Monday, December 29, 2008

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR LORI: JANUARY 10, 2009










From: Patti Ticknor
To: Family and Friends of Lori [DeKleine]
Subject:Lori DeKleine Memorial Service/Candlelight Vigil January 10, 2009

Dear Family and Friends of Lori,
I would like to invite you to a Memorial Service/Candlelight Vigil to honor Lori's memory and God's faithfulness on the one year anniversary of her tragic death. The candlelight vigil portion will be held to generate awareness of the issue of domestic violence.

It will be held on January 10, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church located at 836 East 8th Street Holland, MI 49423. Dress to be outside around a tree that was planted in her memory. If the weather is terrible, we will be in the gym. A time of fellowship and warm beverages will be provided after.

As I do not have all the emails of all the people that may want to attend this, please feel free to forward this email to anyone you feel would have an interest in coming.

Donations in Lori's memory can be made to the “DeKleine Children's Trust” and mailed to PO Box 2034 Holland, MI 49422.

Contact:
Patti Ticknor (Lori DeKleine’s sister)

paticknor@yahoo.com



836 8th Street, Holland Michigan 49423






Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Monday, August 25, 2008

LORI'S PERSONAL PROTECTIVE ORDER AGAINST OFFICER KEN DEKLIENE

NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ON OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE'S SENTENCING

OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER OF EX-WIFE LORI MUELMAN-DEKLEINE

PATTI TICKNOR'S VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT AT OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE'S SENTENCING HEARING FOR THE MURDER OF LORI MEULMAN DEKLEINE

LORI'S SISTER SPEAKS OUT FOR HER SISTER LORI, WHO WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED AT THE HANDS OF OFFICER KEVIN DEKLEINE [HOLLAND MI PD]




Pain I Bear




Sentencing Statement


Your Honor, my name is Patti Ticknor. I am Lori DeKleines only sibling. I don’t even know where to begin. This experience has been horrendous and traumatizing for me beyond words.

I cared about Ken DeKleine as a brother-in-law for many years, until he premeditated and brutally killed my sister.

I admired him as Lori’s husband once, until I learned he was controlling, manipulative, verbally and physically abusive to my sister; giving the appearance that she was the one with issues. His orchestration of her behavior and my misunderstanding of it deprived me of a relationship with my sister for 20 years and now the rest of my life.

I admired him as a dad too, until he thought it would honestly be best to play God and kill their mother and leave her for them to find. His actions have deprived his children of both parents.

I admired his patriotism and service to his community once, until I learned it was only for show.

Judge, I could go on and on…..you know all the gory sickening details of what he did and the widespread effect it had on so many people.

Everything Ken has ever said or done has been a lie. He killed my sister, my parents baby girl and my niece and nephews mother. The pain and despair I feel are beyond words. I don’t understand how someone I once cared about was actually that evil and planned and brutally killed my sister. Because he thought his kids would be better off?? She LOVED them with all her heart. He quotes “being at peace and able to sleep now”. How does that make sense?? I struggle every single day to get my arms around the irrationalness of all this senselessness. I will never be the same. My spirit, heart and life are permanently dented and scarred. He has tarnished my sense of humanity and shaken my security. I am still suffering from depression, anxiety and disillusionment.

My heart aches and every fiber of my being hurts. I have missed countless days of work as a result. I feel so much anger towards Ken. It is hard to imagine ever being genuinely happy again. With Gods help and the support of my family and friends, I know one day I will be again. My faith is strong and God promises in his Word in Jeremiah 29 “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” This has been both my sister and my favorite passage for many years. I did not even know that until the funeral…..

Aside from all the things I have mentioned….the thing that hurts the most is that I, in spite of the usual sibling rivalries, in the last 20 years did not get to experience a relationship with my sister where Ken wasn’t pulling all the strings and making circumstances appear to be opposite of what they were. We had reconciled literally a year ago. We were connecting and becoming friends. Years of misunderstandings were being sorted through and I actually, after so many years of disliking her, told her I loved her on Christmas day. The last time I saw her alive.

Ken has robbed me of the joy and pleasure I was experiencing in connecting with my sister. In my life on this earth, I will never experience that. He killed her. I am an only child. I will never see her at family functions again. Never read her silly emails. Never hear her weird sense of humor. Never get another goofy card from her. Never see her in her assortment of Disney clothes or “teacher sweaters”. Never see another scrapbook; that I used to mock but actually admired, again.

I am still grieving deeply, but I have hope. In Thessalonians, God promises that “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him…upon my death or his return we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” At that time I will see Lori, my sister, in heaven and we will have a perfect relationship forever. My hope lies in my loving, caring, faithful, holy and just God.

Ken’s earthly fate now lies in your hands Judge. His eternal judgment is in Gods. I want Ken DeKleine to never see the light of day again and to be placed in the worst possible prison possible far away from the state of Michigan. Since he has shown no value for human life or emotions as well as no remorse and has abused his authority as a police officer that he be placed in general prison population.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my sadness and pain as well as my hope.


JENA MEULMAN'S VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT AT THE SENTENCING HEARING FOR OFFICER DEKLEINE FOR THE MURDER OF LORI

LORI'S MOTHER SPEAKS OUT FOR HER DAUGHTER LORI, WHO WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED AT THE HANDS OF OFFICER KEVIN DEKLEINE [HOLLAND MI PD]




butterfly




Subject: Victim Oral Impact Statement by Jena Meulman
Date: August 25, 2008
Case Number: HL-08-062968-FY


Your Honor, my name is Jena Meulman, and I am Lori’s mom. Lori cannot speak for herself as her life was brutally taken from her at the hands of her husband Ken on Jan. 10, 2008. On that date Ken took upon himself the role of God and ended Lori’s life here on earth. We are assured that God was waiting for Lori with out stretched arms to take her to her eternal home to spend eternity with the Lord she loved with all her heart. I now have the peace that Lori is safe and free from a life of abuse and control.

I loved Ken and thought he was the most wonderful son-in-law anyone could have. The day we confronted Ken about abusing Lori all their married life, and he admitted to abusing and controlling her, was one of the worst days of my life From that day on I prayed daily for Lori’s safety, not knowing what Ken would do when he fully realized Lori was out of his control and he would hit rock bottom, and now I know – he killed her, the day before my birthday.. I will never be able to trust anyone again the way I trusted Ken.

The death of Lori has changed all aspects of my life. There will always be an empty chair at our family gatherings. I will never again experience a huge hug from her and hear her say “I love you Mom”. I will never get to share a Bible verse with her as we did weekly the last year of her life, or pray with her, never have her come to our home, with Bre and Topher to go waterskiing, never see her, Bre and Topher on our couch with arms and legs entwined watching a movie, will not see again the look of love and pride on her face at the achievements of Bre and Topher, will not hear her laugh again or laugh at her funny sense of humor, never to be the recipient of her writings or see her creative talents in her writings and her art work. My life has been changed forever and so, your Honor, I ask that you sentence Ken to life in prison without parole so that, in the name of faith, he can never control anyone like he did Lori. Then I can say with King David in Psalm 62: 5-7, “O God I find my rest in you, my hope is only in you, you alone are my rock and salvation, you only are my fortress where I am secure.

PAUL MEULMAN'S VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT AT OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE'S SENTENCING FOR THE MURDER OF LORI

LORI'S FATHER SPEAKS OUT FOR HIS DAUGHTER LORI, WHO WAS BRUTALLY MURDERED AT THE HANDS OF OFFICER KEVIN DEKLEINE [HOLLAND MI PD]

Rose




Subject: Victim Oral Impact Statement by Paul Meulman
Date: August 25, 2008
Case Number: HL-08-062968-FY

I thank you, Judge Bosman, for giving me the opportunity to speak. My name is Paul Meulman. I am Lori’s father.

Ken DeKleine was highly regarded in the Holland community. His image was very important to him. However, in his private life he was obsessed with the control of his wife, his children and his assets. While Ken was in Iraq in 2005-6, Lori was relieved of his abuse and control. She regained her self-respect during that time. She was mentally healthy. When he returned, he realized that he had lost some control and he began to lose control of himself. The courts approved a Personal Protection Order, gave Lori custody of the children and possession of the house. Ken was uncompromising in subsequent divorce proceedings. In his own mind, he concluded that the murder of Lori was his best option. He carried out his plan with no mercy.

