A Michigan man has been found guilty in a 2018 cold case slaying of a hunter in Bath Township, capping off a five-year investigation that left a community shaken. Thomas Olson, 35, was convicted Thursday of second-degree murder, and carrying a firearm while committing a felony, for the death of 68-year-old Chong Yang, according to The Detroit News.
The jury's verdict came following a three-year probe which hinged on witness testimony, and the discovery of a plastic bag with hunting spray found near the crime scene. Olson, hailing from Grand Blanc allegedly shot Yang in the head and stripped the victim of his headlamp, knife, backpack, and shotgun, the Michigan Attorney General's Office reported. Yang's family, who had anxiously awaited his return from a hunting trip at Rose Lake State Park, were the ones to discover his body.
In a release from the Michigan Department of Attorney General, Dana Nessel expressed her gratitude towards all parties involved in the resolution of this harrowing case, "I am grateful for the dedicated work of the prosecutors in my office, as well as the determination of the Bath Township Police Department and the FBI in their yearslong pursuit in resolving this cold case," Nessel said. She hopes the conviction "may bring some peace and healing to Mr. Yang's friends and family." Olson's attorney, Michael Manley, was not immediately available for comment following the verdict. Olson is set to be sentenced on April 8, 2024.
Back on November 16, 2018, when Yang did not return home from his routine hunting location, a family search ensued leading to the grim discovery of his car and, soon after his body. A single gunshot wound to the head confirmed their worst fears. The successful link to Olson stemmed from a bag with hunting spray left at the scene.
The communities in Bath Township and across Michigan's hunting circles have been following the case with bated breath, seeking closure on such a brutal and senseless act. The long-awaited guilty verdict marks a solemn close to a saga of tragedy and a lengthy search for justice for one of their own. Olson, who now faces the consequences of his conviction, will know his fate come April 8.
