Days Inn Canton, Canton

BELLEVILLE — Police are trying to unravel the circumstances surrounding three deaths they say are related. The victims are April Copperstone, 17 of Belleville, who hasn’t been seen for about 18 months; her father, Thomas J. Copperstone, 46, of Belleville; and Jessica Smith, 23, of Canton Township, a University of Michigan student. Their bodies were found in three separate communities. Police Chief Paul Davis said the body found most recently is believed to be that of April Copperstone. The remains were unearthed April 23 in a root cellar attached to a house on South Biggs Street. The teen-ager, who now would be 19, hasn’t been seen the fall of 2001. Davis said police are awaiting autopsy results and a review of dental records to determine the cause of death and the identity of the body. The deaths of Thomas Copperstone and Smith in two other municipalities led to the discovery of the girl’s body, he said. "We have three different jurisdictions involved here," Davis said. "We have three separate crimes, but they’re all connected." An extensive investigation began April 20 when Smith’s body was found at the Days Inn on Michigan Avenue in Canton Township. She was employed by Leggs Lounge in Van Buren Township. Canton police said she had been shot five times, three in the chest with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and twice in the head with a .22-caliber handgun. Thomas Copperstone had rented the room where Smith’s body was found. Police were looking for Copperstone in connection with Smith’s death, when he, too, was found dead. Michigan State Police found his body April 21 in a state game area off Dexter-Chelsea Road in Lima Township. The coroner’s report said Copperstone’s death was caused by a single gunshot wound to the head from a handgun. The death was ruled a suicide. Police said a purse belonging to Smith, a 9 mm handgun and a .22-caliber handgun were found near Copperstone’s body. A 9 mm shell casing also was found at the scene. Police believe Copperstone met Smith at the motel in Canton, killed her and then drove to Lima Township the same night and killed himself. Davis said Copperstone wrote a letter to his brother, directing him to unlock a storage shed where a folder would be found. Police said the folder contained a detailed letter from Copperstone, explaining what had happened. The letter led to the discovery of the body Copperstone said was that of his daughter. "Everything he said in the letter involving the daughter was right on the money," Davis said. "We followed it to a T." Thomas Copperstone’s letter said that Smith accidentally shot and killed his daughter with his .22-caliber handgun in November 2001. In the letter, Copperstone said he had made his daughter a coffin and buried her, but didn’t report her death because he feared that Smith would name him as the killer and police would believe her, Davis said. He also said in the letter that he would not allow Smith to get away with murdering his daughter, adding that he didn’t believe Smith killed her by accident. A neighbor of Copperstone’s said she did not know him personally, but that he was a quiet man who kept to himself. The neighbor said she used to see April walking a dog up and down the street, but hadn’t seen her in a long time. The neighbor also said she had never seen Smith at the Belleville home. April’s mother, Susan Copperstone, reportedly had tried to file two missing person reports for her daughter, but didn’t complete them. According to reports, she did file a missing person report when she found out that Smith had been killed and that police were looking for her ex-husband. Thomas Copperstone, who had no previous criminal record, owned a 9 mm semiautomatic and a .22-caliber handgun. Canton police said ballistic test results would determine if the weapons registered to him were used to kill Smith.