HOLLAND POLICE OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDERING HIS WIFE

Holland Police Officer Charged With Murdering His Wife
WWMT News
http://www.wwmt.com/news/police_1346196___article.html/holland_dekleine.html

January 12, 2008 - 9:25AMHOLLAND (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - The wife of a Holland police officer, found dead. Her husband, the officer, is charged with murder. A 13 year-veteran of the Holland police is in the Ottawa County jail Friday night on charges of open murder.

Investigators with the Michigan State Police and Ottawa County Sheriff's Department say he killed his wife.

Detectives arrested Officer Ken DeKleine Friday evening after an investigation that started Thursday night and continued all day Friday.

Holland Police first responded to Officer DeKleine's house around 7p.m. Thursday evening.

One of he and his wife Lori's two teenage children found their mom dead in the basement and called 911.

The police chief says the couple had been separated for some time and were in the process of getting a divorce.

He says Officer DeKleine was on duty Thursday night when that emergency call came in. Officer DeKleine was participating in a training exercise. The chief could not say how Lori DeKleine died or when she died. Initially detectives thought Lori had killed herself. But from an investigation that included interviewing Lori's husband Ken and autopsy Friday morning, investigators concluded her death was a murder.

Here's some of what the police chief told Newschannel 3 about the officer. “We called him everybody's friend, because he was very easy to talk to, talk about a lot of different things,” said Holland Police Chief, John Kruithoff.

“Probably Ken would be as well known to our community as anybody because he just loved to talk to people so it's extremely shocking that this event occurred.” “This type of behavior is not Ken by any means, however, it just shows you what significant family issues can lead to.”

Holland's Police Chief says the couple was separated and in process of getting a divorce. Ken DeKleine will have an arraignment on those murder charges on Monday.

A memorial service will be held around 1:00 p.m. Monday at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church located on 836 East 8th Street in Holland. Reverends George De Jong and Scott Los will be officiating. Entombment will be in Restlawn Memorial Gardens.

Visitation will be from 2-4 & 7-9 p.m. Sunday at Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church. Memorial contributions may be made to Holland Christian School.