05/15/2007

Record-Eagle/Tyler Sipe
The Stair residence in Williamsburg was searched for evidence in Dawnette Harrell's 2006 death.

Arrest made in woman's death

By VICTOR SKINNER

vskinner@record-eagle.com

WILLIAMSBURG — A seven-hour search of a Whitewater Township house led to a suspect's arrest in the April 2006 slaying of a local woman.

Michigan State Police on Monday searched a house in the 5400 block of Samels Road in Grand Traverse County's Whitewater Township, then arrested a suspect, authorities said.

The house belongs to the parents of Justin Stair, 20, former co-worker and boyfriend of Dawnette Harrell, 29, whose body was located May 4 in a shallow grave on property adjacent to the Stair property.

Grand Traverse County Jail officials confirmed Stair had been lodged at the jail Monday afternoon. They declined additional comment.

Lt. William Elliott, Traverse City post commander, would not identify the suspect or what was taken from the house, but said an arrest was made from evidence found during the search.

"As a result of a search warrant we recovered enough evidence and enough information that we were able to get verbal authorization from Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Alan Schneider to affect an arrest,” Elliott said. "It is based on items that were recovered during the search. If you look at the totality of the incident, where she was buried and who she was with last, all that stuff led to the arrest.”

Elliott said preliminary autopsy results showed Harrell died from a gunshot wound and the suspect is expected to be arraigned on homicide charges today.

"The only thing I can tell you at this point is obviously we are looking at this as a homicide and that will the be the primary charge and then it will be up to the prosecutor to decide if there will be additional charges,” he said.

Dawnette's mother, Dona Hart, had little to say about the arrest when contacted Monday afternoon.

"We need the public's support and comfort right now,” she said. "When Dawn comes home, we will let you know.”

Harrell was 10 weeks pregnant when she disappeared the evening of April 2, 2006. Justin Stair was the father of the child and he told the Record-Eagle he met Harrell that evening in the Cherryland Center parking lot off Garfield Road.

Stair said he drove Harrell to his parents' house, where he and Harrell spoke for about 20 minutes before he said he drove the woman back to her vehicle at Cherryland.

Harrell's car later was discovered in the parking lot, but she didn't surface until authorities found her body 12 days ago.

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