Crime & Safety

Bashara's Death has Drawn National Attention

A variety of media outlets have descended on Grosse Pointe Park following the death of a resident who was strangled to death and left in the backseat of her small SUV.

The hum of generators can be heard on Middlesex Road in Grosse Pointe Park, disrupting the normal quiet atmosphere of the street that leads to Windmill Pointe, after some media outlets have set up outside the Bashara home following the death .

The news of Bashara's death was hard to hear and accept for the many Grosse Pointers who knew her. The media attention her death has gained is not what the close-knit community where everyone knows each other is accustomed to, and conversation related to her death can be heard nearly any where ones goes in the community.

Grosse Pointe Park is one of the five Grosse Pointe cities along Lake St. Clair that has more than 11,000 residents, most of whom are families with children. The median age in the Park is 41 years 8 months old, according to a the 2010 U.S. Census Data, and the median income is $114,453.

Find out what's happening in Grosse Pointewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As Bashara's family, friends and neighbors prepare for , the Pointes have been swamped with representatives from a variety of media outlets—most recently gaining the attention of Good Morning America.

last week the day after roads in Detroit. Her husband had reported her missing about 12 hours before her body was found.

Find out what's happening in Grosse Pointewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

At first it drew the attention of the Detroit area television stations and major daily newspapers, The Detroit News and The Detroit Free Press. Representatives from at least one of the television stations essentially camped out during the weekend in front of the Bashara home. Some camped out near the , where Bashara's husband Bob offered comments to media following his initial interview with police.

He did not offer comment following his second interview, after which .

The media attention grew throughout the weekend as . Then early Monday, the case was featured on Good Morning America.

Friends and family of the couple have been stopping at their home since the discovery of her body last week. , saying he could not have murdered his wife.

Meanwhile, the investigation into Bashara's death continues. Hiller said early Monday detectives from Detroit and Grosse Pointe Park are still evaluating and going through evidence gathered from the Bashara home Friday night. It will likely take some time to evaluate all that was gathered, Hiller said.

A visitation scheduled for this afternoon at in Grosse Pointe Woods is expected to draw hundreds as well as a memorial service scheduled for Tuesday at .

To add to the sensitive situation involving the couple, who had been married for 26 years, is their high profiles within the Grosse Pointes. Both were active in the community, volunteering and supporting charity organizations. Jane Bashara was also active at Grosse Pointe South High School when her children were in school there.

News of her death followed by only a week , who was also known to those active with Grosse Pointe South High School. His children both attend South.

in what police believe was accidental related to some sort of disorientation Ivers had following a crash. The cause and manner of his death is still pending with the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office.

Many of the same people were friends with the Basharas and the Ivers.


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