GUILTY MI - Sheila Bonge, 59, Crockery Township, 25 Dec 2017

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Dalagali

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CROCKERY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Police are asking for help in locating a missing woman, 59, who was last seen near her home in the 14000 block of 104th Avenue in Crockery Township.

Sheila Bonge was last seen by family members on Christmas around 2 p.m.

Police describe Bonge as having brown, gray hair with brown eyes. She is approximately 5’3″ tall and about 115 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department at 1-800-249-0911 or Silent Observer at 1-877-88-SILENT.


http://fox17online.com/2017/12/28/police-search-for-missing-woman-last-seen-in-ottawa-county/

No photo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Dalagali said:
CROCKERY TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Police are asking for help in locating a missing woman, 59, who was last seen near her home in the 14000 block of 104th Avenue in Crockery Township.

Sheila Bonge was last seen by family members on Christmas around 2 p.m.

Police describe Bonge as having brown, gray hair with brown eyes. She is approximately 5’3″ tall and about 115 pounds.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department at 1-800-249-0911 or Silent Observer at 1-877-88-SILENT.


http://fox17online.com/2017/12/28/police-search-for-missing-woman-last-seen-in-ottawa-county/

No photo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Her Facebook for photo: https://m.facebook.com/sheila.bonge?ref=content_filter


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Gardener1850 said:
http://www.grandhaventribune.com/Law-Enforcement/2017/12/28/Missing-woman-found-dead.html

RIP Sheila :rose:
Click to expand...
Deputies located Bonge’s body in a wooded area near her home early Thursday evening, Sgt. Jay Douglas of the Sheriff’s Office reported late Thursday night.

“Her death is suspicious at this point, and the investigation is ongoing,” Douglas said. “And this case remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.”

Deputies spent most of Thursday at Bonge’s home, which is set far off a gravel road, searching the area with tracking dogs, according to a WOOD-TV report. Capt. John Wolffis of the Sheriff’s Office told the TV station that there was no obvious signs of injury, but that they are looking into the possibility of foul play.

🥀

a5dcb1c82b2053c9d5d5dded1a417a7d.jpg
 
LisaWL7TR said:
Deputies located Bonge’s body in a wooded area near her home early Thursday evening, Sgt. Jay Douglas of the Sheriff’s Office reported late Thursday night.

“Her death is suspicious at this point, and the investigation is ongoing,” Douglas said. “And this case remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.”

Deputies spent most of Thursday at Bonge’s home, which is set far off a gravel road, searching the area with tracking dogs, according to a WOOD-TV report. Capt. John Wolffis of the Sheriff’s Office told the TV station that there was no obvious signs of injury, but that they are looking into the possibility of foul play.

🥀

a5dcb1c82b2053c9d5d5dded1a417a7d.jpg
Click to expand...

Neighbor arrested: http://woodtv.com/2017/12/29/suspect-in-custody-for-missing-ottawa-co-womans-death/

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to the 24 Hour News 8 that a 63-year-old Crockery Township man is in custody in connection to the death of 59-year-old Sheila Bonge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Dalagali said:
Neighbor arrested: http://woodtv.com/2017/12/29/suspect-in-custody-for-missing-ottawa-co-womans-death/

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to the 24 Hour News 8 that a 63-year-old Crockery Township man is in custody in connection to the death of 59-year-old Sheila Bonge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Oh my!

Friday, her neighbor, 63-year-old Wendell Popejoy, was locked up in the Ottawa County Jail on a felony homicide charge.

The victim and suspect shared a private drive and lived next door to each other, off a quiet gravel road next to a small cattle farm. But a friend of the victim said they were anything but neighborly.

Raymond Vanier said Bonge told him last week about the latest dispute.

“She was so mad. (She) showed me this picture on her phone about the neighbor running into her,” Vanier said.

“(It was) something about snowing, or snowplowing, that the neighbor ran into her, and she’s been having a really difficult time with her neighbor,” he added.

Vanier drove to Bonge’s home on Friday, hoping for answers. He was shocked to learn his friend’s body had been found in the woods behind her home.

