Michigan man in prison for 1991 murder asks Gov. Snyder for freedom

Ronald Redick was convicted of first-degree murder in the December 1991 death of Kenneth Kunkel in Ottawa County (MDOC)

HOLLAND, Mich. – A Michigan man convicted of murdering his business partner more than 25 years ago is asking Gov. Rick Snyder for freedom.

Ronald Redick, convicted of first-degree murder the 1991 murder of Kenneth Kunkel in Ottawa County and sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole, is asking Snyder to commute his sentence, WOOD TV reports. He's now 81-years-old.

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Michigan Department of Corrections Parole Board will hold a hearing on the case Thursday morning, where Redick is expected to describe the murder and how he's changed while in prison, WOOD TV reports.

After two to three weeks, the board will share its recommendation on the commutation request with the governor. Snyder will make the final decision.

"I don't know if you can forgive something that big and that huge and that purposeful and that cruel," Kunkel's sister-in-law Lois Heidema-Bucel said Tuesday, speaking on behalf of the family to WOOD TV. "The pain is so indescribable when somebody is so close for so long," she said.

Kunkel's family and prosecutors from the 1991 case can also speak at the hearing, an MDOC spokesman said.


About the Author

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.

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