Case closed: Onondaga Tavern fire investigation over

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — The “ suspicious ” fire that totaled the iconic Onondaga Tavern and triggered a criminal investigation has been closed.

An Ingham County Sheriff’s Department official tells 6 News the case has been closed. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the case.

“Closed,” the official wrote in a text message response to an inquiry about the status of the investigation. “No determination of cause. Of the potential suspects that were investigated, all were ruled out.”

The source source says the investigation into the fire was officially closed on June 18.

A dozen local fire departments assisted the Onondaga Fire Department in battling the fire first reported at about 5:30 a.m. on New Year’s Eve.

Owner Chris Potter was facing foreclosure at the time of the fire. Ingham County property records show Consumers Professional Credit Union is the taxpayer of record on the property located at 5576 Oak St. in Onondaga. The record indicates the credit union became the taxpayer of record on the property through foreclosure and sheriff’s sale.

Those records show $5,128.74 in back-due taxes from 2021 were paid in February 2024. Ingham County property records show $3,483.65 in taxes from 2022 and $3,727.24 in taxes from 2023 — for a total unpaid tax balance of $7,210.89.

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