His actions have had far reaching harmful effects on the children, many family members, their friends, the Holland Police Department, Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church, the Holland community and others. Ken manipulated and deceived many people with his side of the story. He did not consider the consequences of his actions.

Our Lori did not deserve the treatment that Ken gave her throughout their marriage. She was a great person and a great mother with many God-given talents. She shared those gifts and her love with her children, her family, her church and the community. Her stories about Ken’s abuse of her were shared with only a few people. I was included in that small group.

So how has this affected me? My reaction to the trial was one of sadness. I am sad because two lives were wasted. Lori is gone from this earth. I miss her love, her hugs, her humor and our talks about life. I will miss her art work and creative writing. She took great pride in showing her dad how good she was at water skiing. In the future, she cannot keep us informed about two of our grandchildren and show her pride in their achievements. She was a wonderful teacher for her children and for me. I feel a part of me ripped away. Thoughts of this event plague my mind frequently. Sometimes I cannot concentrate. I have lost a lot my joy in doing things. I have spent many sleepless nights trying to understand Ken’s selfish acts. I have questioned my faith and trust in some people. I have wondered why the Holland Police were not more effective in protecting Lori. However, during all of this my faith in God has been strengthened through the prayers and support of hundreds of people.

Ken willfully disregarded the laws of Michigan and the laws of his God. Your Honor, his destiny here on earth is in the hands of your court and the prison system. I have left the eternal destiny of Ken in the hands of God. Lori has been the only winner in this whole ordeal as she has been released from her world of fear, abuse and violence into her Heavenly home.

Friday, July 11, 2008

JULY 11, 2008: OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE [HOLLAND PD] FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER, IN THE JANUARY 10, 2008 MURDER OF HIS EX-WIFE LORI DEKLEINE.

Michigan OIDV and National OIDV would like to extend our thanks to the wonderful news reporters, the media, and everyone behind the scenes at the newspapers and news stations for your outstanding coverage of Lori's case. Thank you for being our voice. Without you, OIDV would still be shrouded in silence.


Silence: The number one killer of victims of Officer-Involved Domestic Violence....Lori's murder sadly proved that.


PREVIOUS POSTS OF LORI DEKLEINE'S MURDER CAN BE FOUND AT:

http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/01/officer-ken-dekleine-holland-police.html

http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/01/officer-ken-dekleine-holland-pd.html


http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/01/officer-ken-dekleine-holland-police_10.html




********************


*JURY SELECTION [JULY 08, 2008]:

http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trial-for-loris.html


*OPENING STATEMENTS [JULY 08, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder.html


*SGT. JEFF VELHOUSE'S [HOLLAND PD] TESTIMONY [JULY 08, 2008]http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_08.html


*DETECTIVE THOMAS KNAPP'S [OTTAWA SD] TESTIMONY [JULY 08, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_08.html

http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-deklenines-trialloris-murder.html


*DETECTIVE SHANA VUGTEVEEN [OTTAWA SD] TESTIMONY [JULY 08, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-deklenines-trialloris-murder.html


*ATTORNEY HOLLY VERDE [LORI'S DIVORCE ATTORNEY]. [JULY 08, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-deklenines-trialloris-murder.html


*CHRISTOPHER DEKLEINE'S [LORI'S SON] TESTIMONY [JULY 08, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_08.html


*OTTAWA COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER, DR. DAVID START [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_1355.html


*MICHIGAN STATE POLICE FORENSIC ANALYST KATE DOZEMAN [JULY 09, 2008: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_1355.html


*MICHIGAN STATE POLICE FORENSIC ANALYST JOEL SCHULTZE [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_1355.html


*DETECTIVE MARK BENNETT [OTTAWA COUNTY SD]. [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_1355.html


*RESERVE OFFICER BRIAN EHLER [HOLLAND PD]. [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_09.html


*OFFICER JOHN WEATHERWAX [HOLLAND PD]. [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_09.html


*OFFICER JOSE' MENDOZA [HOLLAND PD]. [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_09.html


*DETECTIVE ROGER VANLIER [HOLLAND PD]. [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_09.html


*CAPTAIN JACK DYKSTRA [HOLLAND PD]. [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_09.html


*OFFICER JOEL MAAT [HOLLAND PD]. [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_09.html


*RICHELLE VANDERWAL. [JULY 09, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleine-trialloris-murder.html


*KEITH DEKLEINE [OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE'S BROTHER]. [JULY 10, 2008]. http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trialloris-murder_3574.html


*OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE'S VIDEO TAPED CONFESSION. [JULY 10, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleine-trial-loris-murder.html


*OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE'S LETTER THAT HE WROTE WHILE IN JAIL, REGARDING THE FREEDOM HE FELT AFTER MURDERING LORI. [JULY 10, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trial-loris-murder.html


*DEFENSE RESTS= NO WITNESSES CALLED TO TESTIFY. [JULY 10, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleine-trial-loris-murder_08.html


*JURY DELIBERATIONS. [JULY 11, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleine-murder-loris-murder.html


*VERDICT: OFFICER KEN DEKLEINE FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST DEGREE MURDER, IN LORI'S MURDER. [JULY 11, 2008]: http://michiganoidv.blogspot.com/2008/07/officer-dekleines-trial-loris-murder_08.html

Saturday, February 16, 2008

"Remember Lori DeKleine as a brave and resilient woman"

"...Lori's contagious optimism, profound and expressive writing, quick wit and sparkling smile were gifts to those who knew and loved her and will carry us through dark nights ahead..."

Excerpted from a letter to the Editor of the Holland Sentinel on January 19th, 2008, titled,

"Remember Lori DeKleine
as a brave and resilient woman"


"...In order to escape the guilt that must be shared corporately for ignoring the signs of abuse, we tend to blame and explain. However, "Did you know ... ?" or "I heard that ... ," only crucify the truth and intensify the pain. Malicious lies were spread for a long time before Lori's death, and perpetuating the existence of such lies is not only destructive and unjust, but it dishonors Lori, her family, friends and this community.
It is time to put the focus where it belongs.
On Jan. 8, two nights before she died, Lori shared her hopes for the future. At the monthly meeting of the FOCUS+ adult ADHD advocacy group, of which she was a member and leader, Lori shared her deep faith and confidently challenged the group to see obstacles as opportunities. Her resiliency and relentless tenacity for finding solutions to problems, encouraged the listeners who were there that night. Diverting attention from herself, she asked us to consider, "What's on your plate? What are you carrying?" She then handed each group a paper plate to pass so each person could share the obstacle she wanted to turn into opportunity for growth in 2008. Lori's contagious optimism, profound and expressive writing, quick wit and sparkling smile were gifts to those who knew and loved her and will carry us through dark nights ahead..."

Saturday, February 2, 2008

DEKLEINE PLEADS NOT GUILTY...

DeKleine pleads not guilty
Trial of police officer accused of killing his wife at her home is scheduled for June
Saturday, February 2, 2008
The Holland Sentinel
MEGAN SCHMIDT megan.schmidt@hollandsentinel.com (616) 546-4279 http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/020208/local_20080202005.shtml

The Holland police officer accused of killing his wife last month has pleaded not guilty for the charge of open murder.

Ken DeKleine's defense attorney Floyd Farmer confirmed Friday that DeKleine signed a written waiver of arraignment stating his plea after his preliminary exam on Jan. 25.

As a result, an arraignment that had been set for Monday at the 20th Circuit Court in Grand Haven, has been canceled.

A jury trial has been scheduled for June 24.

DeKleine, 44, was taken into custody the day after his wife, Lori, 43, was found dead in her Calvin Avenue home's basement Jan 10. The couple had separated and were going through a divorce before Lori's death.

Farmer declined to comment on why DeKleine might enter a plea of not guilty despite having previously confessed to police that he committed the murder.

Meanwhile, a church leader acting as a spokesman for the family said Friday that DeKleine's two children, Breanne, 18, and Christopher, 16, have returned to class at Holland Christian High School.

"I don't think they are back full-time, but they're trying to get some routine back into their lives," said Brad Ward, elder at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church.

Principal Tony Stahl said the two children were easing back into their normal schedule.

"We're working with them but also want them to take as much time as they need to," Stahl said.

Ward said the church and some individuals are working to put together a fund in the coming weeks for the children's education.

