| Notes |
- March 6, 2002
Witness in Torch Lake slaying case charged in criminal sexual conduct
-Kalkaska man faces up to life in prison if convicted for allegedly molesting relative
By PATRICK SULLIVAN
Record-Eagle staff writer
BELLAIRE - A second witness for the prosecution in the murder case against William Charles Cron has been arrested and accused of molesting a young girl.
Matthew Alan Cron, 21, of Kalkaska, was charged Monday with first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct in Kalkaska County.
He faces up to life in prison if convicted of the charges, which stem from accusations that he forced sex acts with an 8-year-old female relative last April.
At a preliminary hearing in December, Matthew Cron was a star witness against his brother William, who is accused of kidnapping and killing his estranged girlfriend, Jamie Lee Moran, 20, of South Boardman, on Sept. 4 or 5 of last year.
In his testimony at the preliminary hearing, Matthew Cron described a bizarre series of events leading up to Moran's disappearance, including helping his brother purchase a disguise at a Traverse City magic store. He also testified that he helped his brother clean a stolen car and burn clothes hours later.
At that hearing it was revealed that Matthew had in the past been declared not mentally competent to handle his own affairs.
William Cron, 29, also of Kalkaska, is scheduled to stand trial April 9 on charges of murder, kidnapping and car theft. Police say he abducted Moran after she left work at a Traverse City hair salon and drowned her in the Torch River.
He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of first-degree murder.
Last week Cron's father, Charles Glen Cron, 60, of Kalkaska, was charged with first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct stemming from allegations that he also molested a female relative under the age of 13.
Antrim Prosecutor Charles Koop, who is prosecuting William Cron on the murder and kidnapping charges, said "anytime one of your witnesses is in jail ... that can be a problem."
But he said he didn't expect that the developments would jeopardize his case because testimony Matthew and Charles Cron gave during William Cron's preliminary hearing is already on the record. If necessary, Koop can have that testimony read onto the record at the murder trial.
Cron's lawyer, Gerald Chefalo, had filed a motion to have the trial moved out of Antrim County, citing pre-trial publicity. But Circuit Judge Philip Rodgers ruled last month against that motion and said lawyers should attempt to seat an impartial jury.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin April 2, when two jury pools will be called in to answer questionnaires.
Rodgers did approve a request from Chefalo to appoint an investigator for the defense. Chefalo argued that since Cron is indigent, he cannot afford to hire someone to sort through a police report that is more than 1,000 pages long and interview the more than 100 witnesses identified by the prosecution.
Chefalo was also given approval to hire an independent medical examiner and an accident reconstructionist.
Meanwhile, Koop said he plans to make a motion to introduce evidence that Cron had an accomplice in the murder.
Ivan Lee Bechtol Jr. has been charged in Kalkaska County with conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping, home invasion and attempted kidnapping in connection with the case. He also faces life in prison if convicted.
He is accused of helping Cron break into a mobile home three days before Moran's death in an attempt to kidnap Moran. Police said Moran's boyfriend, Ira Henke, fought off Cron and the attempt was foiled.
Bechtol was originally charged only with home invasion, but the kidnapping and murder conspiracy charges were added after he allegedly bragged to a cell mate at the Kalkaska County Jail that he and Cron had planned to kidnap and kill Moran.
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Abt 1973 - (~ 51 years)
