Tenant held in landlord’s death

Lenawee sheriff cites dispute

7/23/2014

ADRIAN — Authorities have charged Michael Thorne Anderson in the slaying of Larry Smith and were holding him in the Lenawee County jail without bail.

Mr. An-derson, 56, a tenant at 11818 Silver Lake Hwy., Woodstock Township, near Brooklyn, was arraigned Tuesday in Lena-wee County District Court and his defense attorney, Rhonda Underwood, entered a plea of not guilty.

His next court appearance will be at 1 p.m. Aug. 4 for a preliminary hearing before Judge Laura Schaedler.

Mr. Smith, 66, was the landlord of 11818 Silver Lake Hwy. and knew the suspect.

“There had been an ongoing landlord-tenant dispute between them,” Lenawee County Sheriff Jack Welsh said.

The sheriff said Mr. Smith appeared to have died Sunday, the day deputies received a call at 7:34 p.m. of a “welfare complaint.” They arrived to find Mr. Smith’s body.

Mr. Smith died of blunt-force trauma, Sheriff Welsh said, but full autopsy results were not available Tuesday.