WILLIAMSBURG — The son of Linda Meteer is speaking out, after a recent suspected theft from his mother’s gravesite.
Linda Meteer was a Northern Michigan woman whose murder case went unanswered for decades, until this year.
The Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s office said Meteer was murdered back in April of 1989, after leaving a bar near Chums Corner.
Her body was discovered 7 days later but her suspected killer was never found, until a cold case program out of Western Michigan University helped make a break in the case.
Steven Koon, from Leelanau County was arraigned in February of this year charged with killing Linda Meteer.
Her son, Shawn said reliving the past is hard enough, but now he’s dealing with someone stealing from his mother’s gravesite.
Shawn said he was shocked that someone would do such a thing. He said he recently bought some ornaments, including two glass flamingos for his grandmother and mother’s graves.
Both his mom and grandma loved flamingoes. He said a few days later, he noticed his mom’s was missing.
“It’s the only thing I can buy for my mom. I can’t go take her to dinner. I know she would love that. I try to do the best I can, and somebody took that away from me,” said Shawn.
He said he visits his mothers, grandmother’s and his extended family’s gravesites at least once a week, making sure they always look good. Shawn said it’s his happy place and he feels very connected to his mom when he’s there.
“This is the only place I get to go to see my family and be with them and talk to them and I need that because I got depression and anxiety really bad. And this is my spot,” said Shawn.
He said he struggles emotionally because of what happened. He was only eight years old when she was killed. Shawn said he still remembers it clearly.
“When they found her, it was a day before my birthday. And when she didn’t show up for my birthday, you know, I was, like, broken hearted. Like what? so I knew something was majorly wrong, you know? And then the detectives came and talked to the family,” said Shawn.
His grandmother raised him and his siblings after his mom’s death, but he remembers his mom fondly.
“She always had a smile on her face. Great person. She laughed. Everybody liked her,” said Shawn.
Shawn said even decades later, the recent arrest of Koon brought it all back.
“The wind, everything inside of me was like, whoa, taken out of me. I mean, I was happy, but in the same sense, I was sad. You know and brings up all those memories and emotions and the only thing I wish, I wish my grandmother was here to see this,” said Shawn.
He said Koon’s court proceedings are delayed at the moment but he’s looking forward to closure.
Shawn said Koon was the number one suspect at the time of the murder.
He also said he’s grateful to the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s office and the Western Michigan Cold Case program that helped break the case.