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Court documents reveal brutal murder of homeless man

Posted at 7:10 AM, Oct 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-18 10:57:22-04

Court documents obtained by FOX 47 News reveal what police say happened the night John Darnell Jr. died. Darnell was found in a creek behind McLaren hospital Thursday night (October 13). Police believe Darnell was killed around midnight on October 10, going into October 11.

The Ingham County Prosecutor has identified the three suspects in the homicide investigation as 27 year-old Brandon Lee Addiss, 26 year-old Amber Shauna Marie Kohls, and 26 year-old Matthew Ryan Green.

Brandon Addiss was arrested by the Michigan State Police First District Fugitive Team on October 12 for an outstanding parole violation warrant.

After his arrest, police received a call from Amber Kohl's father. He told them Kohl told him about a homicide that her, Brandon Addiss, and Matthew Green had committed. Green, and Kohl told her father that they had done it in self defense, and had hidden the body.

Shortly after that, police made contact with Green and Kohl, separated them, and got both of their statements. Kohl indicated she was involved in the killing of Darnell. Green claimed he was only involved in disposing of the body.

Green led police to where the homicide took place. Police believe this area was a campsite where some homeless men had been staying for a few weeks.

NOTE: Some of this information is graphic, and may be disturbing to read.

The Medical Examiner found that Darnell suffered eight stab wounds to the front of his body, and nine stab wounds to the back of his body. He also had a large laceration to the top of his head, and five cuts into his throat on either side. Darnell suffered fatal injuries to both lungs.

Green says that during the night of October 10, he joined Kohls, and Addiss at the abandoned campsite, and began squatting in the tents. Addiss confirms this in his interview, saying that the three had been staying in abandoned houses and were on the move to avoid his parole officer.

According to Green, Darnell returned to the campsite that night, and found the three of them living in his space. All three suspects say that they were friendly with Darnell, and even though it was the first time they met him, they spent several hours talking.

The suspects say they were not drinking or using drugs that night. However, they did indicate that the victim was drinking heavily.

At one point though, they say things took a dark turn. The suspects say Darnell had been drinking, got upset with them, and said things like “I’m going to kill you and I’m going to eat you. I’ve done it before. I did it in the war.” Police have not yet followed up on that statement. However, police say the three suspects were afraid of Darnell even though no action was taken by Darnell to physically harm them.

According to Green, Brandon Addiss initiated the attack on Darnell. He says Addiss was strangling the victim when Kohls approached with a knife and began stabbing Darnell repeatedly. During this attack Addiss got ahold of the knife, and stabbed Darnell as well.

In her interview, Kohls told police she was in possession of a locking knife at the time of the homicide. She also admitted she was the first person to stab Darnell.

Green says at this time he had a panic attack, and did not take part in the killing of Darnell. Addiss corroborates this information in his statement.

According to Addiss, the attack started because Darnell had threatened to call the police on them, and snapped. Addiss told police that he tackled Darnell to the ground in the tent, and began strangling him - and that's when Kohls stabbed Darnell in the chest. Addiss says he got the knife, stabbed Darnell in the back, and then him and Kohls took turns attempting to cut Darnell's throat.