MI MI - Jessica Heeringa, 25, Norton Shores, 26 April 2013 #9 (J. Willis GUILTY)

Welcome to Websleuths!
Click to learn how to make a missing person's thread

DNA Solves
DNA Solves
DNA Solves

New Posts

Status
Not open for further replies.
slippers said:
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/crime/je...ng-wasnt-right-when-willis-spoke-up/364041991

Really interesting about the customer who saw Willis in the store with Heeringa..think it was the night before the abduction...the customer got bad vibes and said that Heeringa did too, in her opinion.

Excerpt from article: "Nester recalled a man in the store, now realizing it was Willis.

She explained she was struck by him: Willis turned around and said Heeringa has customers looking out for her, too.

Heeringa "at that point she kind of shook her head and shivered," Nester said. "Something wasn't right about the way she was acting."

Nester offered to park nearby the gas station and keep watch until it closed. Heeringa refused, but Nester stuck around anyway.'
Click to expand...

I hate to think Jessica felt uneasy being around Willis prior to her disappearance and didn't speak up to her boss because she wanted to keep her job. It makes you angry how the gas station took no steps to ensure the safety of employees particularly at night.

slippers said:
Jessica Heeringa was a heroin user, per testimony in court from her fiance' http://woodtv.com/2016/12/06/jeffrey-willis-preliminary-hearing-for-murder-of-jessica-heeringa/ (edited to correct spelling error)
Click to expand...

I hate when defence attorneys clutch at straws desperately trying to deflect from their clients guilt trying to trash the victim in the process.
 
I just noticed that the cousin is charged in both the Bletsch and the Herringa cases. He's not an innocent bystander, I think he is as involved as Willis.

heeringa.jpg
 
gregjrichards said:
I hate to think Jessica felt uneasy being around Willis prior to her disappearance and didn't speak up to her boss because she wanted to keep her job. It makes you angry how the gas station took no steps to ensure the safety of employees particularly at night.

I hate when defence attorneys clutch at straws desperately trying to deflect from their clients guilt trying to trash the victim in the process.
Click to expand...

Most victims seem to have something about them that isn't good, but it shouldn't make any difference to the case. It's unfortunate that she was a heroin user, as it could have interfered with her judgement in all decisions, even when not under the influence.
 
Otto: "It's unfortunate that she was a heroin user, as it could have interfered with her judgement in all decisions, even when not under the influence."

Yes, was thinking about how this affected her thought process and judgement in so many areas. Had heard in the very beginning that hard core drugs may have played a role in her disappearance. The police were aware of the drug usage and thought initially there may be a connection. (These are my thoughts and opinions on what I had heard within days/weeks of kidnapping) Understandably, the family did not want this information made public imo

In hindsight, the police had different motives in mind, and I am sure this hindered the investigation.
 
slippers said:
Otto: "It's unfortunate that she was a heroin user, as it could have interfered with her judgement in all decisions, even when not under the influence."

Yes, was thinking about how this affected her thought process and judgement in so many areas. Had heard in the very beginning that hard core drugs may have played a role in her disappearance. The police were aware of the drug usage and thought initially there may be a connection. (These are my thoughts and opinions on what I had heard within days/weeks of kidnapping) Understandably, the family did not want this information made public imo

In hindsight, the police had different motives in mind, and I am sure this hindered the investigation.
Click to expand...

I can easily see how the heroin use would have sent investigators in the wrong direction - especially given that her boyfriend had broken her 'drug' phone shortly before her disappearance. One scenario would be that she owed money, the drug dealer couldn't reach her, that person found her at work, she didn't have money, and so she was taken.

I have to wonder how long Willis and his cousin stayed under the radar while abducting, torturing, and murdering young women. It seems that Willis got careless at the time that he was arrested, but he was probably very careful for years.
 
I don't understand why the owners of the gas station didn't follow the van that they thought was involved in a theft of goods through the back door of the gas station. They could have been the heroes here, but instead they only thought of their stuff, their money, and when they decided that no stuff was taken, then a van parked at the back of the station with a young woman alone inside was completely normal. Were they on drugs?
 
While I am really hoping that there is evidence that will link Willis to Jessica's disappearance, so the family can have closure, my gut feeling has always been that there was 'more' to it. Drug use crossed my mind. It would explain her turning the lights out in the back (maybe an 'all clear' signal to a dealer?) and her being comfortable walking out back briefly leaving the store unattended. She did leave her cash in her purse however- which puts a kink in that theory- unless she had 'other' cash?
 
otto said:
I don't understand why the owners of the gas station didn't follow the van that they thought was involved in a theft of goods through the back door of the gas station. They could have been the heroes here, but instead they only thought of their stuff, their money, and when they decided that no stuff was taken, then a van parked at the back of the station with a young woman alone inside was completely normal. Were they on drugs?
Click to expand...


It is my understanding that Susan Follet (employee) and Eric Barber (boyfriend) were not the owners, and it's questionable whether she was a manager as well. It seems this may have been poor reporting by Fox17 and others quoting them, as she's indicated to have no such title.
 
Essex said:
It is my understanding that Susan Follet (employee) and Eric Barber (boyfriend) were not the owners, and it's questionable whether she was a manager as well. It seems this may have been poor reporting by Fox17 and others quoting them, as she's indicated to have no such title.
Click to expand...

Thanks! So it really was two people who thought they were witnessing a theft, doubted themselves, and then realized the following day that they witnessed an abduction.
 
otto said:
Thanks! So it really was two people who thought they were witnessing a theft, doubted themselves, and then realized the following day that they witnessed an abduction.
Click to expand...

