Suspect arraigned in double murder

January 16, 2015January 16, 2015 Editor featured

Richard Strzelecki, 63 of Posen was arraigned in 89th District Court this morning (Jan. 16, 2015) in connection with the double homicide which occurred yesterday at a residence on Hincka Road in Posen.

Strzelecki is charged with two counts of first degree homicide (murder in the first degree), two counts of homicide (felony murder) one count of home invasion and one count of felony firearm (weapons).

Strzelecki is being held at the Presque Isle County Jail without bond.

He is charged in the deaths of brothers Eugene Hincka and Henry Hincka who were found dead by deputies at the Hincka home on Jan. 15 around 8 a.m. Calls to central dispatch reported a possible shooting at the home where the brothers lived together. Upon arriving at the residence, deputies found the bodies of the Hincka brothers, who, according to the sheriff’s report, both appeared to be victims of gunshots. Strzelecki was taken into custody shortly after and was charged today in the shootings.

Strzelecki served two terms as a county commissioner in the 1990s. Running as a Democrat, he defeated incumbent Ted Modrzynski in the August, 1994 primary and faced no opposition on the November general election. He ran unopposed in the 1996 general election and did not run for a third term in 1998.

According to a release from Presque Isle County Sheriff’s Department (PISD), Strzelecki was a neighbor to the brothers and they all were partne

rs in a farming business. The PISD report stated Strzelecki was in possession of a 30-30 rifle. He was represented in court by Travis Groat of Petoskey. A pre-trail date was set for Jan. 27 at 8:30 a.m. and the preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. in 89th District Court.

: Richard Strzelecki was arraigned on charges Jan. 16.

This incident marks the fourth tragic death in the close-knit farming community within the past week. An overnight fire claimed the life of Stanley Kuznicki Jan. 8 at his home. A tragic car accident took the life of Zaccary West, 10, of Hawks, who was a student at Posen Schools. He died in a two-vehicle crash on County Road 638 in Bismarck Township Jan. 9.