Left: Kelley LaLonde (Obituary). Right: Jonathan Zieroff (Carrollton Township Police Department).
A Michigan man recently accused of torture is now facing a potential murder charge after his alleged victim died earlier this week.
On May 26, Kelley LaLonde, 35, was pronounced dead after surviving several months in the hospital, according to a GoFundMe for her funeral expenses.
In September 2024, a 30-year-old named Jonathan M. Zieroff was charged with assault with intent to murder following a prolonged attack on LaLonde, which resulted in severe injuries, including brain bleeding. Her condition was critical, requiring her to be placed on a ventilator.
On May 13, the victim was declared brain-dead. On May 14, the defendant was additionally charged with one count of torture.
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The mother of three was remembered fondly in her obituary:
LaLonde was known for her lively spirit, evident through her love for singing and dancing, which brought happiness to those around her. Her enthusiasm for life shone through her fondness for classic television, especially “I Love Lucy,” and her admiration for Elvis Presley. Her passion extended to Michigan Football, where she frequently attended games with her family and friends on Saturdays.
“Kelley was loved by so many, and [for] all the support we have received during this time we are forever grateful,” the GoFundMe reads.
LaLonde’s children are ages 14, 11, and 3.
Prosecutors are set to reevaluate the case once an autopsy and toxicology report provide conclusive details about LaLonde’s cause of death.
The decision on additional charges against the defendant is likely to take up to three weeks, Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Blair N. Stevenson told MLive.
The underlying case began after LaLonde’s mother reported her missing because she had not answered her phone or shown up for work in five days. On Sept. 12, 2024, the woman was found in a bed at Zieroff’s residence on North Monroe Street in Carrollton Township — a small community located some 40 miles northwest of Flint.
Responding officers with the Carrollton Township Police Department found Lalonde in horrific conditions. She was unresponsive, soaked in her own urine, her breathing was shallow, and her fists were clenched.
In the emergency room, the extent of her injuries painted a dire picture. Her feet and arms were covered in bruises, her skull had been fractured, and she suffered from extensive vaginal bruising.
Zieroff made his way onto law enforcement’s radar after LaLonde’s mother allegedly told police she had occasionally seen her daughter with bruises that the defendant caused.
The alleged abuser, however, was not home when police arrived. Zieroff’s mother allegedly told investigators he left earlier that day to meet with a friend. When pressed to explain the hurt woman in bed, the defendant’s mother said her son had offered various accounts of what happened to her, prosecutors allege, according to MLive.
On Sept. 13, 2024, Zieroff was arrested after police tracked his cellular phone to a wooded area near the residence. He is currently detained in the Saginaw County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
Zieroff was initially charged with counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and second-offense aggravated domestic violence.
The defendant is next slated to appear in court on July 3.
