LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Mich. – The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference on Wednesday to announce an update on an unsolved homicide case.
This live stream has ended. You can watch a recording of the press conference in the video player above.
Here’s what you missed: Livingston County Cold Case Team solves nearly 40-year-old cold case murder
The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office established its cold case unit in 2009. Since then, retired law enforcement officers have worked to solve those cases and bring closure to families. The officers are volunteering their time, they are not paid.
Livingston County cold cases
Anyone with information regarding any of the cold cases listed below should call investigators at 517-540-7880 or email coldcasetips@livgov.com.
Christine Castiglione
It has been nearly 40 years since 19-year-old Christine Castiglione was found murdered on state-owned land in Livingston County.
Castiglione lived in Redford Township at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen between 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on March 19, 1983, walking westbound on 5 Mile Road near Lola Park in Redford Township.
Her body was found 10 days later, on March 29, 1983, on state-owned land near the intersection of Fisher and Faussett roads. Her body was found after a heavy snowfall and the start of the snow melting.
Her body was reported to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office. Evidence indicates her body was left at the location before the snowfall, shortly after she was last seen in Redford.
Police have interviewed numerous people and have lab work and DNA involved in the investigation. The case was solved in 2023.
Kimberly Louiselle
It has been nearly 41 years since 16-year-old Kimberly Louiselle was found murdered and her body left near the Island Lake Recreation Area in Livingston County.
According to the Justice for Kimberly Louiselle Facebook group, Louiselle was hitchhiking home to South Lyon from Redford, Michigan on March 20, 1982.
She started in the area of 8 Mile and Inkster roads. She got a ride to the area of 8 Mile and Merriman roads in Livonia. At around 6:30 p.m., she made at least four phone calls trying to find a ride the rest of the way home. She wasn’t seen alive again.
According to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, she was reported missing to the Green Oak Township Police Department on March 21, 1982.
Her family said Louiselle’s body was found behind a park and ride in the Island Lake Recreation Area near Grand River Avenue and Kensington Road on April 14, 1982. Her body was five miles from her Livingston County home.
She was found naked and had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled, according to her family. Her personal belongings were not located. Her family said that while she had been missing for more than three weeks, she had only been dead for four to six days.
“Any DNA the police had was stored wrong, got contaminated and is no longer available,” according to the Justice for Kimberly Louiselle Facebook page.
According to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, numerous people have been interviewed and the case has been re-opened on several occasions.
Her family said the case has been transferred to the Michigan State Police Cold Case Unit in Lansing. Anyone with any information should contact Michigan State Police Cold Case D/Sgt Larry Rothman at 313-407-9379.
Read: 40 years ago: 16-year-old Livingston County girl found murdered near Island Lake Recreation Area
Nikki
It has been 20 years since 19-year-old Anthony “Nikki” Nicholas was found murdered in an empty farmhouse in Livingston County.
She was last seen alive on Feb. 15, 2003, in the South Lyon and Whitmore Lake area. Witnesses told police they saw her being picked up by one or two men in Detroit before she disappeared.
Her body was discovered on Feb. 21, 2003, in an empty farmhouse in Green Oak Township. The house was on the west side of Old US-23, north of M-36.
Nikki came out as transgender approximately two years before she was murdered.
The Livingston County Cold Case Team is helping the Green Oak Township Police Department investigate.
Michael Painter
It has been nearly 48 years since 18-year-old Michael Painter was found murdered.
Painter lived in Dearborn Heights. There are no known ties between Dearborn Heights and Livingston County, according to police.
Police said Painter’s friend told them he last saw Painter at 5 p.m. on March 6, 1975, in Dearborn Heights. He said Painter was in his car with a man he didn’t recognize.
Painter’s body was found in a field by a bus driver at 7:45 a.m. on March 7, 1975, near Curdy Road in Oceola Township. Police said his body appeared to have been left in the field after a snowfall.
His car was found a week later on March 14, 1975, in a parking lot behind an apartment complex in Detroit.
Police said several people have been interviewed and items have been sent to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab.
Paige Renkoski
It has been nearly 33 years since Paige Marie Renkoski disappeared.
Renkoski, 30, was a substitute school teacher who was living in Okemos. She was last seen on May 24, 1990, standing on the side of I-96.
Renkoski drove her mother to Detroit Metro Airport that morning, then visited with a friend who lived in Canton Township. She was seen at a party store in Canton Township later that afternoon, where she purchased a beer.
Witnesses told police they saw Renkoski on the side of the freeway speaking with a man next to a maroon minivan.
Her vehicle, a 2-door silver/gray Oldsmobile, was found stopped and running on the westbound shoulder of I-96, about half a mile from the Fowlerville exit. The windshield wipers were on and her purse, shoes and the beer she purchased were found inside the vehicle.
Investigators have received and investigated more than 1,000 tips since she disappeared. Police have searched several locations using crews, cadaver dogs, ground-penetrating radar and other methods. Renkoski or her remains have never been located.
Read more: Paige Renkoski has been missing from Michigan for 32 years: ‘Somebody knows something’
Read: Michigan cold case coverage
Why is ClickOnDetroit covering so many cold cases?
We’re working to bring attention to as many unsolved and missing persons cases from around the state as we can. Our hope is that getting this important information out to the public will help generate tips for investigators and potentially lead to closure for the affected families. If you have a cold case you’d like us to look into, please let us know by using the form below.