GAYLORD — A northern Michigan family is working to keep an unsolved murder in the spotlight, hoping it doesn’t go cold after waiting more than a year for answers.
For Bobbie Hulburt, the pictures tell the story, of a life well lived, and a life cut short.
Padgett PKG
It was September of 2024 when her son, Dean Padgett, was found shot and killed at his home just outside of Gaylord in Otsego County.
“Made a couple of phone calls, driving down the road, arrived to his house. There was an ambulance sitting on the side of the road. Pulled in to his cousin, crouched in the driveway, still talking to 911. And it was on speaker. And he’s like, mom’s here. And I could hear him say, keep her back. A few moments later, my daughter pulled in behind me and I just told him to stop her, and I walked around and I could see him lay in there,” recalled Bobbie.
The question immediately turned to who would want to kill this young father and friend, and why.
Dean’s mother believes he was ambushed.
“Dean, even though he was a very outgoing person and stuff like that. Not a lot of people knew where he lived. His legal address is still my home address. He would not have let somebody follow him from town to his house, let alone his driveway. He lived on a dead end road, and the driveway is not like a short driveway. It’s, you know, kind of a long driveway. He would have never let somebody follow him, let alone get out of his car,” said Bobbie. “I personally, in my heart, feel that somebody was waiting for him.”
Michigan state Police took over the investigation earlier this year
“You know, once you lose a child, it’s just things are different. I mean, like, my daughter couldn’t even look at yourself in a mirror for months. They look, you know, very similar features. He has a cousin that people like, look at him and go, oh, my gosh, they’re identical twins,” explained Bobbie.
Now, Dean’s family hope’s they don’t have to wait much longer for the answers they’ve been seeking for more than a year.
“He was just an amazing person. You know, I mean, don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t perfect. Nobody is. He had his faults. But, I mean, if somebody had an issue with them, I don’t know why they didn’t just, you know, approach him. Punch him in the face. Slash his tire. But, you know, actually kill him. I don’t, I don’t know; I don’t get why,” said Bobbie. “It’s nice to know that I have people to support me, but it’s hard. It’s really hard. I miss him a lot. I went through a lot with that kid.”
If you have any information about who may have killed Dean Padgett, contact Michigan State Police in Gaylord at (989) 732-2778.