ELKHART — An argument over synthetic marijuana and a coffee may have led to the shooting death of a man whose body was found in the St. Joseph River last week, witnesses have told police.
Michael Hawkins, 59, was taken into custody and is being held at the Elkhart County Jail without bond on a preliminary charge of murder in the death of Anthony Null, 50.
Null’s body was pulled out of the St. Joseph River on July 17 behind the 300 block of East Beardsley Avenue. An autopsy later determined he had suffered one gunshot wound to his face.
According to court documents, a witness told police the two men were at a “campsite” west of the Johnson Street bridge when they began to argue over synthetic marijuana and coffee Hawkins had brought back to the site. The witness then heard Hawkins tell Null he would “shut him up.”
The witness heard one gunshot and reported that Null was seen slouched and bleeding before Hawkins dragged the body to a canoe near the river, according to the probable cause affidavit.
Hawkins initially denied he and Null had argued or that he had killed Null, but investigators later found corroborating evidence and witnesses, the report said.
An initial hearing for Hawkins was scheduled for July 31 in Elkhart Circuit Court.