Man sentenced 22 to 60 years in 2018 Bath Twp. murder

On Monday, Thomas Olson, 35, of Grand Blanc, was sentenced to 22.5 to 60 years’ incarceration for the murder of Chong Yang, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

In February, Olson was found guilty by a Clinton County jury of one count of Second-Degree Murder and one count of Felony Firearm in the 2018 shooting death of Chong Moua Yang, 68, at the Rose Lake State Park in Bath Township. Sentencing was presided over by Judge Shannon Schlegel in the 29th Circuit Court and included a consecutive two-year sentence for the firearm offense.

“While the path to justice can be long, the Bath Township Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the dedicated prosecutors in my office worked tirelessly to secure this arrest, conviction, and now, sentencing,” Nessel said. “No jury verdict or sentencing could erase the pain felt by loved ones mourning the loss of Mr. Yang, though we hope today marks a significant step toward healing and a renewed assurance of justice.”

On November 16, 2018, Chong Yang went hunting in the Rose Lake State Park in Bath Township, a frequent hunting spot for him. When he had not returned home that evening, his wife became alarmed. Members of Yang’s family volunteered to look for him and found his car in the parking lot. Footprints led them to the victim’s body.

Yang was found lying face down with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the head. Witness testimony and a plastic bag with hunting spray that was recovered near the scene led police to Olson.