On a summer day in 2019, the quiet community of Orangeville Township, Michigan, was shaken by a sudden and senseless act of violence. On June 21st, 21-year-old Bryce Nathan DeGood, a white male, was found deceased by the roadside near the intersection of Lewis and Lindsey roads. He had sustained a fatal gunshot wound. A graduate of Comstock Park High School, Bryce was known for his passion for life, his love for animals, and the joy and laughter he brought to those who knew him.
He was in the neighborhood that day working as a subcontractor for a utility company.
The investigation into Bryce's death quickly led law enforcement to a nearby home, where they discovered a second victim, 73-year-old Gary Peake, who had also been shot and killed. The suspected shooter was identified as 63-year-old Jon Otis Burnett, Peake's next-door neighbor. Burnett was taken into custody shortly after the discovery of the victims. His wife expressed profound shock and disbelief, stating that his actions were entirely out of character. She speculated that a history of head injuries, including a recent serious fall, might have contributed to his violent outburst. She described her husband and Peake as friends and believed Bryce was tragically in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Jon Otis Burnett was charged with a multitude of crimes, including the first-degree premeditated murders of both Gary Peake and Bryce DeGood. The charges also included unlawful imprisonment related to Bryce's death, assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly shooting at motorists who tried to help Bryce, and assault against his own wife. Following a thorough investigation by the Barry County Sheriff's Office, the case went to trial.
The legal proceedings concluded with Jon Burnett being convicted on all 34 criminal charges against him. In the fall of 2020, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murders. The community was left to grapple with the aftermath of the tragedy, mourning the loss of two lives taken in a sudden and inexplicable rampage. The case highlighted the devastating impact of gun violence and left families and a community searching for answers and closure.
