Battle Creek Cold Case Murder Solved After More Than 32 Years A Battle Creek Police Detective was finally able to give a Michigan family the answers they waited more than 32 years for. The family of Gayle Barrus finally have the answers they've waited decades for. After many failed attempts to identify the suspect, who left his DNA behind as evidence, Battle Creek Police Detective Scott Marshall was finally able to tell the family of Gayle Barrus that without a shadow of a doubt the murderer has been identified. Roger Plato, who had long been a suspect, was identified as the person who murdered the single mom.