Suicide or Murder? Unsolved Bank Robbery...

[hangmaster]

I am looking for some in help to find out what happened to my Uncle. My family believes he was murdered in regards to an unsolved bank robbery in 1970 and forced to write a suicide note. I have spoken to one of the elderly gentleman that lived in the town where it happened and when i tried to post on Facebook to gain information, alot of people who remembered this stated that most of the town believe it was murder. I will post what I have so far and if interested in delving into this case, I have the alot of the story from this gentleman who has since passed away. Happened in Ashley, Mi.
Michigan

Newspaper article link about the robbery bottom right Bank Robbery Article

 

[WingsOverTX]

I am looking for some in help to find out what happened to my Uncle. My family believes he was murdered in regards to an unsolved bank robbery in 1970 and forced to write a suicide note. I have spoken to one of the elderly gentleman that lived in the town where it happened and when i tried to post on Facebook to gain information, alot of people who remembered this stated that most of the town believe it was murder. I will post what I have so far and if interested in delving into this case, I have the alot of the story from this gentleman who has since passed away. Happened in Ashley, Mi.
MichiganView attachment 406899

Newspaper article link about the robbery bottom right Bank Robbery Article

So, the robbery was never solved? $50,000 was quite an amount in 1969 & it appears to be well planned or potential inside job.

I'm not understanding the part about the victim entering a nearby house. Maybe he was looking for help or a phone?

It does not sound like a suicide from the circumstances.

Do you have other articles?

 

[Laughing]

@handmaster , welcome to Websleuths! Please consider becoming a Verified Insider for this case:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

There may be additional articles in other newspapers:

Library of Michigan Newspapers

Newspapers

www.michigan.gov

Michigan Daily Digital Archives

digital.bentley.umich.edu

Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection

Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection

digmichnews.cmich.edu

or here:

USGenWeb Archives: Gratiot County, MI Table Of Contents

usgwarchives.net

Apparently your uncle is interred in Eureka, Clinton County, Michigan:

Carl Joe Brzak (1946-1969) - Find a Grave...

www.findagrave.com

His death certificate could have more information for you, could be a good place to start?

Was Ringle any part of the bank robbery? Why would Mr. Brzak choose his house otherwise?

I'd like to read more about the bank robbery!

 

[Brotherfudz]

So “shoot’s himself” outside then breaks into a nearby home to die inside? Interesting. How soon after the bank robbery was this “suicide”?

 

[Laughing]

So “shoot’s himself” outside then breaks into a nearby home to die inside? Interesting.

Tries to lay down on a couch, but is found on the floor?

Just remembered, the Attorney General supervises law enforcement in most states -- perhaps that office could start their own investigation?

Attorney General

Attorney General

www.michigan.gov

 

[WingsOverTX]

@handmaster , welcome to Websleuths! Please consider becoming a Verified Insider for this case:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

There may be additional articles in other newspapers:

Library of Michigan Newspapers

Newspapers

www.michigan.gov

Michigan Daily Digital Archives

digital.bentley.umich.edu

Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection

Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection

digmichnews.cmich.edu

or here:

USGenWeb Archives: Gratiot County, MI Table Of Contents

usgwarchives.net

Apparently your uncle is interred in Eureka, Clinton County, Michigan:

Carl Joe Brzak (1946-1969) - Find a Grave...

www.findagrave.com

His death certificate could have more information for you, could be a good place to start?

Was Ringle any part of the bank robbery? Why would Mr. Brzak choose his house otherwise?

I'd like to read more about the bank robbery!

See the first article posted.

CJB's car was found on the street where Ringle lived/owned a home. He was in Florida when this event occurred at his house. He died in 2014 & as far as I could find was never personally involved in this case.

Here's a screenshot of the linked article about the bank robbery. Newspaper dated Wednesday, March 4, 1970.

