MI MI - James (57) & Christy (55) McKeogh, murdered, Clinton Twp, 14 Jan 2016

[Nina Michigan]

Husband and wife brutally murdered in their Clinton Township (Macomb County) home.

James McKeogh age 57, Christy McKeogh age 55.

James was killed in the garage, his wife in the living room.

There was no sign of a struggle. Could they have known their killer/s?

Additional reading:

Murder of Clinton Twp couple confusing.

Blunt trauma cause of death

Grieving family posts reward

Reward money doubled

 

[Nina Michigan]

Two murders, four years, a case gone cold in Clinton Township

I was interviewed for this story. This case CAN be solved.

 

[abeaman02]

Two murders, four years, a case gone cold in Clinton Township

I was interviewed for this story. This case CAN be solved.

Good article, I went to high school with christy, she was so sweet. I hope this is solved

 

[abeaman02]

Hopefully a reward will renew the interest in this case

Family offering reward in 4-year unsolved murder of Clinton Township couple

 

[Nina Michigan]

I've been working with Christy's brothers and Jim's sister to put together an episode about the case. Yesterday I connected with CTPD and with their permission I am sharing this flyer.

 

[Fede]

No forced entry. No fingerprints (why? did the murderer/s clean evarything or were they carrying gloves?).
Was the murder weapon one of James tools?

 

[Nina Michigan]

No forced entry. No fingerprints (why? did the murderer/s clean evarything or were they carrying gloves?).
Was the murder weapon one of James tools?

My understanding (aka not stating this as fact) is that Jim had the garage door open and the killer(s) just walked in where he was working in the garage. Murder weapon not named by PD

Only a few things stolen.

There was evidence left at the scene, but I don't think there were viable prints. Again, don't quote me.

 

[abeaman02]

I've been working with Christy's brothers and Jim's sister to put together an episode about the case. Yesterday I connected with CTPD and with their permission I am sharing this flyer.

Hopefully this will bring renewed interest to the case.

 

[:+:MrTT:+:]

Two murders, four years, a case gone cold in Clinton Township

I was interviewed for this story. This case CAN be solved.

Having problem finding the house, Do you have any pictures you can share?
Friday night, January cold out snowing Not a typical day evening for a serial killer. I do think this may have been more of a thrill kill then anything else. From what I read at the links so far. I would say, the man was attacked first in a way that did not cause alarm for the woman inside. She was found with scissors and tape in her hands reported at one of the links. She was killed quickly also. Im taking it nothing was stolen from inside? He was killed quickly and she also.

Is their a door from the inside of garage so you can enter the house without leaving the garage?

From what I read no DNA taken, is how i interpreted that.

I don't sense this being a robbery per say. It was done quickly during the night, snow cold. Get in and get out.
One or two? Not enough to know for sure. Could have been one. I said snuck up behind the man and knocked him out before killing him with the extra blows. Then moved on into the house, murdered the woman and then left the same way he came in. May have taken a couple of items in the garage for whatever reason. Could have been an addict who try to get some money from the man but didn't, got angry kill him. Though just making a quick guess on that. Not much to go on, not enough information to fill in the pieces to the puzzle.

Any visual aids from the day of the crime you can share would be wonderful.

Was any one doing any work at the house for whatever reason before the murders. Anyone have reason to be their besides family?

Any tire tracks in the snow? Any footprints in the snow leading say from the sidewalk/street going up and towards the garage area?

Her car in the garage. is that his trunk parked in the driveway.?
Apparently the killer closed the garage door on his way out yes?
Probably wearing gloves.

If they wanted to steal his truck and or the car. I am guessing the keys for both were not hiding somewhere they could not find correct?

THE ABOVE ALL MOO AND SPECULATION. NOTHING POSTED AS BEING FACTUAL UNLESS OTHERWISE KNOWN TO BE.

 

[Nina Michigan]

January 14 was a THURSDAY night. The bodies were found about mid-day on Friday.

Murder happened "after dinner" say between 7 and 8p based on cell phone activity.

