Police identify woman found dead in Northern Michigan field, suspect arraigned

Body found in Leelanau County

The Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police and the Traverse City Police Department are investigating the murder of a woman found dead in Leelanau County on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019.Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office

TRAVERSE CITY, MI -- Police have identified a 62-year-old woman found dead in a field and have accused a fellow motel tenant of killing her.

Traverse City police on Friday, Dec. 13 identified Wanda Mae Lyons, formerly of Chicago, as the woman found dead Wednesday morning in a field near Kasson Center and South Newman roads south of Maple City in Leelanau County. A motorist followed fresh drag marks in the snow that led to the body, police said. The woman’s husband reported her missing Wednesday night.

Grand Traverse County prosecutors have charged Frank Theodore Supal, 50, with open murder. He was arraigned late Friday.

Lyons had been living on-and-off at the Terrace Beach Motel for about three months, police said Friday. Supal also was an intermittent resident of the motel and is from Maple City.

Police arrested Supal Thursday on a charge of lying to a police officer during a violent crime investigation. On Friday, prosecutors brought the more serious charge.

Police say the investigation into the death is ongoing and they ask anyone with information to call the Traverse City Police Department Detective Bureau at (231) 995-5012 or email TCPDtips@traversecitymi.gov

Lyons had neck fractures, stab wounds and might have been strangled and smothered, police told 9 & 10 News.

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