Four deaths have been classified as homicides, and officials have not ruled out a connection among the five cases. A Michigan State University professor says reports indicate the victims were experiencing homelessness.
The Lansing River Trail stretches 20 miles through Lansing and East Lansing, passing near Michigan State University. Police are investigating five deaths reported along the trail and nearby areas from October 2025 through September 2026. Four have been deemed homicides. The deaths occurred within roughly a one-mile stretch near downtown Lansing, and officials have not ruled out a connection or the possibility of a serial killer.
The Lansing Police Department is leading the investigation. CNN reported that four of the men suffered head injuries and that some may have been lying down or sleeping when attacked. Police have not established that all five cases are connected. A serial killer remains one possibility investigators are examining. The trail continues through East Lansing near Michigan State University, beyond the area under investigation.
What investigators have said
NewsNation reported that Michigan State University criminal justice professor Karen Holt urged students to be cautious while keeping in mind the vulnerability of people experiencing homelessness. Reports indicate all five victims were experiencing homelessness, according to the coverage. Police said the incidents occurred overnight or in the early morning, when the trail is closed. They described a recurring time window of midnight to 6 a.m.
Holt said the injuries and the victims' circumstances appear to form a pattern. She also said investigators have limited information to develop theories about a suspect or motive. Lansing Police Chief Robert Backus pointed to similarities between incidents, including facial injuries and the time of day. He emphasized that investigators lacked enough information to identify a suspect or motive.
Several incidents from the summer of 2026 have been publicly detailed.
On July 13, 57-year-old Robert Smith was found unconscious with blood on his head near the 300 block of East Oakland Avenue. He died July 17. The medical examiner classified his death as a homicide on September 17. On August 20, 22-year-old Daniel Lusk was found stabbed beneath the Michigan Avenue bridge. Police arrested 23-year-old Edward Joseph Smith on September 2 and charged him with open murder in that case. Authorities have not announced that he is connected to the other deaths.
On August 30, 57-year-old Louis Woodruff was found with facial injuries beneath a bridge near the 200 block of East Cesar Chavez Avenue. He died September 1, and his death is being investigated as a homicide. The Ingham County Medical Examiner's Office later ruled the cause of death of Denis Dunnebacke undetermined, according to WKAR's report. The cases continue to be investigated individually.
The trail and the community
The trail passes through two cities and runs near the MSU campus. Michigan State University has not been identified as part of the police investigation. Farmington Voice has separately covered University of Michigan rankings, a different subject involving a different institution.
Lansing officials stepped up police presence along the trail and considered expanding surveillance-camera coverage. They also worked with organizations serving people experiencing homelessness to share safety warnings. Mayor Andy Schor said the investigation into the deaths of unhoused residents included consideration of every possible connection. City and police officials have sought to alert people who may be vulnerable without suggesting the entire city poses an immediate danger to visitors.
Holt's comments reflect the difficulty of assessing a possible pattern while investigators have limited information about who may be responsible or why. The five deaths occurred over the past year. Police have not ruled out a connection.
