Marilyn J. Schultz-Freebold, a 63-year-old female, died on November 20, 2020, in her home in Elberta, Michigan. Her death was the result of a shooting incident that also claimed the lives of two other family members.
On the evening of November 20, the Benzie County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call where only labored breathing could be heard before the call disconnected.
Dispatchers were able to trace the call to a general area and then pinpointed the residence on Grand Street based on previous service calls. A deputy was dispatched to the home and, upon arrival, found the door partially open. Inside, the scene was one of disarray, with overturned furniture and holiday decorations.
The first individual encountered by the responding deputy was Robert Michael Freebold, 58, who was found alive but suffering from a head wound and clutching a cell phone. Further into the residence, officers discovered the bodies of Marilyn Schultz Freebold and her 27-year-old son, Robert James Freebold. Marilyn was located in the living room near a sliding door that had been shot out, while her son was on the kitchen floor with a firearm nearby. A third victim, 20-year-old Malachi Andrew Maloney, was found slumped against a wall with signs of life and was transported to Munson Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.
Robert Michael Freebold, the ex-husband of Marilyn and father to the other two victims, was identified as the suspect in the triple homicide. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for head injuries that authorities stated were not from a gunshot wound. Following his release from the hospital, he was arrested and lodged in the Benzie County Jail. The Benzie County Prosecutor issued a three-count open murder warrant for Robert Michael Freebold. During a preliminary examination, testimony revealed that the elder Freebold had seemed 'agitated' on the day of the killings, which tragically coincided with the birthday of a deceased sister who had been murdered years prior.