Christy was using scissors to cut up paper to wrap her Christmas ornaments in. She was taking down the tree and holiday decor when they were attacked. Jim was sitting at his "workshop" in the garage. He'd just cleared the driveway and walk - therefore no tracks or prints

Very little was taken from the house. The murders were exceptionally brutal/violent. Overkill.

My opinion based on what I've read and conversations I've had with family/LE.

 

[Mbt]

This is rather similar to the Jabalee murders in New Baltimore (also in Macomb County) -- I'm not suggesting that they are related, only that they are rather similar: ages, small business owners, very tidy/clean, overkill... The only difference is that this family doesn't seem to be connected to a series of unsavoury characters -- no red flags came up.

I spent the first 18-20 yrs of my life a 5 minute drive from the McKeogh house, so I know the area well. Where they lived, there's going to few pedestrians other than dog walkers and very little random/non-resident car traffic, the houses are close together, and the garages look out onto the street.

Let's focus on the garage... I assume standard 2 car garage and that they had 2 cars/trucks/SUVs, whatever. Were both cars in the garage? I assume so: one doesn't shovel snow and leave a car in the driveway... and if you have a garage, I doubt you leave a car out on the curb on a snowy night. That would mean the the work area is behind the cars at the back of the garage. If so, this means that 1) space is restricted and 2) James probably wasn't very visible to the street, even though the garage would have been lit up in the dark -- if the garage door was open. That would lead me to believe that someone went into the garage to find him. But why leave a garage door open in January in Michigan when you're going to be working? It's cold. The brothers said they opened it when they arrived the next day, so at some point it was shut. Do garage doors have logs? I doubt it. Does the garage have a back door that the killer could have entered from?

It's pretty much impossible for me to believe that this was a random crime. Little was stolen and apparently not of vital importance, otherwise that would point to specific people. If it were random thrill kill, I think a gun would have been used & why go inside and hunt down his wife? No, if someone ended up on Uthers St., it's because they were going to Uthers St. Someone who knew them drove to their house and was very very very angry about something. Cui bono?

Just my opinion of course -- based on my memories of growing up local & the info posted here and in the articles posted. I don't know anyone mentioned in the articles.

 

[Mbt]

Well… anything new?

 

[Nina Michigan]

I wish. I think CTPD is waiting on more information from....someone.

 

[Mbt]

After having listened to the podcast, I don't know what there is I can add...

I can only agree that the killer was someone they knew and that it was probably premeditated. Their house isn't on the way to anywhere (and you have to drive to get to it), almost nothing was taken, the overkill and general lack of "clinicalness" in the killing would seem to rule out mistaken identity, and there's no other reason I can think of for taking the trouble to kill both of them when they were in different locations.

Why is it thought that he was murdered first?

 

[Jade]

​

"I called it 'Hotel McKeogh' because if anyone was in trouble they took them in and kept them there until they healed them."

Couple found murdered in Clinton Twp home still unsolved 3 years later


“….They opened their hearts, wallets and home to anyone who needed it."

Family: Murder of Clinton Twp. couple 'confusing'


Wonder how they would come to know who might be in trouble and need help?

Where they were affiliated with an organization or church that guided their benevolence?

It seems both were in business not any sort of care profession could it be that their goodness of heart got them in contact with someone who had problems over their head?

Maybe money was stolen in the form of not paying back a loan that was thought to be due or begrudged and they got killed instead.



IMO



IMO

 

[Nina Michigan]

After having listened to the podcast, I don't know what there is I can add...

I can only agree that the killer was someone they knew and that it was probably premeditated. Their house isn't on the way to anywhere (and you have to drive to get to it), almost nothing was taken, the overkill and general lack of "clinicalness" in the killing would seem to rule out mistaken identity, and there's no other reason I can think of for taking the trouble to kill both of them when they were in different locations.

Why is it thought that he was murdered first?

Because (JMO from speaking with LE and both families) the killer entered through the garage of the home where James was working/tinkering then they entered the home and killed Christy.
I also suspect that they had to get through James to get to Christy, I heard that they were deeply in love, they adored each other. Def a love match.

 

[Nina Michigan]

this case keeps me up at night