CORUNNA, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan man accused of killing another man and hanging the victim’s mutilated body from a ceiling pleaded guilty Thursday to murder, apparently against the advice of his lawyers.
Mark Latunski appeared in Shiawassee County court, nearly three years after Kevin Bacon, 25, was killed in Bennington Township, 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.
A judge will hold a hearing on Oct. 18 to determine if the case will be classified as first-degree or second-degree murder. First-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Police said Latunski, 52, admitted to killing Bacon, whom he had met through the dating app Grindr, and eating parts of his body.
Defense attorney Mary Chartier was interested in pursuing an insanity defense at trial, MLive.com reported.
“While this is not an outcome that Mr. Krause and I think is in Mr. Latunski’s best interest, we do have to follow Mr. Latunski’s wishes,” Chartier said, referring to co-counsel Kurt Krause. “We have discussed this matter and consistently he’s been very clear, more than once, multiple times, on his choice and on his reasoning.”
Latunski initially was found incompetent to stand trial but that status changed after mental health treatment.
“I’m glad we got the plea,” prosecutor Scott Koerner said.