Former Tenant Confesses to 2007 Slaying of Grand Rapids’ Janna Kelly [Video]

A woman who rented a house from Janna Kelly has admitted to killing her in December 2007 and leaving her body in an Ottawa County field.

WZZM-13 reports Robin Lynn Root, 52, was arrested Monday, April 27, in Kent County and Tuesday was formally charged with murder.

According to MLive Media Group/ The Grand Rapids Press Root allegedly confessed to Ottawa County cold case detectives on Monday during an interview.

Detectives say that Root was renting a house from Kelly, a 60-year-old mother and Grand Rapids insurance company co-owner.

The rental was adjacent to where Kelly herself lived, on Woodmeadow Drive SE in Grand Rapids.

Root fell behind on paying her rent, and was evicted in March 2007. Kelly took Root to court and was awarded $2,900.

9 months later, on December 4, 2007, Kelly went missing.

According to court documents, Root told investigators that is the day she went to speak to Kelly about the rent issue.

Root says Kelly "expressed her frustration," during the interaction.

Root then admits to pushing Kelly, who fell and hit her head and became unconscious.

Root alleges that at that time, Kelly was still breathing. She put Kelly in the trunk of Kelly's car and left her there overnight. Root says when she checked the car the next morning, Kelly was dead.

Root drove the car to Grand Haven Township. She found a vacant, wooded area, and left Kelly's body there.

3 months later, Kelly's body was found.

Root was denied bond at arraignment Tuesday.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and they're not ruling out additional arrests.