Michigan news anchor, 57, was killed by a man who knew his girlfriend, 35, ‘pretty well’
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Police have charged a man with the murder of a news anchor who knew his girlfriend “pretty well” and waited for him to return from a night shift in Michigan.
Jim Matthews, 57, was found dead at his Chesterfield Township home after returning from a night shift on WWJ950 radio.
Police have now charged Arthur Williamson, 55, with the murder of Matthews after assaulting him on Friday.
Relatives claim that his suspected killer had been “welcomed to the house” hours earlier and waited for him to return to the property before launching the violent attack.
Matthew’s “on-off girlfriend” and mother of his children Nichole Guertin, 35, had managed to flee the premises despite being stabbed and gagged and tied up several times.
She fled with their 5-year-old daughter, Rosie, who was not seriously injured, and managed to flag down a car after it collapsed in a nearby parking lot.
Their son Hunter, 10, was beaten, hammered and tied up before being thrown into a closet after the incident.
He was rushed to hospital in critical condition and had to undergo brain and ear surgeries after bravely fighting his father’s killer.
Arthur Williamson, 55, has been charged with the murder of Jim Matthews after he assaulted him in his own home in Michigan
News anchor Jim Matthews, 57, was killed at his home in Michigan, and his girlfriend Nichole Guertin was stabbed multiple times in the incident
The couple with two children, Hunter, 10, (left) and Rosie, 5 (right), were hospitalized after their father’s murder
Hunter was discovered by offices tucked into a closet after being hit with a hammer while trying to pull off his father’s attacker
Police discovered that Williamson had overdosed on heroin and suffered from self-inflicted wounds in the basement of the family home.
The 55-year-old was resuscitated by officials before being rushed to hospital and then taken into police custody at the Macomb County Jail.
Pammy Healy, the children’s aunt, told DailyMail.com: “It’s someone Nicole knew. I know he knew Nicole pretty well.
“It’s really disturbing.” She said the family was in shock and trying to prepare for the children’s return home.
Relatives confirmed that Nichole is now in stable condition and that her daughter remains “normal and happy” despite the terrifying incident.
Relatives say the alleged killer was known to the family and knew Matthew’s girlfriend ‘very well’
Pammy Healy, the children’s aunt, told DailyMail.com that the suspect Arthur Williamson knew Nichole “very well.”
The attack took place around noon Friday at the house on Bayview Drive off Hooker Road in the Chesterfield Township, a quiet suburb outside Detroit.
A GoFundMe page confirmed that Hunter has had successful surgery on his neck and can now move both sides of his body.
Both children will be cared for by their other aunt – Healy’s stepsister Ashley Quigley – after they leave the hospital.
Healy continued, ‘Where they lived was the nicer part of town. Rosie is doing great.
“After the things that happened to her, I’m so thankful she’s not old enough to understand. She’s in a happy mood and ready to go see Aunt Ashley.
“Ashley now has custody of Hunter and Rosie, we hope it’s long-term.”
Matthews, who also went by Nicolai, was reportedly found in a scene worse than “a horror movie” by his brother Jim.
He told WXYZ: ‘There is no motive, I don’t know why’ [the suspect] was in the house. I spoke to the lead investigator and my brother probably came home with this.
“He comes home around 5:30 in the morning and is probably surprised and attacked.
“I believe that Hunter was trying to fight the 10-year-old against this man who attacked and tried to kill his father, and that’s how Hunter ended up being injured and tied up and put in a closet.”
Chasterfield police have charged a 55-year-old man with murder in connection with the brutal attack
Hunter is now in stable condition after undergoing several surgeries, and his younger sister Rosie, who suffered minor injuries, remains ‘happy and normal’
The unnamed attacker remains in hospital and is in stable condition, but faces a litany of charges for the attack.
Police say the unidentified assailant was an acquaintance of the family, as well as a frequent visitor to the residence, and had been invited to the home before carrying out the attack.
News anchor colleagues were forced to report on the death of the late journalist, who was the radio station’s nighttime news anchor for nearly seven years.
Jacki Page reported the incident to thousands of listeners, saying: “We’re updating our top story this afternoon.
‘It is very difficult to report. Our late night newscaster Jim Matthews was murdered this afternoon in Chesterfield Township.’
An Audacy spokesperson added: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of our dear colleague Jim Matthews.
“As this is an ongoing police investigation, we have no further comment at this time.”