NOVEMBER 07, 2007: Allegan news

NOVEMBER 07, 2007: NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
Plainwell officer kills wife, self
By Daniel PepperStaff Writer
Wednesday, November 7, 2007 5:02 PM EST
http://www.allegannews.com/articles/2007/11/09/ue_news/1.txt

Police suspect a Plainwell Public Safety officer shot his wife and then himself late Sunday, Nov. 4.

The bodies of Kevin and Pam Brainard were found inside the couple’s home by Otsego police and Allegan County sheriff deputies about 10 p.m. Sunday after a family member called 9-1-1. Kevin Brainard was taken to Borgess Pipp Health Center, but was pronounced dead there.

Police said he and his wife both had gun shot wounds to the head.Brainard had been a public safety officer in Plainwell for about seven years and a volunteer fireman in Otsego for about 12 years.

Otsego police Chief Gordon Konkle said the case was shocking.“No one that I know of had any idea this was coming,” Konkle said. “It was out of the blue. We’d never been there on a domestic abuse call, or anything that I am aware of and I think I’d be aware of it if it had happened.”

No other indications of impending violence had been seen, as far as police know, he said.“You never know what is going on in somebody’s house,” Konkle said. “People are private, sometimes, and never air their dirty laundry in public. But this is the epidemic that’s running through everywhere, as far as domestic assault. This was a domestic assault that escalated. It’s unfortunate it came to this and that they didn’t get help.”

Konkle said that investigation suggested the couple were having marital problems.

The crime was the first murder Otsego police could remember taking place in the city in anyone’s memory, Konkle said.“This was a shock to us, both of the families are good people and our condolences go out to them,” he said.

Plainwell Director of Public Safety Bill Bomar said that Brainard had been an exemplary officer.“He was one of our hardest working officers,” Bomar said. “An officer who absolutely loved his job.”

Bomar said his department had sat down with a grief counselor.“Our deposition counsel said last night that you can’t see that stuff, these people hide that stuff,” he said.

His department never received an indication anything like this was coming, Bomar said.“He was a good employee, we never had any issues,” he said. “I wish everyone had worked as hard as he did.”

Konkle said Pam Brainard wasn’t an Otsego native like her husband and that she worked as a nurse.

He said Kevin Brainard was known in Otsego and Plainwell for volunteering. He ran a mock drunk driving accident at Plainwell High School several years ago, meant to illustrate the perils of drunk driving. He’d been an assistant soccer coach and worked on charitable programs for the fire department.

“I’ve know him since I’ve been here and longer, since he went through the police academy in Kalamazoo that I taught at,” he said. “It seems like he shouldn’t be known just as a murderer when he did all the volunteering and things, but that’s what happened.”

Otsego police are awaiting autopsy results.

The regular meeting of the Otsego City Commission began Monday, Nov. 5, with a moment of silence for the families.

“They both served the community for a number of years,” said Otsego Mayor Joel Thompson. “It’s a horrific and tragic loss.”

The commission asked for prayers to the families.

Intern Elizabeth LaDuke contributed to this story.

Dan Pepper can be reached at dpepper@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534 or (269) 685-5985.