Bingham Farms— JoAnn Matouk Romain had no history of mental illness. Nor, did the 55-year-old Grosse Pointe Woods woman leave a suicide note when she disappeared Jan. 12, 2010. Her new purse was found in her car, torn and ripped.
When her body was found two months later in Lake St. Clair, her car keys were in a zipped-up coat pocket. The mother of three also had bruises on her arm.
Those signs indicate she was the victim of foul play, Romain's family said Wednesday, one year after her disappearance.
"I've never believed it was suicide," her daughter, Michelle Romain, said during a press conference at the Abood law firm in Bingham Farms. "And now we believe we have evidence to support what I've been saying."
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Maria Miller urged the family to submit any new evidence to police. The family's attorney, Jeff Abood, said that's their plan.
Grosse Pointe Farms safety officials, who deferred comment to the Prosecutor's Office, have said the death was a suicide. "We had no other reason but to conclude that," said Lt. Richard Rosati.
JoAnn Romain's body was found near the Canadian shore. Her Lexus sedan was found in the parking lot of St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church on Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms.
Two privately commissioned autopsies determined drowning as the cause of death but couldn't determine the manner of death, attorney Andrew Abood said.
A memorial mass for Romain is planned for 7 p.m. Friday at St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church.
Questions or Comments? Contact Clinton Charles Van Nocker at clint@aboodlaw.com
When her body was found two months later in Lake St. Clair, her car keys were in a zipped-up coat pocket. The mother of three also had bruises on her arm.
Those signs indicate she was the victim of foul play, Romain's family said Wednesday, one year after her disappearance.
"I've never believed it was suicide," her daughter, Michelle Romain, said during a press conference at the Abood law firm in Bingham Farms. "And now we believe we have evidence to support what I've been saying."
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Maria Miller urged the family to submit any new evidence to police. The family's attorney, Jeff Abood, said that's their plan.
Grosse Pointe Farms safety officials, who deferred comment to the Prosecutor's Office, have said the death was a suicide. "We had no other reason but to conclude that," said Lt. Richard Rosati.
JoAnn Romain's body was found near the Canadian shore. Her Lexus sedan was found in the parking lot of St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church on Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms.
Two privately commissioned autopsies determined drowning as the cause of death but couldn't determine the manner of death, attorney Andrew Abood said.
A memorial mass for Romain is planned for 7 p.m. Friday at St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church.
Questions or Comments? Contact Clinton Charles Van Nocker at clint@aboodlaw.com
