GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, MI — A 36-year-old murder mystery may finally be coming to a close as authorities arrested a suspect in the 1989 killing of Linda Meteer, a Northern Michigan mother of five.
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office took a 63-year-old Leelanau County man into custody on open murder charges in connection with Meteer’s death. Sheriff Michael Shea announced the arrest during a news conference but did not disclose the suspect’s identity or his specific connection to the crime.
Meteer, 41, was found murdered in Hoosier Valley on April 27, 1989. Her tragic death left her family devastated and authorities searching for answers. An investigative task force—including the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office, Traverse City Police Department, and Michigan State Police—worked extensively on the case, but no arrests were made at the time.
Despite decades without a breakthrough, the sheriff’s office never closed the case. In 2024, investigators reignited their efforts, collaborating with the Grand Traverse County Prosecutor’s Office, Michigan State Police Crime Lab in Grayling, and Western Michigan University Cold Case Program. Their renewed approach ultimately led to Tuesday’s arrest.
The sheriff’s office has not released further details regarding the suspect or new evidence that led to the breakthrough. The long-awaited development, however, brings renewed hope to Meteer’s family and the community that justice may finally be served.