"They have lives to continue to lead and school and no source of income to do it," he said.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

POLICE OFFICER THOUGHT OF KILLING WIFE LAST YEAR

Police officer thought of killing wife last year
Ken DeKleine said personal protection order was start
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Holland Sentinel
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/012608/local_20080126002.shtml
BY MEGAN SCHMIDT megan.schmidt@hollandsentinel.com (616) 546-4279In the moments before her death, Lori DeKleine begged her husband, Holland police Officer Ken DeKleine, to "think of the kids" as he strangled her with a strap, a Michigan State Police detective testified during a preliminary exam in Holland District Court on Friday.

Sgt. Gary Miles said DeKleine confessed to the murder, saying that he'd first thought of killing Lori after she filed a personal protection order against him in January 2007.

Since then, the couple had separated and were in the midst of a divorce when Lori, 43, was found dead in the basement of her Calvin Avenue home earlier this month.

DeKleine told Miles that around 3 a.m. on Jan. 10, he hid in the attic of her house and waited for his two children to leave for school.
He planned to kill Lori after she got in the shower, part of her usual morning routine, Miles said.
But those plans changed when Lori called in sick to work around 10 a.m.

DeKleine told Miles that he climbed down from the attic and began to strangle Lori in the kitchen with a climbing strap.

"(Lori) made a statement, 'Think of the kids,'" meaning their two teenage children, Miles said, to which DeKleine replied that he was.

After checking her pulse to make sure she was dead, DeKleine dragged Lori's body into the basement and tied a clean, yellow strap around her neck to make it appear that she had committed suicide, Miles said.

When DeKleine left the house around 1 p.m., he told Miles that he threw his blood-stained clothing out of his car and drove to Prime Care to have a cut lip treated, which Lori had bit during the struggle.

He later bought some peroxide for the injury at Model Drug and drove to McDonald's for a chocolate milkshake before going in for his shift at work that afternoon, Miles said.

Defense attorney Floyd Farmer asked Miles if De-Kleine had expressed concern that Lori may have had a romantic relationship with her therapist. Miles said DeKleine had mentioned it during the interview.

An autopsy indicated that suicide by hanging was not the cause of Lori's death, according to testimony by David Start, Ottawa County medical examiner.

"There was no deep furrow or indentation that we usually see with hangings, deep in the tissue of the neck," Start said.

Start also said scrapes and bruises on Lori's body and bite marks on her tongue show that there was a struggle before she died.

Fractures above and behind her voice box were also not consistent with a suicidal hanging.
The cause of death was determined to be strangulation.

Holland police officer Jeffrey Velthouse, the first to arrive on the scene after Lori was found unresponsive, was handed a tissue as he sniffled on the stand Friday.

Velthouse said that as he entered the house, which he recognized immediately as the DeKleines' residence, he was directed to the basement by DeKleine's teenage son.

In the laundry room, he found Lori's body with a yellow strap tied around her neck.

"I reached down and touched her right elbow and could tell rigor mortis had set in," he said. "Her body temperature was cold."

After testimony, DeKleine's charge of open murder was forwarded to circuit court for trial in Grand Haven.

His arraignment is scheduled for Feb. 4.

Work status
Capt. Jack Dykstra of the Holland police said Friday that since officer Ken DeKleine's arrest due to suspicion of murdering his wife Lori, he has been placed on emergency suspension without pay.

"Basically that means that it's a serious situation, it involves something that caused us to have to immediately stop his employment status, and no pay is involved," Dykstra said. "Anytime something serious like this happens, typically an employee is suspended and there is further follow up and a decision is reached to either discipline or terminate" the employee, he said.


It has nothing to do with whether or not we believe (the allegations) are true," he added.

Friday, January 25, 2008

THINK OF THE KIDS: LORI DEKLEINE TO HUSBAND

Think of the kids: Lori DeKleine to husband
WZZM TV NEWS 13
Peter Ross & Bob Brenzing
Created: 1/25/2008 10:23:35 AM
Updated: 1/26/2008 9:22:50 AM
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=86719
Detective says Ken DeKleine admitted to killing wife so "he could spend his life with his kids, without her."

Holland - A Holland Police Officer will be held over for trial for killing his wife earlier in January.

Ken DeKleine appeared in court this morning for a preliminary examination to determine if enough evidence existed for a trial.

Several witnesses took the stand this morning including the Michigan State Police Detective who interviewed DeKleine the day after the murder.

Detective Sgt. Gary Miles said on the stand that DeKleine admitted to strangling his wife, Lori, and making the scene appear to be a suicide.

Miles said DeKleine's goal was to "spend his life with his children, without her." Miles also said that in the interview, DeKleine first started thinking about killing Lori in January 2007 when she took out a Personal Protection Order against him and formulated his plan in December 2007.

Miles described how DeKleine told him how he hid in the attic of his estranged wife's home early in the morning of January 10th. After waiting for the children to leave for school, the detective said DeKleine encountered his wife, watching her from the door between the garage and the inside of the home. DeKleine forced his way in, the detective testified, holding a strap tied into a slipknot.

Detective Miles testified: "He then grabbed his wife Lori - a struggle ensued. He got this slipknot over her head. He began to tighten the slipknot against her throat. She made a statement 'think of the kids' and, he tells me that he said to her 'I am thinking of the kids' and then he continued to tighten this around the throat until he believes she died."

The medical examiner, Holland Police and other Michigan State Police detectives also testified this morning.

DeKleine's next hearing will be a formal arraignment on the charge of open murder on February 4th. He remains in jail without bond.

DETECTIVE: COP HID IN ATTIC BEFORE MURDER

Detective: Cop hid in attic before murder
Posted by The Grand Rapids Press
January 25, 2008 11:15AM
Categories: Breaking News, DeKleine case, Top Stories
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/01/detective_officer_confessed_to.html
HOLLAND -- Officer Ken DeKleine first thought of murdering his wife the day she took out a restraining order against him. He carried out the plan earlier this month by hiding in the separated couple's attic overnight before he attacked her with a climbing strap and rubber gloves, a detective testified this morning.

Michigan State Police Detective Gary Miles said DeKleine confessed to killing Lori DeKleine, telling him Lori DeKleine told him to "think of the kids" as he was strangling her with the strap.

He replied to her: "I am thinking of the kids," said Miles, recounting DeKleine's confession.

Miles said DeKleine told him he "wanted to cause her death and kill her. He hoped to get away with it so he could spend his life with his children without her."

The DeKleines were going through a contentious divorce, and she filed for a personal protection order in late January 2007.

Miles said Ken DeKleine hatched a plan in December to kill her, then earlier this month went to her house in the middle of the night, lifted the garage door to get in, and hid in the attic above the garage in freezing temperatures until his teenage children left about 7:45 a.m.

When they did leave, he emerged, strangled Lori DeKleine with the strap during a struggle in the kitchen, then dragged her body into the basement and staged a scene to look like a suicide, police said.

DeKleine, whose shirt was bloody after Lori DeKleine bit his lip, tossed his sweatshirt and his shoes out the window as he drove to his apartment, Miles said.

He hid Lori DeKleine's shirt, which he also removed because it was stained with his blood, in her home's attic.

Ottawa County Medical Examiner Dr. David Start said Lori DeKleine had numerous bruises all over her body, indicating a severe struggle. She died of strangulation.

During today's hearing, Holland police Sgt. Jeff Velthouse began sniffling while talking about being called to the scene and finding Lori DeKleine's body. He had known both the husband and wife for years.

HOLLAND POLICE OFFICER BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL IN WIFE'S DEATH

Holland police officer bound over for trial in wife's death
WOOD TV NEWS
JANUARY 25, 2008
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7774143&nav=menu44_2
HOLLAND, Mich. -- A Holland police officer has been bound over for trial in the death of his wife, who also served on the force.

Forty-four-year-old Ken DeKleine remains jailed without bond following his preliminary examination Friday morning in Ottawa County District Court.

Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Miles testified DeKleine told investigators he strangled his 43-year-old wife on Jan. 10 and tried to make Lori DeKleine's death look like a suicide.

The defendant is to be arraigned Feb. 4 on a charge of open murder and would face a mandatory life prison sentence with no possibility of parole if convicted.

A telephone message seeking comment from defense lawyer Floyd Farmer was left at his Spring Lake office after the hearing.

