Medical examiner rules murder-suicide for father and son found dead in June at Isle Royale National Park
A medical examiner in Keweenaw County, Mich., has ruled the June deaths of a father and son on Isle Royale National Park a murder-suicide.
WTIP requested and received the death certificates of John Baird, 60, and his son, Bradley Baird, 30, from the Keweenaw County Clerk’s Office on Thursday. The two men were from Northville, Mich., near Detroit.
In early June, the father and son were camping at South Lake Desor Campground at Isle Royale National Park. During the late afternoon of June 8, park rangers received reports of two people found deceased at the remote backcountry campsite. Park rangers hiked 11 miles overnight to reach the campground where the two individuals were found dead.
According to the death certificates, John Baird had “multiple stab wounds of head, torso, and extremities.”
Keweenaw County Medical Examiner Petio Kotov ruled John Baird was murdered after being “stabbed multiple times by his son.”
The death certificates state that Bradley Baird had “multiple self-inflicted sharp injuries and stab wounds to the neck and torso.” His death was determined to be a suicide.
According to MLive, in the hours leading up to the discovery of the deceased father and son, nearby campers reported hearing an “unhinged” man threatening violence to himself and others. In a copy of a 911 call from a nearby camper to law enforcement, obtained by MLive, the reporting party described hearing numerous threats. The camper was concerned about their safety and packed up their belongings before hiking out of the area.
Following the deaths of the father and son at Isle Royale National Park in June, the incident was under investigation. The National Park Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Keweenaw County officials were involved in the investigation. While located only approximately 20 miles from Grand Portage, Minn., Isle Royale National Park resides in Keweenaw County, Mich.
A motive for the murder or any additional information has not been released at this time.
Kalli Hawkins October 23, 2025
