MI MI - Jeffrey Willis - Suspected SK in Muskegon County, MI

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Artis said:
So, about the Grand Rapids murders...

While the fist was found in Muskegon county (which adjoins Kent County, where Grand Rapids is), the rest were found in Kent county and Grand Rapids (as I understand) and they were prostitutes. Does it often happen that a serial killer switches from prostitutes to women and girls who are not? Heeringa, Bletch, the 16 year old who got away, and the 15 year old from 1996 are were not prostitutes. Certainly Willis is sex obsessed (as all serial killers are in one way or another) but I thought a killer who kills prostitutes usually stuck with that type of victim.
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I am not sure they would necessarily stick to prostitutes. I think many target prostitutes because it is 'less risky' and easier to find someone to get alone somewhere. But serial killers do sometimes change their MO over time. Also, he was making homemade child abuse *advertiser censored*---so he was an all around scum bag, it seems. Willing to do any sick thing he had the urge to do.
 
This is probably nothing, but I found it interesting. Just ran across the story of the I-70 killer.

http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Interstate_70_Killer

Check out the sketch to the right. It reminds me of the sketch in the Heeringa case, and of Willis' high school picture.

The I-70 killer's spree began in April 1992 and he used a .22 caliber weapon.
 
Tangie said:
This is probably nothing, but I found it interesting. Just ran across the story of the I-70 killer.

http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Interstate_70_Killer

Check out the sketch to the right. It reminds me of the sketch in the Heeringa case, and of Willis' high school picture.

The I-70 killer's spree began in April 1992 and he used a .22 caliber weapon.
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Good find, although those murders don't seem to fit the MO of Willis. It's still worth checking the ballistics though.
 
Artis said:
So, about the Grand Rapids murders...

While the fist was found in Muskegon county (which adjoins Kent County, where Grand Rapids is), the rest were found in Kent county and Grand Rapids (as I understand) and they were prostitutes. Does it often happen that a serial killer switches from prostitutes to women and girls who are not? Heeringa, Bletch, the 16 year old who got away, and the 15 year old from 1996 are were not prostitutes. Certainly Willis is sex obsessed (as all serial killers are in one way or another) but I thought a killer who kills prostitutes usually stuck with that type of victim.
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Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, killed both prostitutes and other women. If you look back to the canonical list of his victims at the time he was caught and tried, it's noticeable that 4 of the 13 were "respectable women" including a 16 year old, a 19 year old building society clerk and 2 students. His earliest victims were prostitutes but then they became more random, one explanation for which is that the prostitutes and police in the red light areas he frequented became much more vigilant so he switched to less risky victims. When he was arrested, however, it was with another prostitute in his car but in a completely different city.

His case has recently been reopened because police now think he may have been responsible for murders years earlier than his first currently proven one, and over a much wider area including London. He is now much more in the frame as well for brutal attacks on women who survived.
 
I haven't had a chance to read everything about Willis. Does anyone know what he does for a living?
 
otto said:
I haven't had a chance to read everything about Willis. Does anyone know what he does for a living?
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He worked for a furniture manufacturer.

Who is Jeffrey Willis? What we know about sexual kidnapping suspect
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2016/05/who_is_jeffrey_willis_what_we.html

Until his arrest he worked at Herman Miller's Spring Lake Township facility on Hickory Street. He was placed on leave after his arrest pending further investigation, the company said in a statement. Willis was arrested while driving home from his third-shift job Tuesday morning, May 17, Muskegon County Sheriff Dean Roesler said. According to his application for a public defender, he has worked for the furniture manufacturer for 18 years and earns $900 every two weeks.
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cgon4872 said:
It isn't unheard of for serial killers to start out killing prostitutes and graduate to more "respectable" victims as they gain more confidence. I honestly can't think of any examples (since it seems to me, most prostitute slayers stick with prostitutes since they have a steady supply of easy victims), but many FBI profiles have come out and said that in the past.

Is there more information on the Grand Rapids murders online? I can't find much information. I also wonder how much he was traveled outside of Michigan, since he seems to have stayed in or around Muskegon county for most of his life.
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Several years ago, prostitutes would hang out in certain areas waiting for johns to pick them up. Now, the offer their services online (ie. backpage or craigslist) which gives LE a digital trace. This could be one reason why someone would switch to random abductions to avoid detection.
 
Many serial killers never kill prostitutes, like Bundy for example. I doubt he went from killing prostitutes to killing women he could abduct by other means. Remember he had been video taping women in parking lots and stalked a woman for 12 years who had nothing to do with prostitution.
 
colette said:
Many serial killers never kill prostitutes, like Bundy for example. I doubt he went from killing prostitutes to killing women he could abduct by other means. Remember he had been video taping women in parking lots and stalked a woman for 12 years who had nothing to do with prostitution.
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I guess it really depends on the psychology behind the individual. Bundy was charming, intelligent, etc., but also extremely narcissistic. He knew how to exploit those traits, and figured he could get almost any woman he wanted by using them. Most serial killers aren't like that, which is why they typically victimize people in "rougher" areas of society. It's possible Willis victimized prostitutes until he become more comfortable and then decided to go on and victimize victims that were considered more "respectable" by society.

Right now I don't think it's wise to rule anything out. Since as of now, Willis only has two confirmed victims. I believe he probably has more, but only time will tell.
 
cgon4872 said:
I guess it really depends on the psychology behind the individual. Bundy was charming, intelligent, etc., but also extremely narcissistic. He knew how to exploit those traits, and figured he could get almost any woman he wanted by using them. Most serial killers aren't like that, which is why they typically victimize people in "rougher" areas of society. It's possible Willis victimized prostitutes until he become more comfortable and then decided to go on and victimize victims that were considered more "respectable" by society.

Right now I don't think it's wise to rule anything out. Since as of now, Willis only has two confirmed victims. I believe he probably has more, but only time will tell.
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Oh I think he had more too, hopefully we will find out.
 
enzeder said:
He worked for a furniture manufacturer.

Who is Jeffrey Willis? What we know about sexual kidnapping suspect
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2016/05/who_is_jeffrey_willis_what_we.html

"Until his arrest he worked at Herman Miller's Spring Lake Township facility on Hickory Street. He was placed on leave after his arrest pending further investigation, the company said in a statement. Willis was arrested while driving home from his third-shift job Tuesday morning, May 17, Muskegon County Sheriff Dean Roesler said. According to his application for a public defender, he has worked for the furniture manufacturer for 18 years and earns $900 every two weeks."
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He must have a rather low level job to be earning so little!
 
otto said:
He must have a rather low level job to be earning so little!
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Ha... Off topic but two degrees later and working as a teacher and my check is barely over that. [emoji20][emoji58] chuckles to myself at low level job. [emoji6]


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