'I will start ending others': Man who allegedly called himself a failure before chopping up random guy he just met is headed to trial

A Michigan antheral accused of killing a idiosyncratic helium met done the Grindr dating app  — whose severed ft was recovered successful a river, portion his caput and torso were discovered astatine a abstracted determination — appeared successful tribunal Tuesday for a preliminary examination, during which a justice determined helium volition basal trial.

Robert Dale Tweedly Jr., 40, is charged with 1 number of unfastened murder and disinterment and mutilation of a assemblage successful the decease of Justie Stilwell, 41, according to Bay County prosecutors.

Stilwell had been reported missing by his household connected Sept. 18, 2024, and his ft was recovered successful the Saginaw River adjacent the Edward M. Golson Boat Launch respective hours later.

Digital grounds and a hunt of Tweedly's location allegedly uncovered grounds that linked Tweedly to the killing, according to prosecutors. Tweedly allegedly pushed Stilwell down a formation of stairs and strangled him to death.

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Bay City Department of Public Safety Det. Ben Krzyminski took the basal Tuesday and described however Tweedly allegedly tried to "confess to everything" aft coming into interaction with constabulary connected Sept. 25, according to MLive. Following his arrest, Tweedly allegedly helped investigators find much of Stilwell's remains and led them to wherever they were located.

Medical examiner and forensic pathology adept Dr. Patrick Cho, who performed Stilwell's autopsy, recalled however Stilwell's assemblage had been mutilated aft his death. He said Stilwell died from strangulation and blunt unit wounded to the head, per MLive.

Court documents reportedly outline however Tweedly spoke openly with cops astir what allegedly happened to Stilwell — claiming helium was drunk and precocious connected methamphetamine erstwhile helium took the man's life. The 2 men had met up to "talk" astir things going connected successful Tweedly's life.

"He came implicit and we were conscionable going to talk," Tweedly allegedly told detectives, according to MLive. "He was going to assistance me, benignant of comfortableness me, effort to usher maine retired of my crap," Tweedly allegedly said. "I had to've snapped. Maybe helium said the incorrect thing. I don't retrieve everything that was said, I conscionable cognize that I killed him."

Stilwell's household reported him missing connected Sept. 18 aft helium hadn't shown up for days to his occupation arsenic a custodian astatine a mediate schoolhouse successful Bay City, much than 100 miles northbound of Detroit, authorities said. His remains were recovered hours aboriginal erstwhile a miss discovered his severed ft successful the Saginaw River.

"It being adjacent Halloween, I thought it was immoderate benignant of prank," the girl's grandfather, John Donaldson, told MLive astatine the time. "I went down there, and it initially looked similar a doll's foot."

Police were called, and a homicide probe was launched. Stilwell's arms and legs were recovered, confirmed by the victim's fingerprints, officials said successful a press release. Authorities reported uncovering Stilwell's conveyance astatine a parkland crossed the river.

Authorities said they besides recovered accusation astatine Tweedly's location astir wherever Stilwell's caput and torso had been dumped elsewhere successful the city.

Tweedly allegedly told detectives that helium drank 14 beers and smoked meth earlier sidesplitting Stilwell and chopping him up, MLive reports.

"I retrieve bits and pieces astir it," Tweedly allegedly told police. "I conscionable thought it was a imagination due to the fact that I woke up connected the sofa the adjacent time and everything was backmost to normal. The location was clean. So I conscionable thought it was a large aged nightmare."

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Prosecutors accidental Tweedly utilized a 28-inch ax to dismember Stilwell successful his basement and reusable tract bags to dispose of him.

"The past happening I remember, we were hugging," Tweedly allegedly told police, according to MLive. "He gave maine a hug due to the fact that I started crying oregon something."

Facebook posts were aboriginal uncovered by investigators that allegedly showed Tweedly referencing serial slayer Jeffrey Dahmer and struggles with depression, sobriety and his mother's 2015 death. The alleged posts were enactment up successful the outpouring of 2024 and aboriginal deleted, according to MLive. Police reportedly confirmed their beingness to the section media outlet.

"Way I look astatine is this if I don't extremity my ain beingness I volition commencement ending others," 1 station allegedly read.

"Which would u similar maine to do… cuz my hitlist is long," Tweedly allegedly added. "More past what Jeffery Dahmer did."

In an April 2024 post, Tweedly allegedly described being "tired of not being capable to beryllium palmy and happy," per MLive. He allegedly claimed helium wanted to "peace the [expletive] retired of this world," according to constabulary investigators. On Aug. 12, 2024, Tweedly allegedly wrote,"Yes I can't hold I'm bushed of living. I'm bushed of each u [expletives] telling maine however to unrecorded and telling maine I can't portion I can't bash drugs I can't I can't I can't good I'm aged capable I [expletive] hatred u all."

Tweedly was bound implicit Tuesday by a Bay County justice and is present acceptable to beryllium prosecuted for his charges. A proceedings day does not look to person been acceptable yet.

Jason Kandel contributed to this report.