In the foreground is Robert Tweedly Jr. at the Bay County District Court during a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, August 26, concerning charges related to the alleged strangulation and dismemberment of Justie Stilwell last year (WNEM/YouTube). On the left: Robert Tweedly Jr. (WNEM/YouTube). On the right: Justie Stilwell (Skorupski Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services).
A man in Michigan is accused of murdering someone he met through the Grindr dating app. Authorities found the victim’s severed foot in a river, while his head and torso were located at a different site. The accused made a court appearance on Tuesday for a preliminary examination, where a judge decided he would face trial.
Robert Dale Tweedly Jr., aged 40, faces charges of open murder and the illegal disinterment and mutilation of a body in connection with the death of Justie Stilwell, who was 41, as per the Bay County prosecutors.
Stilwell was reported missing by his family on September 18, 2024. His foot was later discovered in the Saginaw River near the Edward M. Golson Boat Launch just hours afterward.
Prosecutors state that digital evidence and a search of Tweedly’s residence allegedly provided evidence linking him to the crime. The accusation is that Tweedly pushed Stilwell down a set of stairs and then strangled him.
On Tuesday, Bay City Department of Public Safety Detective Ben Krzyminski testified about how Tweedly allegedly sought to “confess to everything” after police contact on September 25, according to a report from MLive. Once in custody, Tweedly is said to have assisted investigators in locating additional remains of Stilwell, guiding them to the sites.
Medical examiner and forensic pathology expert Dr. Patrick Cho, who performed Stilwell’s autopsy, recalled how Stilwell’s body had been mutilated after his death. He said Stilwell died from strangulation and blunt force injury to the head, per MLive.
Court documents reportedly outline how Tweedly spoke openly with cops about what allegedly happened to Stilwell — claiming he was drunk and high on methamphetamine when he took the man’s life. The two men had met up to “talk” about things going on in Tweedly’s life.
“He came over and we were just going to talk,” Tweedly allegedly told detectives, according to MLive. “He was going to help me, kind of comfort me, try to guide me out of my crap,” Tweedly allegedly said. “I had to’ve snapped. Maybe he said the wrong thing. I don’t remember everything that was said, I just know that I killed him.”
Stilwell’s family reported him missing on Sept. 18 after he hadn’t shown up for days to his job as a custodian at a middle school in Bay City, more than 100 miles north of Detroit, authorities said. His remains were found hours later when a girl discovered his severed foot in the Saginaw River.
“It being near Halloween, I thought it was some kind of prank,” the girl’s grandfather, John Donaldson, told MLive at the time. “I went down there, and it initially looked like a doll’s foot.”
Police were called, and a homicide investigation was launched. Stilwell’s arms and legs were recovered, confirmed by the victim’s fingerprints, officials said in a press release. Authorities reported finding Stilwell’s vehicle at a park across the river.
Authorities said they also found information at Tweedly’s home about where Stilwell’s head and torso had been dumped elsewhere in the city.
Tweedly allegedly told detectives that he drank 14 beers and smoked meth before killing Stilwell and chopping him up, MLive reports.
“I remember bits and pieces about it,” Tweedly allegedly told police. “I just thought it was a dream because I woke up on the couch the next day and everything was back to normal. The house was clean. So I just thought it was a big old nightmare.”
Prosecutors say Tweedly used a 28-inch ax to dismember Stilwell in his basement and reusable lawn bags to dispose of him.
“The last thing I remember, we were hugging,” Tweedly allegedly told police, according to MLive. “He gave me a hug because I started crying or something.”
Facebook posts were later uncovered by investigators that allegedly showed Tweedly referencing serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and struggles with depression, sobriety and his mother’s 2015 death. The alleged posts were put up in the spring of 2024 and later deleted, according to MLive. Police reportedly confirmed their existence to the local media outlet.
“Way I look at is this if I don’t end my own life I will start ending others,” one post allegedly read.
“Which would u prefer me to do… cuz my hitlist is long,” Tweedly allegedly added. “More then what Jeffery Dahmer did.”
In an April 2024 post, Tweedly allegedly described being “tired of not being able to be successful and happy,” per MLive. He allegedly claimed he wanted to “peace the [expletive] out of this world,” according to police investigators. On Aug. 12, 2024, Tweedly allegedly wrote,”Yes I can’t wait I’m tired of living. I’m tired of all u [expletives] telling me how to live and telling me I can’t drink I can’t do drugs I can’t I can’t I can’t well I’m old enough I [expletive] hate u all.”
Tweedly was bound over Tuesday by a Bay County judge and is now set to be prosecuted for his charges. A trial date does not appear to have been set yet.
