Traverse City Teen Charged in Parking Services Employee's Death Found Competent

A judge found 17-year-old Eugene (Dale) Thompson competent to stand trial on March 6, clearing the way for prosecution on charges tied to the November 2025 shooting death of 32-year-old Lawrence Boyd IV, a Traverse City Parking Services employee, and setting Thompson’s next court appearance for March 20 at 1:00 p.m. The Traverse City Police Department said the suspects are jailed and, "since the suspects are in jail and the firearm has been recovered, there are no further public safety concerns at this time."

Prosecutors say the case links a Saturday night sequence of events to the discovery of Boyd’s body the following morning. Security footage and collected items from the Larry C. Hardy Parking Deck and a separate larceny-from-auto call, officials say, tied the incidents together; police reported Boyd "appeared to have died as a result of a shooting." Authorities place the shooting at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 15, 2025, and police were dispatched to the parking structure at roughly 7:45 a.m. on Nov. 16 when Boyd’s body was found.

Investigators allege the two teenagers fled after a reported larceny-from-auto in the 1200 block of East 8th Street and were chased from a parking lot in the 100 block of Munson Avenue. During that foot pursuit, prosecutors say one of the suspects fired at pursuing officers; a round struck an officer’s uniform pant leg and another officer was protected by a ballistic vest. Chief Matt Richmond said detectives connected the body to the Saturday night events from "physical and video evidence."

Assistant Prosecutor Kyle Attwood described video that prosecutors contend shows Thompson firing the fatal shot and, afterward, returning to the dying victim to take the victim’s vape, saying the footage shows Thompson "can be seen going back while the victim is dying to pick up his vape, which he then takes a couple hits off of and then moves on. And then after that, the two co-defendants continue to engage in the breaking and entering of motor vehicles."

Thompson, charged as an adult, faces a slate of counts including first-degree murder, attempted murder and multiple weapons and breaking-and-entering charges; one listing of charges totals seven counts and notes first-degree murder is punishable by life without parole. Co-defendant Hunter Vanderwall, 18, is identified in court filings as facing felony murder, theft and resisting or assaulting an officer, and was located and arrested on the campus of Northwestern Michigan College. Thompson was arrested outside a Super 8 Motel.

Both defendants were arraigned via Zoom from the Grand Traverse County Jail in the 86th District Court, entered not guilty pleas, and had bond denied. Attorney Paul Jarboe, appointed at arraignment, offered condolences to Boyd’s family during the hearing. Vanderwall’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 16, and Thompson’s next court appearance is March 20 at 1:00 p.m.

The investigation involved multiple agencies assisting the Traverse City Police Department, including the Michigan State Police Crime Lab, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office, the Traverse City Fire Department, Grand Traverse County Central Dispatch and the Western Michigan University School of Medicine Medical Examiners Office. Prosecutors have said they will rely on the physical and video evidence already cited as the case moves to upcoming hearings.