Woman's death is ruled a homicide

Florence Unger's death was ruled a homicide Wednesday, caused by blunt force trauma to the head, said Benzie County Sheriff Robert Blank.

Investigators were awaiting toxicology results that could rule out the possibility that the Huntington Woods woman died after falling 15 feet from a deck intoLower Herring Lake.

Forensic tests that could provide more clues about Florence Unger's killer are also expected by the end of the week, Blank said. Sheriff's investigators hope to present their case to Benzie County Prosecutor Anthony Cicchelli by Friday.

In a court filing, prosecutors called Florence Unger's husband, Mark Unger, 43, a suspect in her death.

Florence Unger, 37, filed for divorce Aug. 26, but according to Oakland County documents, Mark Unger did not want the marriage dissolved and believed the pair could reconcile.

Florence Unger's body was found Saturday morning floating in a foot of water off the shore of Lower Herring Lake. She was buried Tuesday.

Friends said Florence Unger told them Friday that she was dreading the trip but gave in to her husband's insistence that they take their two sons to the Watervale Inn, in an area the family had visited for years.

Mark Unger could not be reached for comment Wednesday. A woman who answered the phone at the Unger home said: "Everybody's in mourning here."

Robert Harrison, Mark Unger's Birmingham-based attorney, informed his client Wednesday that he is the prime suspect in his wife's death.

"He has denied any involvement whatsoever in what happened to Flo, and he's absolutely maintained his innocence," Harrison said.

"He's lost his wife. He's very concerned about his children, who he loves very much. There's a custody issue. And people are saying he's a suspect in his wife's death. It's a very difficult time for him, but he's holding up."

On Monday, Benzie County Circuit Judge Nancy Kida ordered that the Unger children -- Max, 10, and Tyler, 7 -- be placed in the care of uncle Peter Stern, Florence Unger's brother.

The custody petition seeking the boys' removal was filed by Cicchelli, who questioned Mark Unger's stability, noting that had abused prescription drugs and recently entered a drug rehabilitation program.

Harrison plans to contest the custody order, arguing that the Oakland County Circuit Court, where the Unger divorce was pending, has jurisdiction on matters involving the children.

The Unger boys returned to Benzie County on Wednesday for questioning by the sheriff's investigators. They returned to Huntington Woods by late afternoon, Harrison said.

A quiet area of old cottages and placid lakes, Benzie County is seldom a place of violent crimes and media attention. With two slayings in just as many weeks, authorities admit to being overwhelmed.

A 78-year-old Benzie County woman was shot dead in her home in what police believe was a robbery.

"It's pretty unusual that you have homicides here," Blank said. "Usually, people are trying to come up here to relax. A lot of people feel so safe that they don't lock their doors."

"This doesn't sit well with people," said Rick Lannin, 39, an assistant manager for the Brookside Inn in Beulah. "It's just so tragic. It's not like you're in downtown Detroit, where shootings happen all the time."