Woman walked naked 8 miles after assault; husband charged

MARSHALL — Stripped of her clothes, a woman walked eight miles and spent more than 30 hours on the porch of a house before she was found alive Tuesday.

Marilyn Kittinger, 63, of Albion remained in Oaklawn Hospital on Wednesday after she was found still naked on the patio and after a two-day search for her by police officers using dogs, boats and helicopters.

As she was recovering, her husband, Brian Kittinger, 64, was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in Calhoun County District Court on a charge of aggravated domestic assault.

Investigators have alleged that Kittinger assaulted his wife at a home they own on Duck Lake in Clarence Township and then stripped her of her clothes and forced her out of the house about 1 a.m. Monday.

“It appears he may have physically forced her to take them off,” Sheriff Matt Saxton said Wednesday. “She had nothing on.”

Saxton said the investigation shows that Marilyn Kittinger walked from the lake house at 801 N. Shore Drive toward Albion.

Saxton and detectives said the woman walked, sometimes ducking into ditches when vehicles approached, until she reached a home in the 13000 block of 28-Mile Road on the outskirts of Albion.

The Kittingers operate a lawn care business and Saxton said the owner of the home on 28-Mile Road is a customer. Marilyn Kittinger was familiar with the residence and stopped there, Saxton said.

“She didn’t want to walk into the city because of her predicament of no clothing and she noticed the residence where they take care of the lawn,” Saxton said. “It was an elderly lady and she went to the back patio and pulled up a chair and ate some apples off a tree.”

Kittinger hid outside the home from sometime during the day Monday until late Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Saxton said windows looking over the patio were covered and the resident of the home did not know Kittinger was there until she heard a noise Tuesday afternoon.

“She didn’t go out there and didn’t hear anything until she heard something hitting the wall,” Saxton said. “She heard some noise and went out and the resident knew Marilyn and said, ‘Marilyn, you are on the news.’ ”

Saxton said Marilyn Kittinger asked the woman not to call the police, but the woman did.

Detectives who interviewed Kittinger said there were injuries consistent with an assault and that she walked a long distance, hiding in ditches to avoid passing vehicles, and had spent time outside on the patio despite nighttime temperatures Monday in the low 50s.

“She was dirty and scratched and had been hiding in ditches as traffic passed,” Saxton said. “She did not have help from anyone. She did walk.”

Sheriff deputies were called to the North Shore Drive home about 10 a.m. Monday by Brian Kittinger who said he and his wife argued and she left about 1 a.m.

Based on early information in the investigation, the Major Crime Task Force was called into action Monday. Detectives and other officers from all the departments in the county convened and began the search.

Troopers from the Michigan State Police brought cadaver dogs, boats and a helicopter to search the lake and other officers and search and rescue teams walked areas around the home and lake and patrolled Duck Lake.

Police obtained search warrants for both the lake house and the couple’s primary home on Crandall Street in Albion and searched both structures.

On Tuesday, as word spread in the Duck Lake neighborhood residents approached police with their own ideas about where they might find the missing woman.

Brian Kittinger and several members of his family watched as police searched the lake and land around the house.

Saxton and other officers said as time passed they grew doubtful about finding Marilyn Kittinger alive.

“Initially we were treating it as a missing person, but had concerns with the initial information we had and thankfully for the family it was great that we did find her alive and well,” Saxton said. “But it was an outcome I felt was less likely to occur.”

Saxton said Brian Kittinger was arrested after his wife was found because of information obtained during the investigation.

“After locating her alive and interviewing her as to what actually went on Sunday night and early Monday, it appears there was more than just a verbal argument,” the sheriff said. “There was a physical altercation and at that time the suspect told her to leave the residence and forced her to leave the residence and at that time she did not have any clothes on.”

At Kittinger’s arraignment Wednesday in District Court, attorney Aaron Bartell of Marshall argued to Magistrate Earl Brutsche that his client was not a flight risk or a danger to the public.

Bartell noted that family members were in the courtroom to support Brian Kittinger and that Kittinger was a lifelong resident of Albion and had operated his lawn care business for 30 years.

“He has no criminal record,” Bartell said. He declined comment after the hearing.

But Assistant Prosecutor Rachel Delmont said the victim was found “naked and with bruises and she was pushed and pulled by the hair by the defendant. He is a danger and we ask for a cash bond.”

A $5,000 personal recognizance bond was ordered, meaning Kittinger could be released without posting any money but would be responsible for the bond if he fails to appear for court. He was barred from any contact with his wife as a condition of his release.

Kittinger faces up to a year in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor.

Saxton said while Brian Kittinger has no criminal record, detectives have concluded there is a long history of domestic violence toward Marilyn Kittinger.

“They are looking into their background, but from this incident it looks like there have been long years of domestic violence,” Saxton said.

Contact Trace Christenson at 966-0685 or tchrist@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow in on Twitter:@TSChristenson