Five men dead along Lansing River Trail spark serial killer investigation

Five men have been found dead along a one‑mile stretch of the Lansing River Trail, prompting police to investigate a possible serial killer targeting the city’s unhoused community.

Police arrested 23‑year‑old Edward Joseph Smith for the stabbing death of one victim, while four other men suffered severe head and facial trauma. Each victim was found lying down between midnight and 6 a.m., police said. Surveillance footage captured a man leaving the scene, walking downtown, stopping at a drinking fountain to wash his arm. Police found blood on the fountain, recognized Smith from the footage, and located a sweatshirt in his tent that matched the suspect’s clothing.

The first death occurred on Oct. 14, 2025, when 54‑year‑old Gino Chouinard was discovered unconscious with severe facial injuries; he died 13 days later. Subsequent deaths on July 9, 13, Aug. 20, and Aug. 30 added to the case, and the city has since deployed mobile camera trailers, increased patrols, and dispatched social workers to bolster security along the 20‑mile trail.

Read the full story at The Independent.