VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A person of interest has been named the death case of a Van Buren Township woman found brutally slain in her home.
The Van Buren Police Department has named Kenneth Michalak as a person of interest in Egypt Covington's shooting death. It's been nine months since Covington was killed, and police want to speak to Michalak in connection with the case.
Michalak is Covington's former boyfriend. Police said they had a long relationship.
Family waits for justice
Covington was found fatally shot and bound in her home in June of last year.
"You know what you did was wrong and it was so violent," said Covington's mother, Tina Covington.
Tina said the family is now hiring a private investigator to look for more clues in her daughter's case.
"I won't give up. I can't and I won't let her be a cold case no matter what," she said.
The family has been posting flyers in the community. There are also billboards in various areas and a sign posted in the lobby of the Van Buren Township Police Department.
"I don't know what to do except keep her name out there, keep her picture out there and hope that some day somebody will put something together. Somebody knows something," Tina said.
It's hard for the family to cope with the fact that Egypt's case has gone unsolved for nine months.
"I carried her for nine months and now she's been gone from me for nine months," Tina said tearfully.
She said spring was one of Egypt's favorite seasons.
"She loved spring. She was a different person in the spring. She was nature. She was really a hippie born in the wrong time," Tina said.
Lt. Charles Bazzy with the Van Buren Township Police Department said they are continuing to receive tips daily on the case. He said they are waiting for more evidence from the lab to come in, and are getting the FBI involved in the case. Bazzy also said they police zeroing in on a suspect and hoping to release a name in the near future.
"Revenge is not in my heart. Justice I'd like to see done, but really I would like to know why. I need some peace. My family needs peace-- her brothers, her sister, her dad, we need to know why," Tina said.
Family seeks answers months after shooting
Three months after her death, billboards with Egypt on them were in the area.
"It's very difficult," Tina said. "We need her out there so that people don't forget."
Tina has mourned the loss of her daughter every day since she was found shot to death.
"It doesn't get any easier," Tina said. "I won't get closure until I know something (about) why."
Billboards donated by Lamar Advertising were catching a lot of eyes, and Tina hopes it leads to information.
"A lot of people have pulled over because it goes by so fast, but I definitely think it's keeping her out there," Tina said.
She said police are continuing to get more leads in her daughter's case, but they need more solid evidence.
"I could not imagine if this turned out to be a cold case," Tina said. "Hopefully, they'll slip up somewhere. Somebody knows something. They just need to come forward."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Van Buren Township Police Department at 734-699-8930.
June updates in case
After Egypt was found murdered in her home, her family spoke to Local 4 about the latest details in the case.
Egypt was found dead around 7:15 p.m. June 23 inside her home in the 45000 block of Hull Road. Medical examiners said Covington was killed by a gunshot wound to the head.
Police said the murder doesn't appear to have been random. They believe she was probably killed by somebody she knew.
Amid their heartbreak, Egypt's mother and siblings are coming forward with new details in the case.
Her boyfriend was the person who found her shot to death inside her home.
"He walked into the house and found her and ran out and called police," Tina said.
When Tina got the call, she couldn't believe what had happened.
"It was, like, 'What do you mean, 'She was murdered?'" Tina said.
Police said there was no struggle, so they believe Egypt knew the person who did this to her very well.
"She was 5 (feet) 10 (inches), and she worked out every day," Tina said. "She could bench 200 pounds, so she can fight, and that's what we don't get."
Now, the family is waiting for the killer to be found.
Victim's father heartbroken
Egypt's father and stepmother said they are heartbroken by her death, and the tightknit community of which she was a part is in shock.
Her family said she knew how to light up a room with her voice and her personality.
"She spread light and love and caring," said her father, Chuck Covington.
Chuck and his wife, Kristin Covington, the victim's stepmother, said they couldn't believe what happened.
"Disbelief," Chuck said. "Shock. Hysteria. ... She was goodness and godliness everywhere she went. She shouldn't be taken from us."
"She didn't look at the outside of a person," Kristin said. "She didn't care how much money you had. She cared about what was inside."
The family hopes someone comes forward with information.
"It won't cure her being gone, but I know she would want the person caught, and that's as far as we can deal with at the moment," Chuck said.
He said the person responsible took away a woman who was radiant and loved by many people.
"She's gone from people that haven't even met her yet," Chuck said. "She's gone from them and she was just starting."
Egypt's brother didn't want to be on camera, but he said his sister was a gifted singer whose talents went beyond singing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.