Mother of 5 found dead after leaving bar in 1989, MI officials say. Arrest now made

More than three decades after a mother of five was found dead a week after leaving a Michigan bar, a man has been charged in her death, authorities say.

Steven Gary Koon, 63, faces an open murder charge in the death of Linda Marie Meteer, who was 41 when her body was discovered, the Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office said.

Western Michigan University’s cold case program, which assisted law enforcement in the cold case, said Meteer was reported missing April 20, 1989, after leaving a Chum’s Corner bar. Her body was found seven days later.

“Almost everybody was drawn to my mom, she had an outgoing personality,” the victim’s daughter, Lisa, told WPBN last year. “I love her and I miss her.”

Sheriff’s officials said a task force investigated Meteer’s death “for many years,” but the case eventually became cold.

More recently, students from WMU helped digitize Meteer’s case file as authorities hoped for a breakthrough with DNA evidence.

The breakthrough finally came, leading to an “emotional” phone call from Capt. Chris Clark to the victim’s family, he said in a Feb. 19 press briefing.

Authorities said Koon was a “casual encounter” of Meteer, but they did not offer additional details of what led to her death or the evidence tying Koon to the killing.

If found guilty, Koon faces a potential life sentence in prison, the sheriff’s office said.

Grand Traverse County is about a 135-mile drive north from Grand Rapids.

This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 9:34 AM with the headline "Mother of 5 found dead after leaving bar in 1989, MI officials say. Arrest now made."