Eastpointe man accused of strangling wife to death

EASTPOINTE — An investigation into the suspicious death of an Eastpointe woman has led to the arrest of her husband, who is accused of fatally choking his wife and then trying to clean up the scene.

At around 2 p.m. July 27, police officers were dispatched to the 22000 block of Shakespeare Avenue, between Nine Mile Road and Toepfer Drive, on a report of a woman who had died.

The suspect — Steven Kolson, 41 — had called 911 claiming that his wife — April Vitale, 43 — was on the floor not breathing.

Preliminary findings reportedly showed that a struggle had occurred, and when Eastpointe detectives arrived at the scene, it was further determined that Kolson had allegedly tried to clean up the house prior to calling police.

He was arrested and taken into custody. A crime scene unit with the Michigan State Police was then called in to process evidence. An autopsy by the Macomb County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that Vitale’s death was caused by strangulation.

Kolson was arraigned before Magistrate Mark Makoski in the 38th District Court July 30 on a felony count of first-degree homicide, punishable by up to life in prison without the chance of parole.

His bond was set at $5 million, cash or surety only, and if released, he must wear a steel-cuff GPS tether with home confinement, and he is prohibited from contacting any witnesses or members of the victim’s family.

Records with the 38th District Court show that Kolson did not have an attorney at press time.

“This tragic case underscores the urgent need to address and stop domestic violence,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a prepared statement. “We must work together as a community to protect the vulnerable and prevent such senseless acts of violence.”

Eastpointe Police Detective Lt. Alexander Holish said that detectives arrived at their conclusion after careful deductions.

“This was an extensive investigation due to no obvious injuries on the victim that were observable to the naked eye. I want to praise the responding officers and their supervisors that made initial observations and determined that something was not adding up. They conducted further investigation and contacted the detective bureau for follow-up,” Holish said.

He said it’s important to remember that Kolson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. He also said that anyone experiencing domestic violence shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to authorities for help.

“Unfortunately, domestic violence is way too prevalent in our society,” Holish said. “It should never be accepted.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call 911 or Eastpointe police at (586) 445-5100.