Source: Grand Rapids woman found dead feared boyfriend would kill her
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A Grand Rapids woman who police say was beaten to death by a man she had dated predicted last summer that he would kill her, sources said.
Aleta Lung, 61, was found dead Wednesday in her apartment off the East Beltline. She was believed to have been dead for two or three days by then. Her one-time boyfriend, 47-year-old Randy Buckner, was arrested hours later driving her vehicle in New Mexico.
Man arrested in New Mexico for murder in Grand Rapids, police say
Grand Rapids police said Sunday evening was the last time anyone hard from Lung. A neighbor said she heard banging and yelling in Lung's apartment on Sunday before the Super Bowl. The neighbor said it sounded like Lung and Buckner were fighting, but the neighbor did not call police because she was worried any resulting charges would be dropped and she feared retaliation. She said she now wishes she had called police and hopes others can learn from her mistake.
Law enforcement sources confirm that when police responded to Lung's home in June 2024 on domestic call, she told them Buckner was going to kill her.
That incident did not result in charges. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said Lung reported Buckner balled up a fist and said he was going to hit her. Buckner denied that. There was no evidence of physical contact, Becker said.
Police said Buckner has a long history of domestic violence arrests.
Victim advocates say domestic violence is an epidemic.
'The story happens over and over again,' Rachel VerWys, CEO of Safe Haven Ministries in Grand Rapids, said. 'And not in any isolated space. This is happening all over the country. It's happening all over our community.'
New Kent County court aims to 'treat the root' of domestic violence
Sources told News 8 Lung had been trying to break it off with Buckner. Victim advocates say that is the among the most dangerous times in an abusive relationship.
'Knowing that abuse can escalate particularly when someone is trying to leave helps us understand the very, very difficult dynamics of victims and what they're facing,' VerWys said.
Buckner appeared Friday at a court hearing from the Bernalillo County, New Mexico, detention center. A judge ordered him held without bond for 25 days while extradition proceedings are underway. A defense attorney said Buckner would challenge extradition.
Anyone who needs help can connect with Safe Haven Ministries through its 24/7 crisis phone line by calling or texting 616.452.6664 or online at .
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Las Vegas restaurant operator ordered to pay more than $215K for alleged racial slurs against Black line cook
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. Olives, Inc., must pay $215,688 after a Black line cook at its Las Vegas restaurant, The Beast, was allegedly racially harassed, and it allegedly took no disciplinary or remedial action in response, according to a June 3 default judgment against the company. Per a federal court order in Scott v. Olives, Inc., over an extended time and for the majority of the line cook's shifts, two co-workers allegedly called him racial slurs and made racially offensive jokes in front of other employees and the supervisor. At the company's Christmas party, they made similarly insulting racist jokes in front of the cook's family, according to the allegations. Based on emails between the line cook and HR, the court found the cook reported the harassment to an HR manager and filled out a written complaint form detailing the co-workers' behavior. The court said the emails showed the HR manager conducted a 'cursory' investigation and, despite clear evidence to the contrary, determined there was no 'malicious intent' in the racially derogatory conduct. Olives allegedly took no other action. In his allegations, the line cook asserted that the harassment got worse after the investigation. When he complained again, Olives allegedly did nothing, and he felt compelled to resign. The line cook sued Olives on a number of grounds, including for subjecting him to a racially hostile work environment in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. A federal court in Nevada ruled that default judgment was proper because Olives did not respond to any documents filed in the case — including the cook's motion for default judgment and the court's motion for a hearing on damages — or make any other attempt to defend the action, and there was no evidence this was due to excusable neglect, the court said. Also, because Olives failed to defend the action, the line cook's 'well-pleaded' allegations could be taken as true, and they showed the co-workers' actions rose to the level of an unlawful hostile work environment under Title VII, the court held. That is, the line cook established his work environment was subjectively hostile — he reported the slurs and jokes to Olives and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to the court. The line cook also established his work environment was objectively hostile. In this regard, although harassment violates the law when it is either sufficiently severe or sufficiently pervasive, the record indicated the co-workers' alleged actions were both, the court pointed out. The court held that Olives could be held liable for their conduct because it failed to take remedial actions 'proportionate to the seriousness of the crime.' In this case, the email exchange between the line cook and HR established that Olives knew of the harassment but decided not to intervene based on the 'spurious conclusion' the co-workers' slurs and jokes were made without malicious intent, the court pointed out. The inadequacy of this response was especially clear given the allegations that the co-workers 'seemed more emboldened after the conclusion of the investigation, and the harassment not only continued but intensified,' the court noted. It awarded the line cook $100,000 in compensatory damages, $100,000 in punitive damages, and the remaining amount for attorneys' fees and costs. Recommended Reading Muslim officer allegedly forced to remove hijab in front of male boss has Title VII claim, 2nd Circuit says Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cars damaged near Portland school after teen suspect rammed cars outside, police say
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — George Middle School in North Portland went into lockdown Tuesday morning after officials said a driver started ramming parked vehicles. According to Portland police, officers responded to the school after reports of a driver in a black Kia Soul ramming parked vehicles. The school went into lockdown, and the car left, but authorities said they eventually returned and hit more cars. Elevated fire danger in Oregon amid thunderstorm and wind threat Police said they later determined that the Kia was stolen. After leaving the school, officials said the suspect crashed the Kia at the intersection of North Hendricks Street and North Charleston Avenue and fled the scene on foot. Police said they searched the area and eventually found the suspect and took him into custody. The suspect, a 17-year-old, is facing numerous charges including hit and run, first-degree criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The lockdown at George Middle School was eventually lifted, and no injuries were reported. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man arrested after allegedly pointing gun at child, woman during road rage incident
(WJET/WFXP) – A Venango County man faces several charges after allegedly pointing a firearm at two people, including a child, during a fit of road rage. On Monday, June 9, officers with the Sugarcreek Borough Police Department responded to a call regarding an angry driver. Trial begins for man accused of murdering pregnant Amish woman According to police, a 61-year-old semitruck driver pointed a handgun at a woman and child during a road rage incident. The driver was arrested and faces two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, two counts of terroristic threats and two counts of simple assault. He's currently being held at the Venango County Jail. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.