Complaint filed on Boyne City Police – Duncan claims Meza case mishandled

The father of Boyne City throat slashing victim Adriana Duncan has filed a complaint with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office against the Boyne City Police Department and several other law enforcement agencies.

“I am making this complaint because of the unethical conduct committed by the Boyne City Police, the Michigan State Police (Petoskey Post) and the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Department following a terrible tragedy that happened to my family on Sunday, April 26th, 2009,” says Nelson David Duncan, Adriana’s Father in his five page complaint.

This case is currently being followed by high profile officials.

“Thank you for forwarding a copy of your correspondence to the Attorney General regarding People v. Michael Shane Meza. Words cannot adequately express my sympathy after reading about your daughter’s experiences. I am so sorry for your family. I have spoken with the AG legislative liaison who assists legislative offices with inquiries,” Says State Senator Jason Allen in a January 26, 2010, email. “It is my understanding that they do an investigation and upon completion, will contact you with their findings. Given the nature of the case it may take between 4-8 weeks to complete. I have asked to be kept informed on their final determination in this case. Again, thank you for sharing your story with me.”

Boyne City Police Chief Randy Howard and Assistant Chief Jeff Gettel were out of the office at press time.

Here are some of the details from the complaint

- On April, 26th, 2009 at approximately 4:19 in the morning, a 14-year-old boy, Michael Meza, broke into our home and slashed my precious daughter’s neck (Adriana) while she was sleeping and fled the scene. Adriana was 9 years old at the time. Apparently, her brave struggle and screams caused the intruder to flee.

The deepest cut was approximately 5-inches in length and came within millimeters from hitting her jugular vein and possibly ending her life. She survived, but the scars and mental trauma still remain. I was working at the Boyne City Ambulance station at the time and I received a radio call to respond to the scene of my own home with the Ambulance. Initially, our family and the Police did not have any idea who committed this crime. A beer-can and one of our kitchen knifes were left in my daughter’s room. Shoe impressions were found leading out the back door.

- Before this crime had happened, no one in our family had ever even been accused of a crime. We are God fearing, law abiding citizens. My life has been devoted to service to my community and to my country. My wife and I participated fully with the Boyne City Police and the Michigan State Police. The Police had no logical reason to assume someone in our family had committed this crime

- My wife was interrogated and treated like a criminal during her interview. In the following weeks, several of her friends and family were interviewed about my wife’s character.

- The Police asked us to take the polygraph test. Due to my own Law Enforcement training, I knew that the polygraph test is only 61% accurate and that the U.S. Supreme Court has said the polygraph is not reliable.

- I felt the Police were trying to frame either my wife, our son, or myself so we chose to refuse the polygraph and spoke to an attorney.

- I later discovered that prior to this press release, the Charlevoix County Prosecutor’s office had told Officer Gettle to refrain from any press releases. This unauthorized press release gave the community a false sense of truth, which may have prevented people from coming forward with any possible leads.

- After the Boyne City Police and the State Police crime lab had completed their initial investigation of our house, the Boyne City Police wanted to just give the key to our house back to us and have us call them if anything is missing or out of place. I refused to take the key back unless they went through the house with us. After their initial refusal to go through the house with us, we decided to keep the crime scene preserved, with the Police still in control of the house key, until the initial Police report was released.

- Michael Meza had been recently charged with other felonies prior to his attack in our home. These felonies happened in Van Buren County and Grand Traverse county. The felonies include; home invasion 2nd degree, felonious assault, unlawful driving away of an automobile. During the transfer from Van Buren County to Grand Traverse county, Meza was released to his mother, (another felon) and was not released on any type of bond.

- Michael Meza was being housed in a juvenile facility in Roscommon County. On August, 30th , was the first time that I worked a night shift again on the Ambulance, away from home, Meza and another juvenile attacked a guard by choking and punching him, locked him in a cell, they changed into civilian clothes, stole the guard’s vehicle and escaped the facility for over 3 hours before being caught after a hot pursuit on the highway. Meza and the other escapee had initially drove south, but turned around and headed north, towards us.

-We were not notified of the escape until two days later (September, 2nd) by the Charlevoix county prosecutors office. The only reason we were notified is because the press got a hold of the story. When the prosecutor’s office called us, they said that Meza did not escape, but it was an attempted escape because they did not get past the parking lot.

- Meza has pled guilty and last week he was sentenced to 15-30 years in prison.

- It is very important that the evidence in this case is preserved. I am requesting that you ensure the evidence is not destroyed nor sent to us.

Hopefully after this investigation is completed, some changes can be made to the crime victim’s rights act in order to prevent some of these occurrences from happening to another family.

Large portions of the complaint letter have been withheld pending a thorough investigation by the Boyne City Gazette.