“What a miserable way to go, oh my God,” Vanier said.

Ottawa County sheriff’s deputies said they’d been to the area more than five times recently for disputes between neighbors including one within the last month. However, they wouldn’t elaborate Friday.

“It is a unique situation. I can tell you that,” Capt. John Wolffis said.
7c75290016fc3002d6e3b0994f26fc0c.jpg
 
Trial date set in Ottawa County neighbor murder case
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/crime/trial-date-set-in-ottawa-county-neighbor-murder-case/515338945


GRAND HAVEN, MICH. - Wendell Earl Popejoy, 63, waived his arraignment that was scheduled for Monday in Ottawa County Circuit Court.

Popejoy’s trial is scheduled for June 5-6 in front of Judge Karen Miedema. A final pre-trial conference is set for May 7, according to the Grand Haven Tribune.
[.....]
During the preliminary examination on Jan. 24, testimony revealed that there was an ongoing dispute between the neighbors regarding a driveway easement.

Also during the hearing, Ottawa County Detective Ann Koster testified that Popejoy admitted putting Bonge’s body on a sled and taking it down the hill behind his house. Popejoy said he removed Bonge’s clothing and burned it, Koster testified. Popejoy then hid the gun in the garage, Koster said, but he later removed it and threw it in the Grand River off the 68th Avenue Bridge in Eastmanville.
 
Monday, May 7th:
*Final Pretrial Hearing - MI – Sheila Bonge (59) (Dec. 26, 2017) – Wendell Earl Popejoy (63) charged (10/11/17) with open murder & using a firearm in commission of a felony; no bond; confessed to shooting. Grand Haven County. Trial will be by Judge on June 5-6
 
I guess next court date is June 5 and 6 - trial by Judge?
 
Can anyone get into this link - I get "Access Denied" :dunno: why?

https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news...trial-postponed-in-ottawa-county/69-553059119

It's about his June 5 & 6 trial that was coming up for the murder of Sheila. He confessed to the shooting, so don't see what the problem here is! :gaah:

If there is a "new" date in the article above, please post!

TIA! :wave:

and I can't believe the court site charges a fee!!
 
Niner said:
Can anyone get into this link - I get "Access Denied" :dunno: why?

https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news...trial-postponed-in-ottawa-county/69-553059119

It's about his June 5 & 6 trial that was coming up for the murder of Sheila. He confessed to the shooting, so don't see what the problem here is! :gaah:

If there is a "new" date in the article above, please post!

TIA! :wave:

and I can't believe the court site charges a fee!!
Click to expand...

[h=1]Popejoy murder trial postponed in Ottawa County[/h]
The trial for accused murderer Wendell Earl Popejoy has been delayed now that the Coopersville man has retained a new attorney.

According to the Grand Haven Tribune, Popejoy was arrested late last year for the alleged murder of his neighbor over a shared driveway disagreement.

On Feb. 5, the 63-year-old man’s former attorney, Phil Sielski, told an Ottawa County judge that his client stood mute and waived his arraignment on the murder charge at the higher court level. A not-guilty plea was entered in Popejoy’s behalf and he remained lodged in the Ottawa County Jail without bond.
Click to expand...
And that’s the way things will remain pending his trial, said newly retained attorney Jeffrey Kortes of Grand Rapids.

Kortes said a new trial date would be discussed during a pre-trial conference scheduled for next week. No other hearing dates have been set at this time.

Much of the groundwork has already been done for trial preparation, Kortes said.
“His prior attorney was very helpful and kept things in good order,” Kortes said. “It makes it a lot easier.”

Kortes said no plea to any charges is planned at this time.

“He is exercising his rights until there is resolution,” the defense attorney said. “One of those rights is he is presumed not guilty.”
Click to expand...
https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news...trial-postponed-in-ottawa-county/69-553059119
 
Hey @Gardener1850 ! Just getting back to this thread. Thanks for posting a clip from that article. I noticed the article I posted was on May 18. Article says hearing "next week". Can you get into the Ottawa County court system? I can - but it costs $12 to search!!???!!
 
