SUTTONS BAY -- Craig M. Romer, a construction worker with an "infectious laugh" and a young daughter, was on a first-name basis with many in Suttons Bay.
Equally familiar to locals is Ricardo Roman Jr., the man police believe stabbed Romer to death during an argument at Roman's home early Monday. The incident put many residents in a somber mood.
"It was a dark funk over this whole town yesterday," said Mark Perry, 52, who knew both men.
Authorities on Tuesday charged Roman, 35, with an open count of murder in Romer's death. He was arraigned by video before 86th District Judge Michael Haley, who denied bond.
Romer, 33, went to Roman's home on French Road in Leland Township and was stabbed at about 1 a.m. Police won't provide details, but Roman allegedly told authorities Romer "pushed him and tried to gain entry into his house, so he grabbed a kitchen knife" and stabbed him, court documents show.
Authorities await autopsy and toxicology reports.
Friends said the mother of Romer's daughter had a relationship with Roman, so Romer likely went to the suspect's house to collect his daughter.
"Craig didn't go out of his way looking for trouble," said Ben Koenig, a bartender at The Village Inn in downtown Suttons Bay.
Like Perry, Koenig said the incident hit the town hard.
"Things like this don't happen as much as in a big city, but when they do, they're always more personal, because everybody knows everybody," he said.
Koenig said Roman occasionally popped into The Village Inn.
"He never struck me as violent, but I didn't know him real well, just from the few beers I served him here and there," Koenig said.
Martin Hamilton, 40, was a friend of Romer's.
"He was always ready, no matter what time of the day, he was ready to help. I had times he'd show up in the middle of the night, no questions asked," Hamilton said. "You could always count on him ... Those people are hard to find anymore."
Hamilton wants to know what led to the stabbing.
"It's sad that somebody has to go like that," he said. "Why would somebody have to raise a knife against somebody like that? What was that about? I hope justice will prevail in that part."
Both Roman and Romer had numerous run-ins with the law. Roman had been booked 13 times into the Leelanau County Jail, and Romer was there on six occasions, Sheriff Mike Oltersdorf said. Roman also spent three years in prison for marijuana possession, Michigan Department of Corrections records show.
A service for Romer will be held at 6:30 p.m. today at Suttons Bay Congregational Church.
Roman's preliminary examination is scheduled for Nov. 25.
Staff writer Alex Piazza contributed to this report.
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