Credit Union Denied Repossession of Murdered Member’s Car

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Bay City, MI – December 30, 2025 – The body was found. The alleged murderer confessed. The victim’s car sits in impound as evidence with no apparent tie to the murder. Regardless, one Michigan credit union has been denied the right to repossess the victim’s car and storage is likely ticking away.

Back on September 18^th of 2024, the family of Justie T. Stilwell, 41, a custodian at T.L. Handy Middle School in Bay City, reported him missing. That very same day, a dismembered foot was discovered by a teenager near the Edward Golson Boat Launch in the Saginaw River. 

Police later found other body parts, including his arms and legs, nearby.

Just days later, on September 25, 2024, police arrested 40-year-old Robert Dale Tweedly Jr. of Bay City who confessed to the killing and dismembering. Tweedly allegedly stated that following an argument between the two, he pushed him down the stairs and strangled him after Stilwell tried to leave his home.

He then allegedly dismembered the body with an axe and scattered the remains in different locations. The two men met via the dating app Grindr. Tweedly reportedly told detectives he that he was intoxicated on methamphetamine during the incident.

Tweedly was charged with murder and disinterment or mutilation of a dead body. His confession has been a key point of contention in court, as his defense attorney argues it was obtained after Tweedly requested a lawyer, a claim the prosecution disputes. He has been found competent to stand trial, and the case is proceeding to circuit court.

Stuck in the middle of the mess was an unnamed credit union whose Jeep was collateral to the victim’s auto loan. Stilwell’s vehicle was found parked across the street from where his severed limbs were found in the river. It has been held as evidence since September of 2024 by the County District Attorney.

Unfortunately for the credit union, Bay County Circuit Court Judge Joe Shireen denied a motion filed by the credit union to repossess it claiming that the credit union has no standing in the murder case and the prosecution claims to still need it as evidence in the ongoing trial.

The trial is expected to at least July of 2026 as Tweedly’s attorney argues to have the confession dismissed.

It is unclear if the vehicle is stored in a police owned evidence lot or a secured tow company lot. If it is the latter, the credit union could be required to pay storage, which at some point could exceed any value of the collateral.

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