP started working the homicide case full-time and last week, detectives went to California with an arrest warrant for Michael Leon Curry.

Curry lived near Wilkinson during the time of the crime and was initially questioned by investigators. Curry was never able to be ruled out by detectives and eventually, through numerous interviews and physical evidence, an arrest warrant was issued. 

Curry was arrested in California and waived extradition. He was brought back to Michigan and arraigned on Monday, March 18. 

Wilkinson is survived by her two daughters and two sons, who were in continuous contact with investigators throughout this investigation. 

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