Family requests AG reopen investigation into JoAnn Matouk Romain's death
The family of a Grosse Pointe Woods woman whose body was found in the Detroit River in 2010 said there may be evidence suggesting she did not commit suicide and that police covered up foul play.
Through their attorneys, the family of JoAnn Matouk Romain is calling on Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to reopen the investigation.
"We are calling on the Michigan Attorney General’s Office take over this investigation and that all evidence — including JoAnn’s vehicle, her clothing, and her purse — be properly tested for DNA and other forensic evidence that was previously ignored," attorney Steve Haney said in a press release Monday. "The failures of local law enforcement are undeniable, and it is time for an independent investigation to reveal the truth."
A spokesperson for Nessel's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Haney said he and the family have gained access to the vehicle connected to Romain's disappearance, and are conducting a forensic analysis, including fingerprinting and GPS data downloading.
DNA testing also is being conducted on Romain's personal belongings, which were never tested or processed by local law enforcement, Haney said in the release. The family said the analysis is being conducted by private forensic technicians with experience in law enforcement.
Romain, 55, a mother of three, disappeared Jan. 12, 2010, according to police. Her Lexus was found in the parking lot of St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church on Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms. Her purse, wallet and about $1,500 in cash were locked inside in the vehicle, but her cellphone, keys and rosary were missing.
At the time, police said they tracked footprints in the snow from the car to the lake, where there appeared to be an impression of a person sitting on the water's edge. There were no footprints walking back to the car.
Romain's body was found March 20, 2010, by a fisherman in the Detroit River's Livingston Channel near the shore of Amherstburg, Ontario. Two days later, Canadian authorities confirmed her identity through dental records. An autopsy found there were no signs of foul play.
However, the family had a second autopsy performed and it found a bruise on her upper right arm, one of several perceived inconsistencies the family points to as evidence of a botched police probe. They also said the autopsy revealed there was no water in Romain's lungs despite the police theory that she died by entering the water to commit suicide, her purse strap was torn in a manner suggesting a struggle and her body was found in a spot inconsistent with the river's current. The family also said police ignored witness reports and threats made against Romain prior to her disappearance.
In 2014, her family sued the police departments in Grosse Pointe Farms and Grosse Pointe Woods, alleging that authorities ignored evidence that Romain was killed.
A federal judge dismissed the suit in 2018, saying that while there were "very disturbing" disputed facts in the case, there was no evidence that someone who wanted to kill Romain knew that police would cover their tracks. A federal appeals court upheld the dismissal in 2019.
Romain's cousin, Tim Matouk, has been repeatedly accused by Romain's daughters as having been involved in her death, he told WDIV-TV (Channel 4) in 2021.
Matouk, an investigator for the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office who worked as a Harper Woods police officer at the time of Romain's disappearance, told WDIV his public image has taken a hit though he's never been accused in the incident.
Haney, a former prosecuting attorney for the Attorney General’s Office, has submitted a Formal Request for Investigation to Nessel's office, urging prosecutors to conduct a comprehensive review of the case.
“The evidence does not support a suicide conclusion, and it's becoming increasingly clear that the investigation was either grossly negligent or intentionally obstructed," Haney said. "There were no footprints leading to the water’s edge, no ice breaks in the seawall, and JoAnn had no history of suicidal thoughts. She was a devout Catholic with plans for the future, and this tragic death deserves the proper investigation it never received."
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
@max_detroitnews
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Family requests AG reopen investigation into JoAnn Matouk Romain's death