HOLLAND POLICE OFFICER BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL IN WIFE'S DEATH

Holland police officer bound over for trial in wife's death
Associated Press - January 25, 2008 12:04 PM ET
WLNS TV 6: LANSING MICHIGAN
http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=7774115&nav=menu25_2

HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) - A Holland police officer has been bound over for trial in the death of his wife, who also served on the force.

Forty-4-year-old Ken DeKleine remains jailed without bond following his preliminary examination Friday morning in Ottawa County District Court.

Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Miles testified DeKleine told investigators he strangled his 43-year-old wife on Jan. 10 and tried to make Lori DeKleine's death look like a suicide.

The defendant is to be arraigned Feb. 4 on a charge of open murder and would face a mandatory life prison sentence with no possibility of parole if convicted.

A telephone message seeking comment from defense lawyer Floyd Farmer was left at his Spring Lake office after the hearing.

HOLLAND POLICE OFFICER BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL IN WIFE'S DEATH

Holland police officer bound over for trial in wife's death
Associated Press - January 25, 2008 12:04 PM ET
WTOL TV NEWS: TOLEDO OHIO
http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=7774115
HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) - A Holland police officer has been bound over for trial in the death of his wife, who also served on the force.

Forty-4-year-old Ken DeKleine remains jailed without bond following his preliminary examination Friday morning in Ottawa County District Court.

Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Miles testified DeKleine told investigators he strangled his 43-year-old wife on Jan. 10 and tried to make Lori DeKleine's death look like a suicide.

The defendant is to be arraigned Feb. 4 on a charge of open murder and would face a mandatory life prison sentence with no possibility of parole if convicted.

A telephone message seeking comment from defense lawyer Floyd Farmer was left at his Spring Lake office after the hearing.

HOLLAND POLICE OFFICER BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL IN WIFE'S DEATH

Holland police officer bound over for trial in wife's death

By Tiffany Griffin
Story Created: Jan 25, 2008 at 12:43 PM EST
Story Updated: Jan 25, 2008 at 1:18 PM EST
WSBT TV NEWS: SOUTHBEND INDIANA
http://www.wsbt.com/news/michigan/14345637.html
HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) — A Holland police officer has been bound over for trial in the death of his wife, who also served on the force.

Forty-four-year-old Ken DeKleine remains jailed without bond following his preliminary examination Friday morning in Ottawa County District Court.

Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Miles testified DeKleine told investigators he strangled his 43-year-old wife on Jan. 10 and tried to make Lori DeKleine's death look like a suicide.

The defendant is to be arraigned Feb. 4 on a charge of open murder and would face a mandatory life prison sentence with no possibility of parole if convicted.

A telephone message seeking comment from defense lawyer Floyd Farmer was left at his Spring Lake office after the hearing.

COP: DEKLEINE HAD MILKSHAKE AFTER KILLING

Cop: DeKleine had milkshake after killing
Posted by John Tunison The Grand Rapids Press January 25, 2008 12:48PM
Categories: Breaking News, DeKleine case, Editors' Choice, Top Stories
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/01/dekleine_had_a_milk_shake_afte.html
HOLLAND -- After allegedly killing his estranged wife, Holland police officer Ken DeKleine had his cut lip sewn up with stitches at Holland Hospital's Prime Care, then went to McDonald's for a chocolate shake, according to testimony at a court hearing this morning.

The testimony showed DeKleine apparently left the alleged murder scene about 12:45 p.m. and kept a cool demeanor, telling hospital medical staff a Dutch oven fell off a shelf and hit him in the mouth, causing the cut.

In a confession he gave to Michigan State Police Detective Gary Miles, DeKleine also told police he went to Model Drug store to buy some peroxide for the lip after being treated. He went to work at the police station at about 3:45 p.m.

Read more testimony from Detective Gary Miles from earlier today.

Miles said DeKleine, who seemed mostly expressionless throughout today's probable cause hearing, confessed to strangling his wife after he hid in her home. She bit him on the lip during a fight, he said.

Defense attorney Floyd Farmer asked few questions. However, he focused one question on whether DeKleine talked about being concerned his wife was having an affair with her therapist.
Miles said DeKleine did tell him that.

Several relatives of the DeKleine family were in the courtroom, but did not want to comment. DeKleine's brother sat on one side of the room, behind Ken DeKleine and his attorney, while Lori DeKleine's family sat on the other side.

COP: DEKLEINE HAD MILKSHAKE AFTER KILLING

Cop: DeKleine had milkshake after killing
by John Tunison
The Grand Rapids Press
Friday January 25, 2008, 12:55 PM
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/dekleine_had_a_milk_shake_afte.html
HOLLAND -- After allegedly killing his estranged wife, Holland police officer Ken DeKleine had his cut lip sewn up with stitches at Holland Hospital's Prime Care, then went to McDonald's for a chocolate shake, according to testimony at a court hearing this morning.

The testimony showed DeKleine apparently left the alleged murder scene about 12:45 p.m. and kept a cool demeanor, telling hospital medical staff a Dutch oven fell off a shelf and hit him in the mouth, causing the cut.

In a confession he gave to Michigan State Police Detective Gary Miles, DeKleine also told police he went to Model Drug store to buy some peroxide for the lip after being treated. He went to work at the police station at about 3:45 p.m.

HOLLAND POLICE OFFICER BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL IN WIFE'S DEATH

Holland Police Officer Bound Over For Trial In Wife's Death
Last Update: 1/25 12:21 pm
WJMNT-TV NEWS
http://www.wfrv.com/content/news/state/michigan/story.aspx?content_id=e765a438-6c1c-4a49-b519-9fcd19c96cd7
HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) - A Holland police officer has been bound over for trial in the death of his wife, who also served on the force.

Forty-four-year-old Ken DeKleine remains jailed without bond following his preliminary examination Friday morning in Ottawa County District Court. Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Miles testified DeKleine told investigators he strangled his 43-year-old wife on January 10 and tried to make Lori DeKleine's death look like a suicide.

The defendant is to be arraigned February 4 on a charge of open murder and would face a mandatory life prison sentence with no possibility of parole if convicted.

A telephone message seeking comment from defense lawyer Floyd Farmer was left at his Spring Lake office after the hearing.

WIFE TO HOLLAND COP: 'THINK ABOUT THE KIDS'

Wife to Holland cop: 'Think about the kids'
Posted: Jan 25, 2008 10:22 AM EST
WOOD TV NEWS
By JOE LaFURGEY
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7773517&nav=0Rcd
HOLLAND -- Lori DeKleine's last words to her husband were, "Think about the kids." Her husband, Holland Police officer Ken DeKleine, replied, "I am thinking about the children."

This information came to light at DeKleine's preliminary exam for the murder of his wife, and his attempts to make it look like a suicide. It was also revealed he'd thought about killing her for nearly a year.

Three witnesses took the stand Friday, including the officer who found her body after their teenage son called police.

The officer testified he noticed inconsistencies with what was made to look like a suicide. A ladder was found a few feet away from Lori, and that didn't make sense to the officer.

The next day, during an interview with an Ottawa County detective, DeKleine admitted he'd been planning to murder his wife since January 31, 2007. But it wasn't until early December 2007 he actually formulated a plan.

Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Miles testifed the day of the murder, DeKleine crawled up into the attic space above the garage and waited for his children to leave for school. He crawled down and confronted his wife. He used a gray strap to strangle her in the kitchen, and a fight ensued. She bit his lip severely, and blood got all over her clothes and his.

Her last words were, "Think about the kids." He replied, "I am thinking about the children."

"And then," Miles testified, "he continues to tighten it around her throat until he believes she's dead."

He then dragged her body downstairs and tried to make it look like a suicide. He noticed blood on the gray strap, so he found a yellow strap and wrapped that around her neck. But he became frustrated with the effort and left.

He disposed of some of the bloody clothes and went to a Med Center to get his lip sewn up. "He then went across the street or somewhere in the area to a McDonald's, bought himself a chocolate shake," Miles testified.

DeKleine then returned to work at the Holland Police Department around 3:45 p.m.

Divorce records obtained by 24 Hour News 8 shed light on DeKleine's frame of mind. He expressed concerns over his wife's mental stability and her ability to provide their two teenage children with a safe and stable home.

In the custody petition, DeKleine claims his wife suffered from mental illness and had attempted suicide. He also insinuates his wife was having an affair with a therapist she was seeing.

DeKleine, who is currently on an emergency unpaid suspension from the police department will next be in court on February 4, at which time a trial date will be set.

