Dennis McCarthy was stabbed to death Aug. 23, 2009, inside his Holly Township home.

According to police, Dennis McCarthy's wife heard a noise early that Sunday morning and went to check the locks on the doors.

Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Muir said an attacker pushed his way through the back door, stabbed McCarthy and ran off.

“He (McCarthy) then chased the intruder out the door and after closing the door, he collapsed,” Muir said.

McCarthy later died at a hospital.

Police said 34-year-old Jeremy Heath has not been accounted for since McCarthy’s death, and they want to question him.

According to state records, Heath has a criminal history that involves felony assault.

There is currently a warrant out for his arrest in an unrelated case.

View: Heath's State Correction Record.

A woman who is a McCarthy family friend spoke with Local 4 a day after his death, and expressed concern for McCarthy's wife of 30 years.

“Our prayers are with her and our thoughts are with her and we're grieving for her now,” the friend said, not wishing to be identified.

McCarthy had just been released from jail a week earlier, after serving a one year sentence for admittedly molesting his 4-year-old grandson. He was still serving nine years of probation.

Muir said police believe McCarthy knew his attacker.

“We believe that this is not a random act. We believe it is somehow linked to the previous investigations,” Muir said.

The McCarthy family friend said despite McCarthy's past, whoever attacked and killed him must be brought to justice.

“He shouldn't go free. He shouldn't go unpunished, whoever did it for any reason at all. You can't take the law in your own hands,” the friend said.

McCarthy's wife said the attacker was a white man in his 20s. He was about 5 feet 7 inches tall with a stocky build. He was last seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt.

If you have any information, you are urged to contact the Michigan State Policehttp://www.clickondetroit.com/news/20524926/detail.html

Glad I’m not the only person who was thinking the wifey might not be completely innocent of at least conspiracy. It was awfully convenient that she went downstairs first……

My grandpa molested me from… well, I remember it at five, who knows when he started. I haven’t been 5 for a long long time.

In my ‘been-there-done-that’ opinion whatever judge sentenced this perv to 1 stinking year of imprisonment should be held responsible for his murder.

What sane human on this earth would possibly feel that 1 lousy year behind bars could remotely be considered justice? Of course the relatives of that child would seek additional justice. And now, on top of the guilt they feel over what their child has been subjected too by one of the people who should have loved that child the most, the person who commited this crime will have to carry the burdon of murder on their shoulders.

I do hope they are caught, simply so they can “pay the price” for their actions and have it done with. When caught I pray they receive a 1 year sentence, time serverd [for the grief I'm sure they've suffered is it's own prison]

There ARE other ways than death to stop a pedophile. Massive strokes for instance. Massive stokes that leave you just enough above a vegatable to realize the hell your life has become… and then to live like that for 13 long uncomfortable years.

In 2004, McCarthy was acquitted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct charges after his granddaughter, two neighbor girls and two of the granddaughter’s cousins accused him of fondling them, according to court records.
McCarthy’s son David McCarthy filed a civil lawsuit against his father earlier this month seeking at least $25,000 in damages and, Shea said, accusing him of molesting a second granddaughter.
The case is scheduled to go before Oakland County Circuit Judge Nanci Grant for a hearing on Wednesday.

Dayum!

Dennis McCarthy was acquitted of molesting his granddaughter in 2004. But he pleaded guilty last year to molesting his then 4-year-old grandson.

Detroit Free Press

While I generally believe in letting the justice system handle these things, I have to agree with the killer in this case. Criminal justice fail –> Vigilante win!