VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. -- Two West Michigan men have been charged nearly two years after a body was discovered in a Van Buren County field.
Bryan Wimbley, 29, of Hartford, and Zachary Trainor, 22, of Watervliet, were arraigned on a charge of open murder for the death of Lashaun Keith, 33, of Kalamazoo, according to Michigan State Police on Tuesday.
Trainor was also arraigned on a charge of removal of a body without medical examiner permission, troopers said.
All charges against Wimbley and Trainor stem from an investigation that was launched on Nov. 3, 2022.
A couple of hunters scouting land near the Kal-Haven Trail found Keith's body lying alone in the middle of a mowed field, according to Van Buren County deputies.
At the time, detectives believed a person or persons brought Keith's body to the Geneva Township field after killing him somewhere else.
Detectives would later determine that Keith, someone that Wimbley and Trainor knew, was killed in Kalamazoo County before his body was moved, state police and Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting said.
A thorough investigation, a final report and forensic evidence was then reviewed by the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor's Office.
This led to the arrests of Wimbley and Trainor on June 18 and Saturday, respectively, Michigan State Police Lt. DuWayne Robinson confirmed to News Channel 3.
"There was an item left at the scene that was able to be seized and subsequently analyzed leading police to one of the individuals involved and then as they continued their investigation they were able to identify others," Getting said.
Wimbley is due back in court for a probable cause hearing July 11, followed by a preliminary examination on July 18, according to Kalamazoo County court records.
Trainor is expected to appear for a probable cause hearing on July 5, followed by his preliminary examination on July 11, documents detailed.
Bond was denied for both.
"I want to complement law enforcement on their investigation on this case, they did a really good job at following the evidence," Getting said.