Niner said:
Hey @Gardener1850 ! Just getting back to this thread. Thanks for posting a clip from that article. I noticed the article I posted was on May 18. Article says hearing "next week". Can you get into the Ottawa County court system? I can - but it costs $12 to search!!???!!
Click to expand...

Hi @Niner it seems everyone has to pay to view it, sorry. All I can see for free is a public court schedule for June 4th and he does not appear there: miOttawa - Ottawa County, Michigan

I guess we can keep checking back or hope the press picks it up when he is back in court.
 
Just a reminder - & I tried to get into that link post above ^^ - down due to maintenance until 4:30am. So I'll check that later & see what's going on!

Tuesday, June 5th:
*Trial was set to begin Postponed – MI – Sheila Bonge (59) (Dec. 26, 2017) – Wendell Earl Popejoy (63) charged with open murder & using a firearm in commission of a felony; no bond/confessed to shooting. Grand Haven County. Trial was to start June 5-6 by Judge. Ware retained a new attorney, trial delayed.
2/5/18 Update: Judge entered “not guilty plea”. Defendant retains new attorney, trial delayed.
 
Just an update - sort of. I've been checking the court calendar every day - so far nothing....
 
Ah Ha!! A date finally - today!!

Sept. 21st:
1:30 PM POPEJOY, WENDELL 18-041803-FC WALKER HEARING
Judge Miedema


edited to add:
Walker hearing: an evidentiary hearing to determine the voluntariness of the defendant’s statement; common allegations are the defendant was coerced, drunk, intimidated, retarded, etc.
 
And now we have trial date!

Jury trials, sentencings to take place next month

WEST MICHIGAN — A series of high-profile jury trials and upcoming sentencings will keep Ottawa County courts particularly busy in October. Most notably, two murder trials are scheduled for next month.
[.....]
On Oct. 9, a jury trial will begin for murder suspect Wendell Earl Popejoy. Popejoy allegedly killed his neighbor, Sheila Bonge, in Crockery Township on Dec. 26, 2017.
[.....]
During past court appearances, a detective testified Popejoy admitted to putting Bonge’s body on a sled and taking it down the hill behind his house. He then removed her clothing a burned it. Should he be convicted of murder, Popejoy is facing up to life in prison.
 
Popejoy murder trial set to begin Oct. 9

And a confession written by Wendell Earl Popejoy, 64, will be allowed as evidence in the trial, despite a defense request to suppress the document. Ottawa County Circuit Judge Karen Miedema denied the motion to suppress the confession in an opinion released Tuesday.
[.....]
Also during the hearing, Ottawa County Detective Ann Koster testified that Popejoy admitted putting Bonge’s body on a sled and taking it down the hill behind his house. He removed Bonge’s clothing and burned it, Koster said. Popejoy then hid the gun in his garage, but later removed it and threw it in the Grand River off the 68th Avenue Bridge in Eastmanville, the detective said.
[.....]
The judge also addressed the issue of whether or not Popejoy’s interview and confession was voluntary. She ruled that it was, noting that he was educated enough, was not injured, drugged or deprived of food, sleep or medical attention.
[.....]
The trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday, Oct. 9.
 
Tuesday, Oct. 9th:
*Trial set to begin (@ am ET) – MI – Sheila Bonge (59) (Dec. 26, 2017) – Wendell Earl Popejoy (63) charged with open murder & using a firearm in commission of a felony. Plead not guilty. No bond; confessed to shooting.
Trial was to start June 5-6, 2018 by Judge. Ware retained a new attorney, trial delayed.
2/5/18 Update: Judge entered “not guilty plea”. Defendant retains new attorney, trial delayed.
9/21/18 Update: Walker hearing today 9/21 – Judge Miedema. Walker hearing: an evidentiary hearing to determine the voluntariness of the defendant’s statement; common allegations are the defendant was coerced, drunk, intimidated, retarded, etc.
9/21/18 Update: Trial starts 10/9.
 
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