Second Suspect Faces Bond Hearing in Traverse City Murder Case

Court records show Hunter Vanderwall, 18, will appear for a motion and bond hearing at 9 45 a.m. on December 18 at the Grand Traverse County 86th District Court. Vanderwall is the second suspect in the November shooting that killed parking services employee Larry Boyd. The development comes as prosecutors and investigators continue to build the case and the community seeks answers about public safety downtown.

Investigators said Vanderwall and 17 year old Eugene Thompson were breaking into vehicles at the Larry C. Hardy Parking Deck the night Boyd was killed. Prosecutors say Boyd confronted the two suspects, and that Thompson fired five times, killing Boyd with a gun reported stolen from Missaukee County. The shooting prompted an immediate police investigation and a renewed focus on security in public parking facilities.

Vanderwall has been in custody at the Grand Traverse County Correctional Facility since a November 18 arraignment in which his bond was denied. Court filings list the upcoming motion and bond hearing as the next scheduled court date for Vanderwall. Thompson remains identified as the other suspect in the case, and both men are the focus of ongoing proceedings in Grand Traverse County courts.

The killing of a city employee has reverberated through Traverse City. City staff who work in parking services and residents who use downtown parking facilities have voiced concern about safety and about the role of stolen firearms in violent crime. The fact that the firearm involved was reported stolen from another county underscores how gun theft and cross county criminal activity can have local consequences.

Local officials have said the case remains active and that court proceedings will determine evidence admissibility, bond conditions, and next steps toward trial. The scheduled hearing on December 18 will address motions that could affect Vanderwall's custody status and the pace of the prosecution. Residents seeking direct updates can monitor filings at the Grand Traverse County 86th District Court where the case docket will reflect future hearings and rulings.