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Tara Phillips

Case from Decatur, MI dated Jan 27, 2023

Victim Details

Tara Phillips

Female

White / Caucasian

Decatur

MI

2023-01-27

34

Tara

Phillips

Primary Suspect Deceased

07/20/2026

Case Description

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On a tragic day in Decatur, Michigan, 34-year-old Tara Phillips lost her life in what police have described as a murder-suicide. On January 27, 2023, law enforcement responded to a residence on 82nd Avenue after receiving two alarming 911 calls. One call came from a relative of Phillips, who had been forewarned by Tara of the imminent danger. The other call was chillingly made by Wayne Westphal, her 49-year-old ex-boyfriend, who informed dispatchers of the murder-suicide he was about to commit. ...
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Links to Additional Sources (11)

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  • After calling 911 to report what was coming, police say man shoots and kills ex-girlfriend and himself near Decatur
  • ABC57: Michigan State Police investigating apparent murder-suicide in Decatur Township
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    Forum Posts (1)

    Has anyone else been struck by how utterly tragic this situation is, especially given the context of... ...Read More
    08/27/2024
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