The Ending note on Stephen Munyaradzi Mbidzo

March 12, 1982-March 13, 2009 Stephen Munyaradzi Mbidzo, 27, of Mt. Pleasant, passed away on Monday, March 13, 2009, in Lansing.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Stephen will be held on Thursday, April 16, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Fr. Loren Kalinowski officiating. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, April 15, from 7-9 p.m., at Clark Family Funeral Chapel and on Thursday, April 16, from 10 a.m. until the time of service at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. There will be a prayer service Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the funeral chapel.





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Body in river is man from G. Rapids

Kevin Grasha • kgrasha@lsj.com • April 14, 2009 • From Lansing State Journal

ST. JOHNS - Investigators are trying to piece together the last days in the life of a 27-year-old man, originally from Zimbabwe, whose body was found Thursday in the Grand River.

Authorities on Monday identified the man as Stephen Munyaradzi Mbidzo of Grand Rapids.

Mbidzo was last seen March 13 at the Village at Chandler Crossings, an apartment complex in Bath Township, Clinton County sheriff's officials said.

He was with a friend and met some people at the complex, said Sheriff Wayne Kangas.

Investigators are trying to determine who was with Mbidzo last.

"There's a lot of people involved and a lot of things involved. It's going to take some time to sort out," Kangas said. "A lot of people need to be interviewed to find out what happened to this guy."

The death is considered suspicious.

An autopsy was performed Friday, but no visible signs of trauma were found, said Detective Sgt. Fritz Sandberg.

Mbidzo's body was found in a secluded section of the river in Eagle Township. He was wearing only socks.

His identity was determined through a fingerprint analysis, Kangas said.

Investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology tests, which could take several months.

Mbidzo's parents, who live in Mount Pleasant, reported him missing to Michigan State Police in late March, Kangas said.

Gugulethu Mabuza, of East Lansing, who knew Mbidzo, said Monday in a telephone interview that he is trying to figure out what happened.

"It's an absolute mystery," he said. "I wish I knew more to tell you."
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Cause of death, ID of man pulled from river unknown

Official: No visible signs of trauma found in autopsy

Kevin Grasha • kgrasha@lsj.com • April 11, 2009 • From Lansing State Journal

ST. JOHNS - Investigators don't know what caused the death of a still-unidentified man whose body was pulled Thursday from the Grand River in Eagle Township.

An autopsy was performed Friday, but no visible signs of trauma were found, said Clinton County sheriff's Detective Sgt. Fritz Sandberg.

He said the man was black, between 20 and 40 years old. He was wearing only socks.

"I can't tell you any more than that, as there were not any identifiable tattoos or markings on the body," Sandberg said.

He said it could not be determined how long the man's body had been in the water.

Police are awaiting toxicology and laboratory results.

The death is being called suspicious.

A nearby resident saw the body Thursday morning partially submerged in the water and called 911.

Sandberg described that stretch of the river, north of State Road, as extremely secluded.

Anyone with information is urged to call (989) 227-6523.