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Another Detroit Area Man Found Keeping Dead Girlfriend In Bedroom

DETROIT (WWJ) - A 50-year-old man is jailed facing charges, after police discovered the body of his girlfriend wrapped in plastic at his Wayne County home.

Jeffrey Michael Thomas of Rockwood was arraigned in 33rd District Court Tuesday afternoon, on one count of concealing the death of an individual, a five-year felony.

This is the second time in two weeks that police discovered a Southeast Michigan man had kept his dead girlfriend's body in a bedroom for an extended period of time.

However, how the cases differ is that this time police do suspect foul play.

According to Wayne County Prosecutors, a homicide investigation is ongoing by Rockwood police after 32-year-old Jennifer Ann Butkowski of Rockwood was found dead by police on Sunday.

Police said Thomas jumped from an upper-floor window at a home in the 22000 block of Candace Dr., shortly after midnight Sunday, and told an investigating officer that a gunman was inside, holding children as hostages.

No gunman or children were found, but an officer smelled a foul odor coming from a bedroom. When he entered to investigate, he  discover edthe lifeless body of a woman, later identified as Butkowski, in a bed, wrapped in a sheet and plastic.

Thomas was arrested and taken to a local hospital for treatment of injuries to his body. He remains held on a 200,000 cash/surety bond, awaiting a probably cause hearing set for Jan. 30.

Police told the Monroe News that the woman had been dead for about two weeks, but no further details were immediately released.

Authorities are not saying how it is believed that Butkowski died, and autopsy results are pending.

Meanwhile, in a separate case, 49-year-old David Hall of Monroe remains jailed on a charge of concealing the death of an individual. Last week police said Hall had been living in an apartment with his girlfriend about a month after they estimate she died. The body of 56-year-old Kandace Simmons had no signs of trauma, police said, and family members suggested she had medical issues.

© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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