GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Garry Artman, a convicted killer, made a deathbed confession, admitting to nearly a dozen murders, most of which he was never charged for, sources revealed.
Artman contacted detectives just days before succumbing to lung cancer, revealing that he was responsible for 11 murders, with 10 occurring in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
One of Artman’s known victims is Sharon Hammack, a case for which Artman was officially convicted. The murder of Dusty Shuck was also attributed to Artman. Shuck, 24, was beaten and stabbed to death near an Interstate 70 truck stop in Maryland in 2006, with Artman’s DNA found at the scene.
Artman’s deathbed confession also included details of several other murders, including those of Cathleen Dennis, a victim who has never been found. Detectives are still working to verify and corroborate the information Artman provided to potentially solve other unsolved cases.
Sharon Hammack’s murder in 1996 remained unsolved despite DNA evidence linking to Artman. It wasn’t until forensic genealogy led authorities to Artman, resulting in his arrest in 2022 and his conviction in 2023, where he denied being a killer. Artman’s deathbed confession shed new light on a potential slew of other victims during his time as a long-haul trucker.
At least four West Michigan police agencies are investigating Artman’s claims, aiming to bring closure to the families of the victims. Although Artman has passed away, investigators continue to work towards resolving these unsolved cases.