Left: Kelley LaLonde (Obituary). Right: Jonathan Zieroff (Carrollton Township Police Department).
A Michigan man recently accused of torture is now facing a potential murder charge after his alleged victim died earlier this week.
On May 26, Kelley LaLonde, 35, was pronounced dead after surviving several months in the hospital, according to a GoFundMe for her funeral expenses.
In September 2024, Jonathan M. Zieroff, 30, was charged with one count of assault with intent to murder over a dayslong attack on LaLonde that left her bleeding from her brain, among other injuries. She was placed on a ventilator and remained in critical condition.
On May 13, the victim was declared brain-dead. On May 14, the defendant was additionally charged with one count of torture.
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The mother of three was remembered fondly in her obituary:
She had a vibrant spirit, characterized by her love for singing and dancing, which often brought joy to those around her. Her passion for life was evident in her fondness for classic television, particularly her adoration for “I Love Lucy,” and her admiration for the legendary Elvis Presley. She loved Michigan Football and often attended games on Saturdays with family and friends.
“Kelley was loved by so many, and [for] all the support we have received during this time we are forever grateful,” the GoFundMe reads.
LaLonde’s children are ages 14, 11, and 3.
Prosecutors will now perform another reassessment of the case after an autopsy and toxicological exam are performed to determine LaLonde’s ultimate cause of death.
The decision on additional charges against the defendant is likely to take up to three weeks, Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Blair N. Stevenson told MLive.
The underlying case began after LaLonde’s mother reported her missing because she had not answered her phone or shown up for work in five days. On Sept. 12, 2024, the woman was found in a bed at Zieroff’s residence on North Monroe Street in Carrollton Township — a small community located some 40 miles northwest of Flint.
Responding officers with the Carrollton Township Police Department found Lalonde in horrific conditions. She was unresponsive, soaked in her own urine, her breathing was shallow, and her fists were clenched.
In the emergency room, the extent of her injuries painted a dire picture. Her feet and arms were covered in bruises, her skull had been fractured, and she suffered from extensive vaginal bruising.
Zieroff made his way onto law enforcement’s radar after LaLonde’s mother allegedly told police she had occasionally seen her daughter with bruises that the defendant caused.
The alleged abuser, however, was not home when police arrived. Zieroff’s mother allegedly told investigators he left earlier that day to meet with a friend. When pressed to explain the hurt woman in bed, the defendant’s mother said her son had offered various accounts of what happened to her, prosecutors allege, according to MLive.
On Sept. 13, 2024, Zieroff was arrested after police tracked his cellular phone to a wooded area near the residence. He is currently detained in the Saginaw County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
Zieroff was initially charged with counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and second-offense aggravated domestic violence.
The defendant is next slated to appear in court on July 3.
