In the small community of AuSable Township, Michigan, a late-night argument on October 6, 2025, ended in the death of 31-year-old James Thomas Ragen IV. A male, James was a father to four children and a veteran of the United States Army, having served in the 82nd Airborne Division. Born in Alpena, Michigan, he was known by friends and family as a compassionate and dedicated father who enjoyed sharing his love for the outdoors and video games with his children.
The tranquility of the evening was shattered just before 11 p.m. when police received a report of a gunshot at the Second Street home James shared with his wife, 32-year-old Melissa Christine Ragen. Upon their arrival, officers from the Oscoda Township Police Department discovered James with a single gunshot wound to the chest. Despite the immediate life-saving efforts of emergency responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:13 p.m.
According to statements Melissa Ragen made to investigators, she and her husband were engaged in an argument when she retrieved a. 357 caliber revolver and shot him. The couple had a documented history of a complicated relationship, including a paternity lawsuit filed by Melissa in 2019, which legally established James as the father of their child. Social media posts indicated that they had more children together and lived as a family in the years that followed.
Melissa Christine Ragen was arrested shortly after the shooting and has been charged with open murder and felony firearm. She was arraigned in the 81st District Court for Iosco County, where she pleaded not guilty to all charges. She is currently being held in the Iosco County Jail without bond. A probable cause conference was scheduled for October 14, to be followed by a preliminary examination on October 28. If convicted of open murder, she faces a potential sentence of life in prison.
