News Photo by Julie Riddle Bruce Kinsey, center, appears next to attorney Bill Pfeifer while Assistant Michigan Attorney General Gage Wakula appears virtually at a hearing in Alpena’s 88th District Court on Monday.

ALPENA — A Hubbard Lake man lied to interfere with a homicide investigation related to Brad Srebnik and Joshua Wirgau, the Michigan Attorney General’s office believes.

That office charged Bruce Kinsey, 37, with lying to police and prosecution when he said he picked up Srebnik and Wirgau near the intersection of Lacomb and Haken roads in Alpena Township at an unspecified date.

That pickup actually happened near the Lafarge Alpena plant, court documents allege.

Police have connected Srebnik, 35, and Wirgau, 34, to the deaths of Alpena teen Brynn Bills and Alpena woman Abby Hill last year.

Nobody has been charged related to the deaths.

Kinsey appeared in Alpena’s 88th District Court on Monday, where a representative of the Attorney General’s office appeared virtually.

Court documents did not specify whether the Attorney General’s office is investigating Srebnik and Wirgau related to the deaths. The documents did say Kinsey’s statements to law enforcement interfered with a homicide investigation.

Alpena County Prosecutor Cynthia Muszynski said she is working with the Attorney General in investigating Kinsey but would not answer questions about that investigation or about potential homicide charges related to the deaths.

The Attorney General’s Office could not be reached for comment.

Defense attorney Bill Pfeifer would not comment on behalf of his client, who entered a not-guilty plea at his arraignment last week.

Wirgau and Srebnik are both serving two-year prison terms after pleading guilty to weapons charges related to an alleged hijacking.

Police say the hijacking occurred one week before police found Bills buried in Wirgau’s Alpena Township back yard in late September.

Police have called Wirgau a person of interest in Bills’ death.

Police later found the body of Hill — who police say participated in the alleged hijacking — in Alpena Township.

In court documents, Muszynski called Srebnik a prime suspect in both deaths.

Kinsey is scheduled back in court next week, when a judge will hear evidence to determine if the defendant should continue toward trial.

Kinsey is currently housed in the Alpena County Jail, serving a one-year sentence for a 2020 home invasion and assault.

If he is found guilty of lying during a homicide investigation, Kinsey could be sentenced to up to life in prison.

Julie Riddle can be reached at 989-358-5693 or jriddle@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jriddleX.