Naman Shrestha
In October 2001, the entire community of Alpena, Michigan, was shaken to its core when the news of James Orban’s killing broke out. Upon discovering his remains inside his north Alpena residence, the authorities launched an investigation to get to the bottom of the case and bring the perpetrator/s to justice. An unlikely mastermind with a financial motive emerged as a suspect, who also led them to the killer. In ‘Maid to Murder,’ all the intricate details of the case and the investigation that ensued are covered.
James Orban’s Remains Were Found Inside His Burned-Down House in Alpena
On March 22, 1932, James Harry Orban was welcomed into the world by Joseph J Orban and Celia A. Tadajewski Orban in Alpena, Michigan. He was raised in a tight-knit household with the supportive company of his siblings: William Orban, Marie E. Orban McEwen, Dolores P. Orban DeCaire, Geraldine F. Orban, and Florence Katherine “Toots” Orban Plourd. James grew up to be a free-spirited and determined individual who built a stable life for himself through hard work and resilience. He was admired and adored by his family and friends. Therefore, his sudden demise in 2001 left his loved ones devastated.
On October 15, 2001, at approximately 1:15 pm, authorities arrived at James’ residence in the northern part of the city to investigate a fire. When they entered the home, they discovered the 69-year-old dead with significant burns. A closer examination of his house revealed that the condition of the bedroom adjacent to the kitchen indicated it had been ransacked, with several belongings scattered around. Furthermore, looking at the severity of the injuries, the authorities deduced that something was amiss. Medical experts soon discerned that no black soot was found in James’ airway, and concluded that he actually died before his house was set ablaze.
An autopsy confirmed that James sustained multiple stab wounds to the upper half of his body, particularly the neck, chest, and abdomen, as well as a fracture to the upper arm of his right hand. The doctor further mentioned that an injury to James’ jugular vein could have alone been sufficient to cause his death, adding that he likely passed away a few minutes later. Nevertheless, the extent of the injuries made it challenging to determine the type of knife used in the attack. Since the findings suggested the fire could’ve been started intentionally by the perpetrator/s to destroy evidence of murder, an investigation was swiftly launched by the authorities.
Two Perpetrators Were Involved in James Orban’s Murder
As part of the investigation, the detectives dug deeper into the life of James Orban in the days leading up to his tragic demise. They found that he had tried to get in touch with a woman named Melissa Bredow, someone who helped him clean the house and whom he considered his best friend. Later that night, the authorities interviewed her, who claimed that they had a grandfather-granddaughter type of relationship. Their friendship was allegedly seen as unusual due to their significant age difference. Since she was the sole beneficiary in his will, it raised a few suspicions about her. However, upon searching her apartment, they couldn’t find anything that connected her to the crime. That same day, the police also interviewed Melissa’s boyfriend, Jason Belanger, with whom she had recently re-entered a relationship.
Jason, too, denied having anything to do with James’ murder or the fire. Melissa and Jason reportedly made their relationship official in the coming days by tying the knot. A few days later, the detectives questioned Melissa again, and this time, she led them to a dumpster behind a Subway restaurant. There, the detectives found Jason’s discarded clothes. When confronted by the evidence, Jason admitted to his involvement with the murder and arson, claiming that he had acted alone. He was then arrested and charged with the crimes. However, a few years later, he changed his story and implicated Melissa, claiming that she was also involved in James’ killing. According to reports, after Melissa and Jason got into a relationship, the former orchestrated a plan with Jason to rob James.
On the fateful day, Jason went into James’ residence to steal his valuable possessions and money, believing that he was not at home. When he was confronted by the homeowner, a physical altercation ensued between the two men, which resulted in Jason stabbing James multiple times before fleeing the scene. The following day, the attacker returned to the victim’s house and burned the house down with James’ remains still inside in an attempt to get rid of the evidence connecting him to the crime. However, reports also suggest that Melissa had convinced Jason to carry out the killing as she believed that James had named her the sole beneficiary in his will. Thus, eventually, she was also arrested and charged with the murder of the 69-year-old man, despite maintaining her innocence.
Melissa Bredow and Jason Belanger Are Currently Incarcerated in Separate Michigan Prison Facilities
In January 2003, Jason Robert Belanger made a plea agreement with the prosecution and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the murder of James Orban. In exchange, he agreed to testify against Melissa Kay Bredow-Bredow in her trial. For his crime, he was sentenced to life in prison. The following year, in 2004, during Melissa’s trial, Jason testified against her and played a crucial role in getting her convicted. Throughout the trial, she maintained her innocence, but in the end, she was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation of murder, and arson of a dwelling house.
Ultimately, Melissa was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the first-degree murder conviction, life in prison for the conspiracy and solicitation convictions, and 8 to 20 years in prison for the arson conviction. About a year later, she filed a motion to have her convictions overturned. However, her appeal was rejected by the court and upheld her convictions. As of today, 45-year-old Melissa is serving her sentence at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan, while 45-year-old Jason is imprisoned at Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon, Michigan.
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