Arrested Hutaree woman described as 'good person'

4/4/2010

Stone

OSSEO, Mich. - Neighbors and friends who knew Tina Stone said she had not been particularly religious or interested in Second Amendment rights before she met David Stone last spring on the free dating Web site Plentyoffish.com.

"Whatever guy she was dating, she went with his group," said one of her Osseo neighbors who added that Mrs. Stone, 44, is "a good person" who "was easily impressed."

She had been married before and is the mother of two daughters and a son, all grown.

Dorothy Hassenzahl, 74, of Pittsford, Mich., is the mother of Mrs. Stone's ex-husband, Eric Hassenzahl. The couple married Sept. 11, 2001, split after about a year, and divorced in 2004. She said her son was heartbroken over the breakup, and tried to convince Mrs. Stone to participate in marriage counseling. She refused, Mrs. Hassenzahl said.

Mrs. Hassenzahl recalled that Mrs. Stone was an animal lover who at one time took care of more than a dozen stray cats that found their way onto her Osseo property. She was surprised and saddened to hear of Mrs. Stone's arrest this week.

"I didn't know that Tina was into this stuff," Mrs. Hassenzahl said. Of Hutaree, she added: "They're trying to say they're Christian. I don't believe that. Some of the things they're doing, I don't believe they're Christian."

Before Mrs. Stone abandoned the home she lost to foreclosure in February, she lived at 6580 Bird Lake Road in Osseo. The home is now for sale, with windows and doors boarded up.

Ms. Stone was a friendly, chatty person, said one neighbor who asked not to be identified. She had eagerly shared details of her blossoming romance with Mr. Stone, who moved into her home with his two sons and their girlfriends last fall.

"She talked about going to church with him, and he was telling her what to wear and to watch her mouth because she talks a little rough sometimes," one of her Osseo neighbors said.

The couple married in December, with the groom and wedding party dressed in camouflage fatigues, and the bride in a black strapless gown.

She hosted a Hutaree gathering last spring at her Bird Lake residence, and flew the militia's signature flag at that time. Neighbors didn't complain about the 20 cars that parked on her lawn, and her neighbor told The Blade that the militia guests "seemed sort of harmless to me."

Contact Bridget Tharp at:

btharp@theblade.com

or 419-724-6086.