24 Hour News 8 will continue to follow this story.

DETECTIVE SAYS COP HID IN ATTIC BEFORE MURDER

Detective says cop hid in attic before murder
Posted by Chronicle News Service January 25, 2008 14:59PM
Categories: Breaking News, Holland
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/01/detective_cop_hid_in_attic_bef.html
HOLLAND -- Officer Ken DeKleine first thought of murdering his wife the day she took out a restraining order against him.

He carried out the plan earlier this month by hiding in the separated couple's attic overnight before he attacked her with a climbing strap and rubber gloves, a detective testified this morning.

Michigan State Police Detective Gary Miles said DeKleine confessed to killing Lori DeKleine, telling him Lori DeKleine told him to "think of the kids" as he was strangling her with the strap.

He replied to her: "I am thinking of the kids," said Miles, recounting DeKleine's confession.

Miles said DeKleine told him he "wanted to cause her death and kill her. He hoped to get away with it so he could spend his life with his children without her."

The DeKleines were going through a contentious divorce, and she filed for a personal protection order in late January 2007.

Miles said Ken DeKleine hatched a plan in December to kill her, then earlier this month went to her house in the middle of the night, lifted the garage door to get in, and hid in the attic above the garage in freezing temperatures until his teenage children left about 7:45 a.m.

When they did leave, he emerged, strangled Lori DeKleine with the strap during a struggle in the kitchen, then dragged her body into the basement and staged a scene to look like a suicide, police said.

DeKleine, whose shirt was bloody after Lori DeKleine bit his lip, tossed his sweatshirt and his shoes out the window as he drove to his apartment, Miles said.

He hid Lori DeKleine's shirt, which he also removed because it was stained with his blood, in her home's attic.

Ottawa County Medical Examiner Dr. David Start said Lori DeKleine had numerous bruises all over her body, indicating a severe struggle. She died of strangulation.

During today's hearing, Holland police Sgt. Jeff Velthouse began sniffling while talking about being called to the scene and finding Lori DeKleine's body. He had known both the husband and wife for years.

COP: DEKLEINE HAD MILKSHAKE AFTER KILLING WIFE

Cop: DeKleine had milkshake after killing wife
Posted by Chronicle News Service
January 25, 2008 14:58PM
Categories: Holland
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/01/cop_dekleine_had_milkshake_aft.html

HOLLAND -- After allegedly killing his estranged wife, Holland police officer Ken DeKleine had his cut lip sewn up with stitches at Holland Hospital's Prime Care, then went to McDonald's for a chocolate shake, according to testimony at a court hearing this morning.

Ken DeKleineThe testimony showed DeKleine apparently left the alleged murder scene about 12:45 p.m. and kept a cool demeanor, telling hospital medical staff a Dutch oven fell off a shelf and hit him in the mouth, causing the cut.

In a confession he gave to Michigan State Police Detective Gary Miles, DeKleine also told police he went to Model Drug store to buy some peroxide for the lip after being treated. He went to work at the police station at about 3:45 p.m.

Miles said DeKleine, who seemed mostly expressionless throughout today's probable cause hearing, confessed to strangling his wife after he hid in her home. She bit him on the lip during a fight, he said.

Defense attorney Floyd Farmer asked few questions. However, he focused one question on whether DeKleine talked about being concerned his wife was having an affair with her therapist.
Miles said DeKleine did tell him that.

Several relatives of the DeKleine family were in the courtroom, but did not want to comment. DeKleine's brother sat on one side of the room, behind Ken DeKleine and his attorney, while Lori DeKleine's family sat on the other side.

HOLLAND POLICE OFFICER BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL IN WIFE'S DEATH

Holland police officer bound over for trial in wife's death
WWWMT News
January 25, 2008 - 8:30AM
http://www.wwmt.com/news/wife_1346486___article.html/judge_officer.html

HOLLAND (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - New information on a West Michigan Police Officer accused of murder. Ken DeKleine was a 13-year veteran of the Holland Police Department but now he's on the other side of the law. He's been accused of murdering his wife. One of their children found Lori DeKleine dead in the basement of their home just more than two weeks ago.

Court records show the two had been going through a difficult divorce. Lori, even took out a restraining order against Ken and told her attorney and friends she was afraid for her life.

Friday, Ken DeKleine appeared in court where a judge weighed the evidence against him. The Holland Police Officer accused of murder will stand trial for the crime. This comes after a very emotional day of testimony in court. Its very apparent this crime has devastated not only a family but many here in law enforcement.

“I reached down and touched her right elbow.. It was rigamortis had already set in.. I knew she was deceased,” said Sgt. Jeff Velthouse of the Holland Police.

Sgt. Velthouse was the first police officer to arrive on the scene. He's known both the suspect and victim for more than a decade. He was not able to keep his composure at the witness stand.

“I've known Lori as long as I've known Ken, approximately 13 years, her children and my son go to the same school,” sobbed Sgt. Velthouse.

Ken DeKleine told detectives he had been thinking about killing Lori for more than a year and that he wanted to make it look like a suicide. Court testimony indicated Ken snuck into his wife's house, a house he was court ordered to stay away from. He waited in an attic there until his kids left on the morning of January 10th. Testimony indicates Ken DeKleine strangled her with a strap in what was a big struggle.

“His intent was to wait for the children to go to school, his wife to get in the shower, to sneak into the house and to kill her,” said Michigan State Detective Sgt. Gary Miles.

After he says he killed her, DeKliene indicated he went to get a chocolate milkshake, and then later went to work at Holland Police. He did all this with a fat lip from being injured in the fight with his wife.

“He intended to cause her death to kill her.. He hoped to get away with it.. So he could spend his life with his children without her,”said Sgt. Miles.

With a confession in hand, it didn't take long for a judge to send DeKleine to trial for the crime.

WIFE TO HOLLAND COP: "THINK ABOUT THE KIDS"

Wife to Holland cop: 'Think about the kids'
Posted: Jan 25, 2008 09:22 AM CST
Updated: Jan 25, 2008 05:10 PM CST
WOODTV
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7773517&nav=menu44_5
By JOE LaFURGEY

HOLLAND -- Lori DeKleine's last words to her husband were, "Think about the kids." Her husband, Holland Police officer Ken DeKleine, replied, "I am thinking about the children."
This information came to light at DeKleine's preliminary exam for the murder of his wife, and his attempts to make it look like a suicide. It was also revealed he'd thought about killing her for nearly a year.

Three witnesses took the stand Friday, including the officer who found her body after their teenage son called police.

The officer testified he noticed inconsistencies with what was made to look like a suicide. A ladder was found a few feet away from Lori, and that didn't make sense to the officer.

The next day, during an interview with an Ottawa County detective, DeKleine admitted he'd been planning to murder his wife since January 31, 2007. But it wasn't until early December 2007 he actually formulated a plan.

Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Miles testifed the day of the murder, DeKleine crawled up into the attic space above the garage and waited for his children to leave for school. He crawled down and confronted his wife. He used a gray strap to strangle her in the kitchen, and a fight ensued. She bit his lip severely, and blood got all over her clothes and his.

Her last words were, "Think about the kids." He replied, "I am thinking about the children."
"And then," Miles testified, "he continues to tighten it around her throat until he believes she's dead."

He then dragged her body downstairs and tried to make it look like a suicide. He noticed blood on the gray strap, so he found a yellow strap and wrapped that around her neck. But he became frustrated with the effort and left.

He disposed of some of the bloody clothes and went to a Med Center to get his lip sewn up. "He then went across the street or somewhere in the area to a McDonald's, bought himself a chocolate shake," Miles testified.

DeKleine then returned to work at the Holland Police Department around 3:45 p.m.

Divorce records obtained by 24 Hour News 8 shed light on DeKleine's frame of mind. He expressed concerns over his wife's mental stability and her ability to provide their two teenage children with a safe and stable home.

In the custody petition, DeKleine claims his wife suffered from mental illness and had attempted suicide. He also insinuates his wife was having an affair with a therapist she was seeing.

DeKleine, who is currently on an emergency unpaid suspension from the police department will next be in court on February 4, at which time a trial date will be set.

24 Hour News 8 will continue to follow this story.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

SLAIN WIFE WARNED FRIENDS OF HER FEARS

Slain wife warned friends of her fears
The Grand Rapids Press
Posted by By John Agar and John Tunison
January 15, 2008 10:19AM
Categories: Breaking News, DeKleine case
HOLLAND -- The end for Lori DeKleine came just as she feared.

