Calumet Township man charged with beating, attempted murder

An elderly Calumet Township man is facing an attempted murder charge after he severely beat a woman, charges allege.

Donald Frey, 74, was also charged Saturday with domestic battery and two counts of misdemeanor intimidation.

He was arrested Monday, records show.

Police arrived Sunday on the 1200 block of N. Colfax Street after a relative called the cops. Frey, in his underwear, swore, smelled like alcohol and said he would kill the woman and the relative, charges allege.

Officers restrained Frey after he got “aggressive” as officers started to look for the woman. He had dried blood on his hands, but no other injuries, according to the affidavit.

In the bedroom, they found a “gruesome” scene on the floor. The woman was bloodied, her whole head swollen and both eyes bleeding and swollen shut, charges state.

She was in and out of consciousness and not able to talk, court records state.

The relative later told police, when he came over, Frey told him to “get the [expletive] off the property”, charges allege.

The man left. Frey later called him, admitting he “just beat the [expletive] out” of the woman, and threatened to kill him, the affidavit states.

At the hospital, the woman was “very battered,” charges state. The woman said she had been in an abusive relationship with Frey for 55 years, the affidavit states.

The woman called police the next day, asking why he was in jail, saying she did not want to press charges, the affidavit states. A court date has not been set.