Police: Man killed wife, slept with body
Jeff Charles Sherwood arraigned on firstdegree murder charge, bond set at $3.5M
A Hazel Park man is charged with murdering his wife after police say he fatally beat and strangled her during an argument, leaving her body in the bed where he slept for as long as a week.
Jeff Charles Sherwood, 45, was arraigned on a count of first-degree murder Monday before Hazel Park 43rd District Magistrate Nadine Hatten and jailed on $3.5 million bond.
His wife, Susan Louise Klepsch, was 64 years old.
Hazel Park Police Chief Brian Buchholz said a couple who knew the suspect and his wife called police after they went to check on them shortly after noon Saturday.
“The couple hadn’t heard from them in awhile,” Buchholz said. “They went in the house and the suspect and (his wife) were laying in bed and appeared to be sleeping. The suspect woke up and appeared to be incoherent. They didn’t get a response from the victim and were concerned for her.”
The unnamed couple walked out of the house and immediately called police.
Police and firefighter paramedics arrived at the home on West Troy Street near Lennox Street a short time later.
They found Susan Klepsch’s body in the bed and arrested Sherwood inside the house, police said.
“He was acting lethargic,” Buchholz said. “He later admitted to a detective that he had struck and strangled and kicked the victim.”
The couple had reportedly been having an argument because Sherwood’s wife had accused him of infidelity and he fatally attacked her, police said.
“Based on his admission, it could have been close to a week since Klepsch” died, Buchholz said. “It appears he would get in bed with her when he slept.”
An autopsy by the Oakland County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide and deter
termined she died from blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
Klepsch and Sherwood had been married since 2018.
Police were first called to couple’s house in November 2019 on a report of domestic violence. Kelpsch told officers he pushed her down and grabbed her face.
Sherwood’s criminal history also includes convictions for burglary and shoplifting in Florida, police said, adding it took hours for the suspect to become alert following his arrest.
“It appeared he took quite a bit of aspirin and made attempts to kill himself,” Buchholz said. “He had cuts on his arms and neck.”
Sherwood is scheduled to be back in court at 1 p.m. April 7 for a probable cause hearing to determine whether he will seek or waive his right to a preliminary examination hearing on the evidence against him.
First-degree murder is punishable by life in prison.