RAY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Two people are in custody and one of them faces an open murder charge after human remains were unearthed Thursday behind a home in Macomb County's Ray Township.
VIEW: Stephen McAfee murder: Timeline of events
The remains were found buried near the home on Kuntsman Road, which is near 28 Mile Road. The Macomb County Sheriff's Department now has two people in custody including a 19-year-old who lives at the home. One is charged with open murder while the other is charged with accessory after the fact.
Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said this is all related to a 2016 missing person case. A young man went missing in the area last year. Wickersham has a news conference scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Friday in which he will discuss details.
UPDATE: Human remains found in Ray Township identified as Stephen McAfee; 2 charged with multiple felonies
Sources told Local 4 that investigators were led to the scene Thursday by a person who came to them and claimed to have information about a homicide. Investigators said they were led to an exact spot behind the home, where they started digging and discovered partial human remains.
Neighbors shocked
A next-door neighbor said he was shocked when investigators started to dig behind the home.
"She says, 'They are digging in the back,'" Mark Pruehs said. "She asked them, 'Should she be afraid?' They said, 'No.' Digging in the ground? Correct."
Officials were digging to solve a mystery. The sheriff said the investigation is related to a missing person case. A teenager disappeared last March from his family's home, which is 8 miles away from the scene.
Sources told Local 4 that a person with knowledge of a homicide came to Sheriff's Office investigators with information on a body being buried.
Neighbors watched as a person wearing a jail jump suit lead investigators to the area behind the home. The Macomb County medical examiner took the remains away.
Neighbors on the road said they can't believe this happened there.
"Yes, it worries me," Pruehs said.
Officials confirmed Thursday night that they searched two separate areas in connection with the case.
Sign up for ClickOnDetroit breaking news alerts and email newsletters