 

[hangmaster]

@handmaster , welcome to Websleuths! Please consider becoming a Verified Insider for this case:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

There may be additional articles in other newspapers:

Library of Michigan Newspapers

Newspapers

www.michigan.gov

Michigan Daily Digital Archives

digital.bentley.umich.edu

Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection

Digital Michigan Newspapers Collection

digmichnews.cmich.edu

or here:

USGenWeb Archives: Gratiot County, MI Table Of Contents

usgwarchives.net

Apparently your uncle is interred in Eureka, Clinton County, Michigan:

Carl Joe Brzak (1946-1969) - Find a Grave...

www.findagrave.com

His death certificate could have more information for you, could be a good place to start?

Was Ringle any part of the bank robbery? Why would Mr. Brzak choose his house otherwise?

I'd like to read more about the bank robbery!

Supposidly one of the other robbers was "house sitting" while Ringles were on vacation, that is why this seems all the more interesting that it was not a suicide. And my uncle was trying to get to a phone, as I've been told the phone was off the hook next to where he laid

 

[hangmaster]

So, the robbery was never solved? $50,000 was quite an amount in 1969 & it appears to be well planned or potential inside job.

I'm not understanding the part about the victim entering a nearby house. Maybe he was looking for help or a phone?

It does not sound like a suicide from the circumstances.

Do you have other articles?

Supposidly he was trying to call for help, phone was off the hook.

 

[hangmaster]

Supposidly he was trying to call for help, phone was off the hook.

I do not have other articles.

 

[hangmaster]

This is all the info I have in my Uncle's suicide/murder....

After some research and statements from people that remember around that time, alot of people in Ashley did not believe Joe (my uncle) killed himself, not just family. I came to find out that Joe had possibly been killed because of a bank robbery that was being planned. Whether he was in on it or just overheard that it was going to happen, he knew about it, and he ended up dead. From what I understand there were 4 or possibly 5 people in on the bank robbery plans. One, being the owner of the bank. The bank WAS robbed not too long after Joe's death. People who lived behind the bank heard motorcycles/3-4 wheelers late night, but never heard the bank alarm....which from statements I got is because the banker never turned on the alarm that day when he left. The bank was robbed by welders....which all 3 suspected men had welding experience. 2 of the men took off for Florida shortly after the robbery, 1 bought a bar locally. One of the men who we think is the one who shot Joe, took into hiding right after Joe's death, but people also seen him around town at night until after the robbery. The bank robbery has never been solved and in our family's eyes neither has his death.

The robbers pushed a cart on the railroad tracks from south/west of Ashley into town and back again when they were done with the robbery. And one of the men bragged about getting $54,000 from the robbery.
They were clever enough to torch through a vault door and thick metal bars under water. They were inside for a long time and had to go steal more tanks for the torch as they ran out of fuel.
Two of the guys did not have anything to do with Joe's murder. It was one person's doing. Joe was not following 'the plan' and drawing attention to 'the gang' and he got kicked out. He was going to rat them out so that person killed him.

 

[rob525]

I saw that you mentioned torching through the vault door and bars under water? Is that correct?

 

[hangmaster]

I saw that you mentioned torching through the vault door and bars under water? Is that correct?

That is what I was told by the elderly gentleman who told me all that he remembers about the case, he lived behind the bank at the time

 

[rob525]

That is what I was told by the elderly gentleman who told me all that he remembers about the case, he lived behind the bank at the time

While I am really not sure how that would be as far as why there would be an underwater access into a bank, I think that it would require some highly specialized training for whomever did that. I suppose the police would have thought to check and see if any of the suspects had that kind of training.

 

[hangmaster]

The gentleman who gave me

While I am really not sure how that would be as far as why there would be an underwater access into a bank, I think that it would require some highly specialized training for whomever did that. I suppose the police would have thought to check and see if any of the suspects had that kind of training.

most of the information said the robbers all worked for a factory in town, of which there was one and they were all welders for the factory. It is also where they got the railroad cart, towing it by a 4 wheeler