WHITE CLOUD, Mich. — After a 3 week jury trial, the suspect accused of killing a Newaygo County man 39 years ago guilty.
Roy Snell was found guilty of felony murder and felony firearm by a jury in Newaygo Circuit Court Wednesday in the death of Richard Atwood.
"I am heartened that the family of Rick Atwood may begin to find some closure in this verdict," Prosecutor Ellsworth Stay said in a statement."I thank the jury for their service during this lengthy trial."
Atwood was just 25 years old when he was last seen on Aug. 10, 1983, in White Cloud. His body has never been found. His brown 1975 Pontiac Trans-Am was recovered in the Grand Rapids area two months later.
Roy Snell, was arrested back in March of 2020 in Minnesota after Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Newaygo County Prosecutor Worth Stay issued charges in the case.
Snell was reported as the last person to be seen with Atwood.
Stay thanked the efforts of the cold case team which included members from both the Newaygo County Sheriff's Department and Michigan State Police.
"I would particularly like to highlight the tireless work of retired Detective Scott Rios," Stay said in a statement. "Detective Rios never gave up on this case and wroked past his retirement to ensure every fact and circumstance was investigated and able to be presented to a jury."
Snell has been in Newaygo County Jail for the last three years awaiting trial.
Atwood's sister, Annette Courtade, says she has waited for this day for the last several years.
Courtade says her mother has recently passed and she is devastated her mother is no longer here to see her son's killer brought to justice.
The trial started back on October 31, 2022 and finished on Wednesday, November 16 in front of the Hon. Judge Melissa Dykman.
There is no word if Snell's attorney plans to appeal.
Snell will be sentenced in Newago County circuit court on January, 9, 2023.
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