GUILTY MI - April Millsap, 14, Armada, 24 July 2014 #2

[DaleTray]

April Millsap's mother to convicted killer: 'I hate you and I can never forgive you'

Jury found James VanCallis guilty of murder, kidnapping, sexual assault

By Dave Bartkowiak Jr. - Digital Editor , Halston Herrera - Digital news editor

Posted: 6:00 PM, March 29, 2016
Updated: 10:51 AM, March 30, 2016

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. - The man convicted of killing 14-year-old April Millsap as she walked her dog on a trail in Armada maintained his innocence Wednesday all the way up to the moment a judge sentenced him to spend the rest of his life in prison.

"There is no evidence that shows I have done anything wrong," James VanCallis told the court. “This is a sad chain of events that I’m somehow wrapped up in.” ...

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/man-to-be-sentenced-wednesday-for-murder-of-april-millsap

Can you believe the audacity of this man? I almost laughed when JVC told Judge Mary " I am filling it out right now in front of you" He is one of the guys I will probably look up every 5 yrs or so under inmate locator and see how he is aging.

 

[michmi]

Remorseless animal. Gratified to know 9 of the 12 jurors in the trial returned to be present during sentencing.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

VanCallis criticizes case, but jury foreman calls claims ‘garbage'

A defiant James VanCallis attacked the case against him before he was ordered by a Macomb County judge Wednesday to spend the rest of his life in prison for the April Millsap slaying.

VanCallis, 34, of Goodells, told Judge Mary Chrzanowski prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence that he killed 14-year-old Millsap on July 24, 2014, along the Macomb Orchard Trail in Armada despite a jury convicting him Feb. 8 of felony murder, kidnapping and attempted sexual penetration following a trial.

“There is no evidence that shows I did anything wrong,” he said. “This is a sad chain of events that I was somehow wrapped up in. I don’t know her (Millsap). I’ve never met her.”

VanCallis, however, never directly denied killing Millsap...

http://www.macombdaily.com/general-...es-case-but-jury-foreman-calls-claims-garbage

 

[Jinkasaurus]

RIP April

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

http://mdocweb.state.mi.us/OTIS2/otis2profile.aspx?mdocNumber=577243

I've checked MDOC daily since sentencing. Information finally posted.

 

[colette]

April's murder was covered on Crime Watch Daily:

[video=youtube;lwCAUjXWSg8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwCAUjXWSg8[/video]

 

[tlcya]

Millsap and her good friend, Jean Fitzell Persely, both of Armada, recently traveled to New York City, New York, to film the taping of an episode of "On the Case with Paula Zahn" for the Investigation Discovery Channel. The cable network focuses on true crime stories told in a documentary-style format.


Millsap was contacted by the show's producers several months ago, and once dates were set she was ready to share the story of the tragic loss of her only child, 14-year-old April Millsap, who was murdered along the Macomb Orchard Trail in July 2014. James VanCallis, 34, of Goodells, was convicted of the crime in February and sentenced to life in prison in March.

http://www.voicenews.com/articles/2016/05/26/news/doc57473d3ebcf1a418886810.txt?viewmode=fullstory

 

[mrdimwit]

There are so many of these unfortunate cases, i had forgotten about poor April until i saw the show with Paula Zahn on ID. Good job everyone!

 

[SloothesRUs]

Appeal denied
http://www.thenewsherald.com/downri...cle_555cb8aa-c84d-5267-b32d-3735cb26ecdc.html

 

[liltexans]

April’s case was the subject of the ID show ‘Murder Comes to Town’ this past week. She has not been forgotten.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Slain teen remembered at Armada High School's commencement

Armada High School left a chair empty at commencement in memory of a 14-year-old girl who was killed four years ago and would have graduated this spring.

April Millsap’s favorite colors, white and pink, decorated the vacant seat where she likely would have sat among Armada Area Schools’ Class of 2018.

The high school presented an honorary diploma to April’s mother, Jennifer Millsap, in a special ceremony at last week’s commencement. Jennifer Millsap received a standing ovation as she accepted the posthumous diploma, witnesses said...

Slain teen remembered at Armada High School’s commencement

 

[morf13]

I am covering April's case this weekend on my podcast, The Murder in My Family, and I interview April's Mom, Jennifer. I'll post a link to the show when it drops

 

[morf13]

My newest podcast episode of The Murder In My Family is out covering April's case Episode 10 April Millsap - The Murder in My Family

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Man found guilty in murder of 14-year-old April Millsap loses appeal

Jury finds VanCallis guilty on all counts

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. - The man who was found guilty of killing 14-year-old April Millsap, of Armada, lost his appeal of the ruling, the Michigan Court of Appeals announced Friday...

 

[tlcya]

Just came to make sure this had been updated. Knew you'd be on it Bette

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Mich. Supreme Court denies appeal by teen's killer

The Michigan Supreme Court has denied the latest appeal by a man convicted in the slaying of a 14-year-old Macomb County girl in 2014, authorities announced Thursday.

James VanCallis was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2016 for April Millsap's murder. A jury had found him guilty of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault in the July 2014 beating death on a popular hiking trail near Armada.

VanCallis maintained his innocence during the sentencing, saying the court did not have enough evidence to pin him to the murder. The St. Clair County man said witnesses could not positively identify him, his clothing, or prove his motorcycle was on the hiking trail...

 

[helpfulcharlie]

Arrogant, entitled *advertiser censored** -- (1) angry that he's rejected, he forcibly takes what he was denied. (2) when the jury decides the evidence is enough to convict, his response is that it's impossible, it was clearly too perfect a crime for you to convict me. And didn't even have any defense witnesses? Come on.

Obviously he wasn't as smart as he thought he was.

 

[Julzforme]

I just seen this case in the UK on a TV show called Murder Wall, CBS Reality April 1st 2023, first time I heard about this horrific case, I wondered what happened to April's Dog she was walking as there was no mention on the show, but thanks to JLSChook comment on the first forum I found out the dog stayed with April and was with her when she was found, so loyal they are couldnt even imagine the terror April and her dog went through, It was heartbreaking, i cried throughout the show, and i had to watch over 2 days,I know its years passed since the crime, but I would like to send my condolences to April's family x

 

[Julzforme]

Arrogant, entitled *advertiser censored** -- (1) angry that he's rejected, he forcibly takes what he was denied. (2) when the jury decides the evidence is enough to convict, his response is that it's impossible, it was clearly too perfect a crime for you to convict me. And didn't even have any defense witnesses? Come on.

Obviously he wasn't as smart as he thought he was.

Agree he wasn't as smart, I agree about what you say about evil in your Red print so true