Murder trial set for end of April.

Corey Beekman and defense attorney Al Swanson, Jr.

Murder trial set for end of April.

#MasonCountyCrime

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

LUDINGTON — The murder trial against Corey Ryan Beekman, 33, of Free Soil Township is scheduled for April 27-30 and May 1 in Mason County’s 51st Circuit Court, according to court staff.

Beekman, a former Army National Guard staff sergeant, is accused of murdering William Buchanan, 32, of Mears, April 16, 2019 and wounding 33-year-old Kaitlin Buck with a gunshot to the arm. He faces charges of second-degree murder, felonious assault and two counts of felony firearms.

William Buchanan

Beekman was bound over to 51st Circuit Court following a preliminary examination in 79th District Court last June. Judge Peter J. Wadel ruled that there was adequate evidence to bind the case up to circuit court.

Beekman, of 10550 N. US 31, originally faced charges of open murder, assault with intent to commit murder and two counts of felony firearms in connection to the shooting that took place at his home. Following testimony at the preliminary exam, Beekman’s charges were reduced.

Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola said premeditation could not be proven, so the open murder charge was amended to second-degree murder. Judge Wadel amended the assault with intent to commit murder charge to felonious assault, citing a lack of evidence to prove the more serious charge.

Beekman had previously been to deployed to Afghanistan, according to one of his military friends.

Buck and her two children, ages 7 and 10, were inside the home during the shooting. The children were not physically harmed.

Buck testified during the preliminary exam that she was in a dating

Kaitlin Buck

relationship with Buchanan and was Beekman’s roommate. However, Beekman wanted to be in a romantic relationship with her.

Co-counsel for the defense, Naesha Leys, questioned Buck about her relationship with Beekman. “You never had an intimate relationship with Corey?” Leys asked.

“No, I made it very clear with him several different times, which he could not grasp,” Buck said.

“He would never let it go,” she said.

Mason County Sheriff’s Office Det. Steven Hansen testified that he attended Buchanan’s autopsy, and three entrance and three exit wounds were identified. Two were “superficial” wounds, but one was fatal. The fatal wound went through his right arm and arm pit and through his lungs and heart.

Beekman remains lodged in the Mason County Jail on a $750,000 bond.

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