In a recent episode of ‘The Ingraham Angle’, host Laura Ingraham shed light on several cold cases that have yet to be solved by the FBI. Following the death of Garry Artman, a convicted murderer and long-haul truck driver with terminal cancer, authorities in western Michigan have begun looking into missing persons cases and unsolved homicides. Artman was interviewed by Kent County sheriff’s detectives on three occasions before passing away at a state Corrections health facility in Jackson, Michigan.
According to Kent County Lt. Eric Brunner, the detectives “gleaned information” from their interviews with Artman and are now collaborating with other law enforcement agencies to investigate possible connections to open missing persons and homicide cases. While the specific cases being looked into have not been disclosed, Grand Rapids police in Michigan have linked Artman to a woman’s disappearance nearly 30 years ago.
In relation to the 1995 disappearance of Cathleen Dennis, a Grand Rapids police spokeswoman stated that Artman’s interviews provided enough information to reasonably conclude his involvement. However, it is highly unlikely that Dennis’ body will ever be found. Detectives in Grand Rapids are also exploring the possibility of Artman’s connection to other missing persons and homicide cases within the city.
Artman’s court-appointed lawyer, John Pyrski, expressed uncertainty about whether Artman had committed other murders. Nevertheless, Pyrski stated that if Artman had, he was relieved that Artman disclosed them before his death, believing it to be a form of redemption. Artman, 66, had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
In September, Artman was convicted by a Michigan jury for the 1996 rape and murder of Sharon Hammack, resulting in a life sentence without parole. He also faced murder charges for the 2006 slaying of Dusty Shuck in Maryland. Artman was arrested in 2022 in Mississippi after being identified as a suspect in Hammack’s slaying through DNA analysis conducted by a forensic genetic genealogist. His DNA was also found to match DNA in Shuck’s case.
During their investigation, Kent County sheriff’s investigators searched a storage unit in Florida believed to belong to Artman. They discovered several pieces of women’s underwear, which were seized as biological evidence to determine if there were additional victims.
Artman had previously served a decade in Michigan prisons for criminal sexual conduct convictions in 1981. His arrest in 2022 reopened cold cases and has sparked a renewed effort by law enforcement to seek justice for the victims and their families.
Overall, this development in western Michigan has brought attention to unresolved cases and the ongoing efforts to solve them. It serves as a reminder of the importance of investigative work in bringing closure to victims’ families and ensuring justice is served.
