Violent crime erupts in an unlikely MidMichigan city. Murder, robbery, pulling a gun on a crowd of people, those are the allegations in just the past two days in Bay City.
It started with a brawl a few weeks ago downtown, then a rash of robberies, and now a murder investigation.
Bay City detective Joseph Lanava says, "There's been an unusual amount of activity. Obviously this type of activity is bizarre to say the least."
NBC25 caught exclusive video early Sunday morning outside the Midland Street Pub in Downtown Bay City.
It left one man with a gash to his head.
This follows a brawl from the previous week on the same street.
Around 11am Sunday, a person pulls out a gun on the 1300 block of Webster Street, points it at a crowd, and pulls the trigger. The gun did not fire. A 19-year-old has been taken in.
Nine hours later, someone wearing a ski mask robbed the Park Avenue Party Store.
Eleven hours later, someone robs the Marathon station on Center Avenue.
Monday afternoon, 22-year-old Jeff Julian is charged with murdering 33-year-old Lynn Spicer on August 21 of this year.
Police found what's believed to be Spicer's body Friday in an empty lot near Julian's residence.
Julian's attorney, Ed Czuprynski says, "I'm as dumb-founded as everyone else because this is not the person Jeff Julian is."
The former marine, who served in iraq, reported Spicer missing in August, however the assistant prosecutor says Julian talked about the murder and transporting the body.
Spicer's family friend Bonnie Smith tells NBC25, "I don't want to pass judgement. I don't know what he did or did not do. If he did, then he needs to pay for his crime, but we've got to remember there's 2 families involved here."
The judge gave no bond.
Jeff's 19-year-old brother is on his way to Bay City from Ohio to face similar charges.
The police and the public say these crimes affect everyone in the community.
As for the recent brawls downtown, the police chief and the Midland Street Merchant's Association will meet Thursday to try to find solutions for ending the violence.
