Lansing Man on Trial for Double Homicide Stemming from Tumultuous Relationship
LANSING, MI – September 18, 2025 – The trial of Dennis Whaley continued Thursday in Ingham County Circuit court, revealing a history of conflict and alleged abuse leading up to the April 18, 2024, shootings that left Christine Cambric and Jason McKenzie dead. Whaley is accused of murdering Cambric and McKenzie at a Woodrow Avenue home in Lansing.
Testimony painted a picture of a “toxic” and on-again, off-again relationship between Whaley and Cambric, with witnesses stating Cambric desired Whaley to move out. Clay Roark-Scharf, the boyfriend of another resident of the home, described the relationship as involving “a lot of fighting and not a lot of trust.”
Court records show Lansing police were called to the residence in November 2023 following an argument over bills. Cambric reported to officers that Whaley kicked her four times and, days prior, pushed her out of bed, possibly fracturing her shoulder. An arrest warrant was issued for Whaley in January 2024, but was not served before the fatal shootings three months later.
Whaley was apprehended days after the shooting after contacting a detective and arranging his surrender. Police recovered the assault-style rifle used in the shootings near a homeless encampment, based on information provided by Whaley.
Roark-Scharf testified he was upstairs when he heard shouting and then gunshots from the basement. He armed himself and hid, instructing his girlfriend, Adkins, to call 911 and stay away from the house. Adkins, who was in a friend’s car at the time, testified she saw Whaley leaving the home and described his expression as “crazy,” with “evil in his eyes.”
The trial before Judge Wanda Stokes is expected to conclude next week.