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2 Women Found Buried, Suspect In Custody

PAW PAW, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - It's a tragic ending in the case of a missing woman from Southwestern Michigan.

Police say the body of 30-year-old Amy Henslee was found last night in Bangor Township, buried alongside the body of 36-year-old Tonya Howarth. Both women had been shot multiple times.

They were found on the property of  Junior Lee Bee Bee, the cousin of Henslee's husband, and possibly Howarth's romantic interest.

Speaking to reporters, Friday, Van Buren County Prosecutor Juris Kaps said Henslee's body was identified through photos they had of the woman, and also by her tattoos.

Kaps would not discuss a possible motive, but he says Bee Bee is in custody.

"We're satisfied that we have the responsible person in custody; that there is a basis for charges of open murder, and also two counts of possession of a firearm," Kaps sais.

Investigators believe the women were killed Monday morning, Kaps said.

Philip Beebe, an uncle of the suspect, told WZZM-TV that investigators had searched land owned by Junior Lee Beebe, then took him in for questioning.

"They took him in a car and said they were going someplace warm where they could talk,'' Philip Bebee told the station.

Henslee was last seen at home Monday morning when her husband, James, left for work. The Van Buren County sheriff's department has said he is not a suspect. Amy Henslee's had left her purse inside the house and locked the door behind her.

Authorities said Friday they think Henslee left voluntarily with Beebe.

A day earlier, police had said they didn't suspect foul play in Henslee's disappearance. That assessment changed as the investigation developed.

On Friday morning, Sheriff Dale Gribler expressed condolences to the women's families. He said he delayed the release of information on the case while investigators combed the area where the bodies were discovered.

"We had a lot of work to do with the crime lab at the particular crime scene,'' Gribler said. 

 Beebe was expected to be arraigned later Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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