Still no prime suspect in Niles homicides

NILES — More than 600 tips and some 90 interviews have yet to produce a prime suspect in the Feb. 5 slayings of Niles-area residents John and Carolyn Tarwacki., 1st Lt. Michael Brown, commander of the Michigan State Police in Niles, said today. Yet Brown and Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz say they remain confident the case will be solved. Both referred to the solid track record of MSP Detective Sgt. Fabian Suarez in cold cases, a category that now applies to the Tarwacki homicides. "Detective Suarez has got his heels dug in on the case. He’s still digging through it,’’ Brown said. Fitz referred to a Cass County homicide that went unsolved for 18 years until Suarez re-opened the investigation and managed to obtain a conviction. In the Tarwacki case, it was between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. Feb. 5 that someone entered their home at 979 Carberry Road and brutally killed them with at least two weapons, the types of which have never been officially disclosed. It’s believed he left through the back door, or the same way he entered. Police have speculated the suspect, a man described as white and about 20 to 40 years of age with brown hair and a medium build, had parked a car on Yankee Street, just east of Carberry, and walked to the Tarwacki house via an old trail behind the residence. It’s believed he returned to the car, an early 1990s mid-size four-door sedan either sky or light blue in color, via the same route. Brown said today that authorities are still operating under the theory that the Tarwackis knew their killer. Five investigators are continuing to pursue the case, he said, adding the focus now is on completing interviews with associates of John Tarwacki from the period when he worked at Memorial Hospital in South Bend. Later, he became operations manager for the nonprofit organization Downtown South Bend and went to work for an area music education business that also employed his wife. In addition, the couple operated a carpet-cleaning business. The fact the investigation remains unsolved two months after the fact is troubling but Brown said friends and relatives of the Tarwackis shouldn’t read anything into it. "During the first week (after a crime), you always want to solve it right away,’’ he said. "Right now, we want to be very diligent.’’ Fitz said he met Thursday with state police regarding the investigation and was encouraged that leads are still being developed. He termed it "critical’’ that anyone who might have information helpful to investigators contact them as it could be the key to solving the case. He remains optimistic, he said, that the killer will be found. The number to call with information is (269) 683-4411. Staff writer Lou Mumford: lmumford@sbtinfo.com (269) 687-3551