PETOSKEY, MI -- For Art Piel, it has been a long battle coping with the loss of his daughter.

Former Petoskey Police Officer Lisa Piel was found dead 16-years ago Friday.

Investigators ruled her death a suicide, but her father says the evidence points to murder.

Friday marked the 16th anniversary of the death of Lisa Piel, Petoskey's first female police officer.  Her father still has questions, 16 years later."

“It's hard to believe that the time has gone that fast," said Art Piel.

Art Piel and his wife live in the house where Lisa Piel was found dead on October 8th, 1994.  A plaque hangs near the garage, proclaiming Lisa's House, the uneven spackle marks where the bullet that pierced through Lisa's body hit the wall, and an uneasy feeling about the investigation of her death continues to linger.

“It was a very difficult time, still difficult, it never goes away, and I want to find out what really happened, so being at my age, it could be tomorrow, or 10 years from now, who knows, and tomorrow's not promised to anybody, so that's why I want to find something out," said Piel.

Lisa Piel joined the Petoskey Police Department in 1978 and worked with the department for 13 years.  In 1992, she became self-employed, and began her own wallpaper business.  In the final years of her life, her father said she became depressed.  16 years ago, she was found shot in her house, and after an investigation, her death certificate reads she died by suicide.

“She was very depressed, but I just can't believe, she always said I don't give up, I've always told the kids don't give up on nothing," said Piel.

Art says he can't believe she killed herself.  He wrote a book, filled with reports and stories, that he feels contradict the police investigation.  To this day, he still believes there was a conspiracy, a cover-up to her death.  He worked hard on piecing the puzzle together.

"I just feel somebody, somewhere, is going to goof up and talk, which always does," said Piel.

Art says people still put flowers out by Lisa's shrine and place letters showing support for the Piel family.  But until he gets the answer, closure is far away.