Days before her estranged police-officer husband, Ken DeKleine, allegedly slipped into her Holland Heights home and strangled her, she told friends: "You know, if I come up dead, if something happens to me, make sure Ken's investigated."

Her attorney, Holly Verde, recalled the haunting words Monday. She thinks Holland police should have done more to protect her client after Lori DeKleine chronicled allegations of abuse and a break-in at the home the couple once shared on Calvin Avenue.

In a statement she wrote nearly a year ago, Lori DeKleine said: "I have become increasingly terrified and afraid for my life."

Verde said she shuddered when she heard her client apparently killed herself Thursday. She called prosecutors. Ken DeKleine was arrested the next day and was arraigned Monday on a charge of open murder.

As the couple's marriage crumbled, police twice investigated allegations he violated a restraining order, but prosecutors did not find evidence to charge him. Police investigated the break-in, but it was viewed as a civil dispute because the officer, at the time, was not barred from the home.

"If there would have been alarm signs, we would have done something," Chief John Kruithoff said. "I didn't see there was a significant event that went on in his life that would have triggered this. Ken was a very talkative person, everyone's friend. He didn't suppress the fact he was having marital troubles. But, obviously, he suppressed something enough where he committed this."

Verde said Lori DeKleine felt isolated, and she did not think the police would protect her. She believed her husband had convinced friends, including those at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church, where they both worshipped and she worked, that she was the problem.

A mutual friend told her that Ken DeKleine had falsely told others she had a relationship with her therapist, records showed. DeKleine also said his estranged wife suffered severe depression and was suicidal. She has a "well-established pattern of blaming others for her mental and emotional problems," he wrote in court documents.

Private troubles

The couples' private lives -- including Lori DeKleine's written allegations that her husband was a "sexual and emotional bully to me throughout our marriage, beginning on our honeymoon" -- contrasted sharply with their public image.

Retired Holland Police Officer Darryl Raterink wasn't the only one to find the homicide allegation unbelievable. "I just can't see that with Kenny. I can't imagine what it would take to make Kenny snap."

DeKleine led church trips, coached his son's lacrosse team and changed his work schedule to travel with his daughter's drama team. His wife once taught elementary school and published the church newsletter.

Their children, Breanne, 18, and Christopher, 16, excel at Holland Christian High School.
But court documents show the reality behind those idyllic appearances.

In a letter written to her father after he filed for divorce in late 2006, Breanne said her father's filing "shattered my world and my heart. ... You would not cry in front of the family, for this family, that you created, invested in, laughed with, got angry at, and loved deeply for the past 20 years. Sitting at that table was like a business meeting. You were the CEO, telling your board of directors that the company has just gone under. You were just that cold."

Her mother "put up with more than she should have, and more than most people would have," she wrote. "We've, I've, put up with your bull ... for a long time, but this goes too far."

Still, she said: "I love you, Daddy, with all my heart, and that will never go away. I am, however, more pissed off than I have ever been. ..."

Mental health accusations

Almost a year ago, Lori DeKleine, 43, obtained a personal-protection order, with a judge's provision that allowed her husband to carry a gun on the job.

Ken DeKleine, 44, who initially contested the order, said his wife's "severe depression" and suicide attempts left her too unstable to care for the children.

He was particularly concerned in 2005, while training Iraqi police officers overseas. In an e-mail, she said their son had asked if she was OK.

"This is a very poignant reminder to me that both Breanne and Christopher are very aware of Lori's several suicide attempts (once by overdose) and of her struggle with severe depression when she is under stress. ... Most people have become wise to her manipulation, but the children have grown up with this and do not recognize it for what it is," Ken DeKleine wrote.

He said he had "complete support" from police commanders who had "full knowledge of all of Lori's mental health issues and have discussed her suicidal behavior ...," he wrote.

Some say Iraq changed him. The week after he returned, he "walked out in a rage of anger," his wife wrote. But the chief said the officer was affected by marital troubles, not Iraq. DeKleine trained police for a private contractor -- not Blackwater, as some have alleged -- and returned in early 2006.

Break-in left blood, papers

Beyond filings in the protection order and divorce case, Lori DeKleine called police in early 2007 over a break-in at her home. Someone broke into her locked bedroom downstairs. She found blood, and papers had been copied. Ken DeKleine acknowledged to police he broke in, but it happened before the restraining order had been filed, and he had a legal right to be there.

The couple had a Feb. 7 bench trial scheduled. She looked forward to ending the marriage, but was anxious, too, because of her husband's anger toward her, her attorney said.

Hours before his wife was found dead Thursday evening, a friend saw Ken DeKleine at the Meijer Inc. store on East 16th Street. DeKleine did not seem agitated or out of sorts. They chatted about work, and DeKleine's time in Iraq.

"He was smiling, laughing, and you'd never know anything was wrong," said the friend, who didn't want to be identified. DeKleine was not wearing his wedding band. The friend didn't ask. Saturday morning, he got the news.

"It blew my mind."
-- Press staff writer Nate Reens contributed to this story.

POLICE: HOLLAND POLICE OFFICER SAYS HE STRANGLED ESTRANGED WIFE

Police: Holland police officer says he strangled estranged wife
MLIVE
January 15, 2008 9:27a.m. EST
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-50/1200407650268140.xml&storylist=newsmichigan
The Associated Press


HOLLAND, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say a 13-year Holland police veteran has confessed to strangling his estranged wife.

One of their children found the body Thursday of 43-year-old Lori DeKleine, and police arrested 44-year-old Officer Ken DeKleine on an open murder charge Friday. Holland District Court Judge Susan Jonas denied him bond at Monday's arraignment.

The Grand Rapids Press and The Holland Sentinel report Ottawa County sheriff's Lieutenant Mark Bennett signed an affidavit quoting DeKleine as saying he hid in his wife's home until their two teenage children left, then strangled her with a nylon strap.

A message seeking comment was left Tuesday with defense lawyer Floyd Farmer.

WOOD-TV says a judge had ordered DeKleine not to contact his wife.

VICTIM WAS 'TERRIFIED' OF HUSBAND, RECORDS SHOW

Victim was 'terrified' of husband, records show
Holland Sentinel
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/011508/local_20080115002.shtml
Lori DeKleine was aware of the danger signs around her, according to court records.

"I have become increasingly terrified and afraid for my life," she wrote in a personal protection order filed in Ottawa County Circuit Court on Jan. 31, 2007, against her husband, Holland police Officer Ken DeKleine.

Less than one year later, Lori DeKleine, 43, was found strangled Thursday night in the basement of her Holland home.

"Ken has been a sexual and emotional bully throughout our marriage, beginning on our honeymoon," she wrote.

Lori DeKleine indicated she wanted to prohibit her husband from purchasing or possessing a firearm, but noted: "I do not object to his use of a firearm while he is on duty at Holland Police Department."

The final straw that apparently led to the protection order filing was an episode during the weekend of Jan. 27, 2007, while the couple was still living together.

"I believe Ken broke into the locked room I have been sleeping in to stay safe," she said. "I believe he broke in through the window in the room, leaving glass all over the bed and blood stains throughout the room and house."

Lori DeKleine wrote that she found several recording devices in her backpack, on their home phone and under some clothing in their bedroom.

She also wrote in the order that shortly after Ken returned from Iraq in February 2006 where he had been part of a group training Iraqi police, he became even more angry and controlling.

"I was afraid that he might harm himself or return and harm me," she wrote.

Ottawa County records indicate Ken DeKleine filed for divorce on Jan. 8, 2007. Meanwhile, a notice of the protection order was sent to Holland Police Department the day it was filed, court records show.

Terms of the divorce, mostly concerning child custody, kept the case open through the end of the year. The original terms called for joint custody of the children, but Lori did not want to oblige, which sent the case to Friend of the Court for a ruling, according to court records.

POLICE: OFFICER CONFESSED

Police: Officer confessed
Ken DeKleine charged with open murder in wife's death
Holland Sentinel
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/stories/011508/local_20080115001.shtml
Lori DeKleine's death was initially reported as a suicide, but investigators were already gathering evidence contrary to that as soon as they arrived, court records revealed Monday.

Although her death Thursday was reported within Holland, the investigation was quickly turned over to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office because Lori DeKleine was married to veteran Holland police Officer Ken DeKleine.

