Update: Double homicide in Victory Township

NAMES OF SUSPECTS RELEASED

By ROB ALWAY

mcp.com editor

VICTORY TWP. — Law enforcement officials have released the identities of the two suspects arrested in connection with the murder on North Amber Road Friday night. According to a press release from the Ohio County, Ky. Sheriff’s Office, Patrick M. Bentley, 21, and Lashawn M. Whipple, 18, were arrested about 6:30 p.m. Friday. The two suspects — both from the Mason County area — had with them an unidentified juvenile. They were detained by police after they led deputies on a short foot pursuit, the release stated.

According to Mason County Sheriff Jeff Fiers, the two were detained when the Kentucky sheriff’s office discovered the car they were driving was possibly stolen. Bentley and Whipple face several charges in Kentucky and face homicide charges here in Mason County.

Deputies from the Mason County Sheriff’s Department responded to a well-being check at a single-wide mobile home at 3046 N. Amber Rd. approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday. There, deputies discovered Dario Ramirez, 28 and Lacey Kay Bentley, 18 dead. Both were residents of that address. Mason County Sheriff Jeff Fiers said the two were not husband and wife.

The well-being check was initiated by the Ohio County, Ky. Sheriff’s Department, Fiers said Sunday.

Detectives from the Mason County Sheriff’s Department, Ludington Police Department, and the Michigan State Police Mobile Crime Laboratory responded to investigate. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is involved with an unrelated incident stemming from Osceola County, Fiers said, as are law enforcement officials from that county.

“They are being held each on $1 million bond,” Fiers said. “I will be sending detectives down to Kentucky either Monday or Tuesday to finish interviews and hopeful to extradite them back here.”

“The sheriff from Kentucky conducted the interviews with the suspects himself,” Fiers said. “We have been really pleased with the cooperation between all the agencies involved.”

Fiers said he plans on meeting with Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola today to discuss how to proceed.

Fiers said he plans on releasing more information today after he meets with the prosecutor. He said there are a lot of speculations being written on the Internet, especially Facebook and he would like to clarify some of them. MasonCountyPress.com will have updates when they are available.