On Friday, after DeKleine was informed of his right to remain silent, he admitted to investigators he had killed his 43-year-old wife, court records show.

DeKleine, 44, was arraigned Monday afternoon in Holland District Court on an open murder charge. He remains jailed without bond.

DeKleine told investigators on Friday that he had strangled his wife with a nylon strap in the kitchen at their home, according to court records. DeKleine then took his wife's body into the home's basement where he attempted to make her death appear a suicide, records show.


Those records show DeKleine gave the following description of events: DeKleine had surreptitiously got inside the house -- the two had been separated and he was living elsewhere -- where he waited until his two children had left and Lori was alone. DeKleine then went into the kitchen where he choked his wife with a nylon strap until she fell to the floor dead.

Although DeKleine attempted to make it appear that his wife had committed suicide, investigators found blood inside the house that they believe will turn out to be Ken DeKleine's, court records show.

"He claims that he was bitten on his lip by (Lori) prior to the homicide, and this was substantiated by six sutures on (his) lip that was noted during the investigation ... ," Lt. Mark Bennett told a magistrate Saturday when requesting a warrant to charge DeKleine.

After DeKleine was arrested Friday night, Holland Police Chief John Kruithoff said he called the entire department together to inform everyone.

"That was very, very difficult, very emotional," Kruithoff said Monday.

The department knew about the marital problems in the DeKleine family, as well as the personal protection order that was granted to Lori DeKleine Jan. 31, 2007, Kruithoff said.

The order said DeKleine was not allowed to contact his wife or to be near the house they once shared, Kruithoff said.

"Other than that there were no other conditions. He could do his job," Kruithoff said. "It's all up to the judge."

After Monday's arraignment, Thomas Elwood, who identified himself as a friend of Ken DeKleine's from Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church, said he felt compelled to attend because the allegations are so shocking.

"I was struck by the irony of it, because of how many people he's had to arrest," he said. "To have it turned around with him being there before the judge, I can't even understand how it happened."

Sentinel reporters Megan Schmidt and Andrea Goodell contributed to this report.

Monday, January 14, 2008

AUTHOR: SEEKING HELP CRITICAL IN TROUBLED RELATIONSHIPS

Author: Seeking help critical in troubled relationships
WOODTV News
Posted: Jan 14, 2008 11:25 PM CST
Updated: Jan 14, 2008 11:25 PM CST
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7624580&nav=menu44_2
GRAND RAPIDS -- A Holland police officer confessed to killing his wife in her home, according to court documents. Ken DeKleine was formally charged Monday.

Members of DeKleine's church were in the courtroom Monday, stunned by what has been taking place. They say his apparent actions don't reflect the man they knew -- a seemingly good person.
24 Hour News discovered Lori DeKleine had filed a personal protection order against her husband a year ago.

Holland Police Chief John Kruithoff says he knew the couple was going through a separation, but beyond that there were no warning signs.

"Now what he suppressed inside of him, yeah, I mean, you can suppress something inside of you and I can be your best friend and if you don't want me to know it I'm not going to know it," Chief Kruithoff told 24 Hour News 8.

Psychologist Randy Flood is director of the Men's Resource Center in Grand Rapids and co-author of Stop Hurting the Woman You Love.

Flood has over 15 years experience in domestic violence counseling. He says even men who appear authoritative and confident in public may be suffering from unseen insecurities and show signs of potential abusive behavior.

"Usually you have to have a propensity for control from the outset. And then if someone's life is chaotic or stressful, that can fuel and exacerbate that need for control," said Flood.

Flood says seeking help is critical, and in the case of Lori DeKleine the personal protection order was the right move. But sometimes violent behavior is hard to predict and harder to prevent.

"If a person really wants to hurt someone, then sometimes that person can do that, and limits won't stop them," said Flood.

Ken DeKleine recently spent a year in Iraq training soldiers. Chief Kruithoff said he suspects the troubles in DeKleine's marriage began during that time.

UPDATE: CHIEF SAYS COP CHARGED IN SLAYING SEEMED STABLE

Update: Chief says cop charged in slaying seemed stable
Posted by Muskegon Chronicle
January 14, 2008 19:21PM
Categories: Breaking News, Holland
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/01/update_chief_says_cop_charged.html
HOLLAND -- Police Chief John Kruithoff this afternoon said there no clear signs that Officer Ken DeKleine, accused of murdering his wife, might be unstable.

Police knew DeKleine was going through a divorce and that Lori DeKleine had a restraining order against him, Kruithoff said, but prosecutors did not find enough evidence to charge him with any violations in two 911 calls she made about him.

The first call involved their meeting at a Memorial Day parade in which their son was a marching band member. The second was in August when Ken DeKleine went to see a pastor at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church, where Lori DeKleine worked, but he believed she was not there at the time.

"He didn't suppress the fact he was having marital problems," Kruithoff said. "But obviously he suppressed something enough where he committed this act.

"Nobody came to me and said, 'Boy, there is something wrong with Ken,'" he said. "Ken came to work and did his job."

POLICE: HOLLAND OFFICER CONFESSED TO KILLING WIFE

Police: Holland officer confessed to killing wife
WOODTV NEWSPosted: Jan 14, 2008 07:42 AM CST
Updated: Jan 14, 2008 05:02 PM CST
By EMILY ZANGARO
http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7619698&nav=0Rcd0Uts10FC
HOLLAND -- Officer Ken DeKleine confessed to killing his wife during the third interview with police, according to court documents.

DeKleine was arraigned on open murder charges in the 58th District Court Monday. DeKleine, who has been with the Holland Police for 13 years, was arrested Friday.

Two documents revealed a great deal: testimony used to get a warrant for Ken DeKleine and a personal protection order filed by his wife.

In the documents, police said they found Lori DeKleine, 43, in the basement with a nylon strap around her neck. During the interview with police, DeKleine said he went into their house several hours before she died and waited for the kids to leave. He then confronted her in the kitchen and put the strap around her neck.

She fell to the floor and he took her to the basement and tried to make it look like a suicide. One of their children called 9-1-1 Thursday night, and police discovered her body.

In their investigation, police found blood at the scene that was Ken DeKleine's.

DeKleine should not have been at the house since Lori filed a personal protection order against Ken.

The PPO showed the judge allowed Ken to still carry weapons, and the courts said he was trying to get the order terminated.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department sent a release to 24 Hour News 8 acknowledging violations of the PPO had been filed with the Holland Police Department. Those cases are now in the prosecutor's hands.

Holland Police Chief John Kruithof said there were no red flags with DeKleine. "My job is to make sure that he can perform his job, and Ken did his job alright," he said.

"Now, what he suppressed inside of him, yeah, I mean you can suppress something inside of you and I can be your best friend, but if you don't want me to know, I'm not going to know it."

In the courtroom sat one couple, church friends of the DeKleine's.

Amy Elwood said, "He's a good man. He just did something really bad. It's not the person we knew."

"We can't understand how this could have happened," said Thomas Elwood. Elwood and DeKleine both served in the military.

In 2005, DeKleine spent a year in Iraq training soldiers.

"I can't say whether the time over there contributed to this," he said. "You wonder, though, because it's got to be traumatic in Iraq for everybody."

Kruithof said DeKleine wasn't there on active duty.

"Family issues between he and his wife grew that year," he told 24 Hour News 8. "From what I believe, I don't believe he was affected by his events in Iraq. He was affected by the events that his family situation was in when he got back."

OFFICER ARRAIGNED FOR WIFE'S MURDER

Officer Arraigned For Wife's Murder
WWMT Channel 3/ Kalamazoo
January 14, 2008 - 4:29PM
http://www.wwmt.com/news/holland_1346237___article.html/officer_ken.htmlHOLLAND (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A 13-year-veteran of the Holland Police Department has been arraigned on Open Murder charges for the death of his wife.

It all started on Thursday evening when Holland Police were called to the home of Officer Ken DeKleine on an emergency medical call.

The Officer's estranged wife, Lori DeKleine, had been found unresponsive in the basement by one of the couple's two children.

After autopsy results came back and police conducted many interviews, Officer DeKleine was arrested on Open Murder charges Friday evening, and arraigned Monday afternoon on those charges in Holland.

Court documents tell a twisted story of Ken lying in wait with a nylon strap, confessing that he strangled his soon to be ex-wife last week, trying to make it all look like a suicide.

Professionally, everything seemed alright for the DeKleines. Ken was a well-liked community policing officer with the Holland Police Department, and Lori worked part-time for their church Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church.

But on a personal level, their was a lot of strain on their relationship. Even before Newschannel 3 profiled Officer DeKleine in 2005 as he prepared to head over to Iraq to train officers, a neighbor says the couple had filed for divorce.

"Yeah, we were aware of it, Ken shared his frustration with that," said Holland Police Chief John Kruithoff.

Lori had filed a personal protection order against Ken in January of '07. In it, a number of restrictions were listed, stating that DeKleine was prohibited from entering the couple's house, stalking Lori, or threatening her, verbally or physically. The PPO was filed with Holland Police, the very place where Ken continued to work as an officer.

Lori's divorce Attorney Holly Verdem says that Lori was afraid of what Ken might do to her."

"She told people last weekend that if anything happens to me, make sure they investigate Ken," Verdem told Newschannel 3.

Then on Thursday, Lori's body was discovered while Ken was on duty and at a training exercise.

"He was made aware of the call, obviously officers intervened before, he did not get into the house or anything," said Chief Kruithoff.

Less than 24 hours later, Ken was in jail, awaiting arraignment on the murder charges.

Now the attention has turned to helping the couple's two teenage children, may end up losing both parents.

"There's a lot of grief and both sides of the family have come together, just trying to make the right decisions and do the right things to take care of the kids," said a family spokesperson.

Lori's funeral was held Monday afternoon at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church. Newschannel 3 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

AFFIDAVIT: COP CONFESSED TO AMBUSH, KILLING

Affidavit: Cop confessed to ambush, killing
Posted by Muskegon Chronicle
January 14, 2008 16:34PM
Categories: Breaking News, Holland
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/01/affidavit_cop_confessed_to_amb.html
HOLLAND -- Holland Police Officer Ken DeKleine admitted to investigators that he strangled his estranged wife to death with a nylon strap, apparently after hiding in the home until Lori DeKleine was alone, a warrant affidavit shows.

The warrant, sworn by Ottawa County sheriff's Lt. Mark Bennett, alleges he then "had contact with Mrs. DeKleine in the kitchen of the home on Calvin Avenue and affixed the strap around her neck and choked her to the point that she fell to the floor."

Read a transcript of Lt. Mark Bennett seeking an arrest warrant.

"While on the floor, he confirmed by his own admission, that Mrs. DeKleine had died," Bennett testified.

"He then placed Mrs. DeKleine in the basement of the home, and at least initially attempted to make the appearance of a suicide, and then left the residence," Bennett said.

Police found blood at the scene they believe is that of Ken DeKleine, because he was injured in the altercation with Lori DeKleine.

DeKleine told investigators his estranged wife bit him on the lip in the moments before her death, an injury substantiated by six sutures on DeKleine's lip as investigators interviewed him.

Bennett said DeKleine attacked his wife after their two teen children left the home. DeKleine showed little emotion Monday when arraigned in Holland District Court with attorney Charles Rominger by his side.

Holland District Court Judge Susan Jonas denied bond.

During the investigation, police interviewed DeKleine three times, with a confession coming on the third interrogation, the affidavit shows.

Lori DeKleine's body was discovered Thursday evening by her son. The strap was still around her neck.

The couple was going through a contentious divorce, records show.

RECORDS: SLAIN WIFE SAID HUSBAND ALWAYS A "BULLY"

Records: Slain wife said husband always a "bully"
Posted by: Muskegon Chronicle
January 14, 2008 16:06PM
Categories: Breaking News, Holland
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2008/01/records_slain_wife_said_husban.html
HOLLAND -- After he returned from a tour in Iraq, Kenneth DeKleine, the Holland police officer accused of killing his wife Lori DeKleine, became increasingly abusive, causing her to fear for her safety, she said in court records obtained today.

"He completely walked out in a rage of anger the week he returned from Iraq, without taking his cell phone, calling to say where he went or a phone number where he could be reached," she wrote in a request for a personal protection order. "He was unreachable for nearly 24 hours. I was afraid that he might harm himself or return and harm me."

She also said that he had been a "sexual and emotional bully to me throughout our marriage, beginning on our honeymoon."

Court records show Lori and Ken DeKleine were set to be in court Feb. 7 for a bench trial in their divorce and issues over child custody.

Lori DeKleine received a restraining order against her husband in January 2007, shortly before her husband filed for divorce the following month.

Court records show that a judge also signed an order for a "mutual civil restraining order" in March and granted Lori DeKleine exclusive use of the marital home.

Ken DeKleine, awaiting arraignment today on an open murder charge, objected to the order but subsequent hearings on the issue were all adjourned.

Records show DeKleine immediately objected to the January 2007 restraining order, but hearings to have the order rescinded were repeatedly adjourned, apparently at Ken DeKleine's request.

The restraining order, set to expire on Jan. 31, remained in effect when Lori DeKleine was killed.
DeKleine said in court records that his wife, whose funeral is this afternoon, suffered severe depression and had attempted suicide in the past.

Holland police responded to a reported suicide Thursday at the couple's home where Lori DeKleine was living with their two children.

On Friday, police arrested the husband at work.

TRANSCRIPT RELEASED FOR DEKLIENE ARREST WARRANT

Transcript released for DeKleine arrest warrant
Posted by 58th Judicial District Court
The Grand Rapids Press
January 14, 2008 15:37PM
Categories: Breaking News, DeKleine case
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/01/transcript_released_for_deklei.html

The following is a transcript of Lt. Mark Bennett, of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department, seeking an arrest warrant on Saturday for Kenneth DeKleine.

MAGISTRATE GLENN R. YOAS: It's January 12, 2008. A request for a felony warrant, Defendant Kenneth Dekleine, D-e-k-l-e-i-n-e, for open murder. Who's going to sign the complaint?

LIEUTENANT MARK BENNETT: I will, your honor.

THE MAGISTRATE: Okay. Raise your right hand. Do you swear the information in this complaint is the truth to the best of your knowledge?

LIEUTENANT BENNETT: I do. Well, your honor, on January 11, 2008, the sheriff's office was called to assist the Holland City Police Department at 229 Calvin Street, in Holland City on a death investigation, and the victim of that death was Lori, L-o-r-i, Dekleine. It was noted that her husband is an employee of the City of Holland Police Department. They requested our assistance in that matter.

Through the course of the death investigation, the victim was found in the basement of her home on Calvin with a nylon strap around her neck. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Subsequent medical examination confirmed that the death was that of a homicide, and the manner of death was strangulation, presumed by the apparatus around her neck.

Subsequently, several articles of evidence were located at the scene on Calvin Street. Several individuals were interviewed, and Kenneth Dekleine, the defendant in this case, was interviewed on multiple occasions.

The third occasion he was interviewed on, yesterday, the evening of the 11th. A substantial interview was done at that time, and under Miranda, Kenneth Dekleine confessed that he caused the injuries that resulted in the death of Mrs. Dekleine.

Ken had gained access to the home, somewhat prior to the homicide, a few hours prior to the homicide, and through that access, or after that access he had waited for Mrs. Dekleine to become alone in the residence after the children left; had contact with Mrs. Dekleine in the kitchen of the home on Calvin, and used a strap to affix the strap around her neck and chocked her to the point that she fell to the floor.

While on the floor, he confirmed, by his own admission, that Mrs. Dekleine had died. He then placed Mrs. Dekleine in the basement of the home, attempted, and at least initially attempted to make the appearance of a suicide, and then left the residence.

The investigators found evidence at the scene that should, through subsequent investigation, confirm the presence of blood. That blood, we believe, is going to come back as being Kenneth Dekleine's blood, as he was injured in the altercation with Mrs. Dekleine. He claims that he was bitten on his lip by the victim, prior to the homicide, and this was substantiated by six sutures on Mr. Dekleine's lip that was noted during the investigation and subsequent interview of Mr. Dekleine.

Mr. Dekleine was lodged here at the Ottawa County Jail, subsequent to his interview and confession to the homicide.

THE MAGISTRATE: He confessed?

LIEUTENANT BENNETT: Yes, sir.

THE MAGISTRATE: Okay. Probable cause has been established, and a warrant will issue. Sign the complaint. No bond will be set at this time. It will be delayed until Monday when he is arraigned.