Not a problem. There's some back and forth among the rumor mill about her having something against Heeringa, because the reason she followed and go the vehicle's description was because she thought Heeringa might be stealing. AFAIK, there's no context to that and I haven't had an opportunity to watch the trial yet. Of course, there's a protectiveness surrounding victims, and the same people giving Follet flashback over that are going after Hosticka (public defender) for "attacking" Heeringa by bringing up her drug use, despite it being an important issue that will need to be addressed. The heroin use is not a minor issue, was probably known to the cops, and likely derailed the investigation down the wrong track because drugs are a statistically more probable trail to kidnapping and murder than a random serial killer. It's unfortunate that she had that issue, but it definitely seems to be present when you look at her personal history which includes a Myspace account that includes a street name for heroin.
 
cebee said:
While I am really hoping that there is evidence that will link Willis to Jessica's disappearance, so the family can have closure, my gut feeling has always been that there was 'more' to it. Drug use crossed my mind. It would explain her turning the lights out in the back (maybe an 'all clear' signal to a dealer?) and her being comfortable walking out back briefly leaving the store unattended. She did leave her cash in her purse however- which puts a kink in that theory- unless she had 'other' cash?
Click to expand...

From what I've read of the trial so far, the main links between all three cases is going to be the stolen gun, broken parts, and ballistics. In JH case, there were broken parts from a battery operated laser scope (damage may show on gun?) by the blood at the scene, in RBK case there was shots fired and rounds recovered from the scene, and in MJN's case, they found the gun with the serial numbers filed off, but identified as belonging to JW's coworker. Fairly clean timeline, but open to interpretation. Most comforting part is that it suggests to me that JW's killings *probably* started with JH.
 
cebee said:
While I am really hoping that there is evidence that will link Willis to Jessica's disappearance, so the family can have closure, my gut feeling has always been that there was 'more' to it. Drug use crossed my mind. It would explain her turning the lights out in the back (maybe an 'all clear' signal to a dealer?) and her being comfortable walking out back briefly leaving the store unattended. She did leave her cash in her purse however- which puts a kink in that theory- unless she had 'other' cash?
Click to expand...

I don't think there should be any doubt Willis is directly responsible for Jessica's disappearance and not the fact she was using heroin. His cousin Bluhm has been sentenced to five years in prison for admitting he saw Jessica lying dead with Willis recording her in his grandfather's basement and for helping Willis to bury her. He would not have confessed this if it wasn't true. I still believe this isn't the full story of his involvement. Admittedly Jessica's drug use may have impaired her judgment and her ability to fight back against Willis to some extent and may have hindered the investigation into her disappearance.
 
gregjrichards said:
I don't think there should be any doubt Willis is directly responsible for Jessica's disappearance and not the fact she was using heroin. His cousin Bluhm has been sentenced to five years in prison for admitting he saw Jessica lying dead with Willis recording her in his grandfather's basement and for helping Willis to bury her. He would not have confessed this if it wasn't true. I still believe this isn't the full story of his involvement. Admittedly Jessica's drug use may have impaired her judgment and her ability to fight back against Willis to some extent and may have hindered the investigation into her disappearance.
Click to expand...

I have been following this case since the day JH went missing. I live in the same city that this happened. My understanding is that Bluhm's preliminary hearing for his part involving JH is not until January. How did I miss that he has already been sentenced?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Earlier article regarding Bluhm and his preliminary exam.

Alleged cousin-accomplice's exam adjourned in Jessica Heeringa murder case
http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2016/11/alleged_cousin-accomplices_exa.html

November 29, 2016

MUSKEGON, MI - Kevin LaVern Bluhm is charged with being an after-the-fact accomplice to the murder of Jessica Heeringa, but his preliminary exam in district court will wait until after that of Jeffery Thomas Willis.

Bluhm's preliminary exam in Muskegon County's 60th District Court, had been scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 29 but adjourned at the agreement of both prosecution and defense lawyers, said Muskegon County's Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy G. Maat. He said the agreement had been made at a routine meeting between the lawyers, a probable cause hearing the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

"The reason for the adjournment was to let the preliminary examination in Jeffrey Willis go first," Maat said.
Click to expand...
 
Essex said:
Not a problem. There's some back and forth among the rumor mill about her having something against Heeringa, because the reason she followed and go the vehicle's description was because she thought Heeringa might be stealing. AFAIK, there's no context to that and I haven't had an opportunity to watch the trial yet. Of course, there's a protectiveness surrounding victims, and the same people giving Follet flashback over that are going after Hosticka (public defender) for "attacking" Heeringa by bringing up her drug use, despite it being an important issue that will need to be addressed. The heroin use is not a minor issue, was probably known to the cops, and likely derailed the investigation down the wrong track because drugs are a statistically more probable trail to kidnapping and murder than a random serial killer. It's unfortunate that she had that issue, but it definitely seems to be present when you look at her personal history which includes a Myspace account that includes a street name for heroin.
Click to expand...

You are new, have not been here since the beginning, you really need to go back and read the start of her going missing. There is a reason for the rumors, they are more so fact. Susan and Jess were not friends.

Fact is Jess held down a job, had not been arrested for it like Dakotah had for pot, so I don't care what they're trying to say about heroine use. Jess is the victim here, everyone needs to remember that Willis's side is going to try to make her look like she asked to be taken, tortured and killed
 
More testimoniesf yesterday from the preliminary exam with the last 6 Monday if someone wants to follow up on this.
 
LadyJustice2188: Published on Dec 9, 2016

JEFFREY WILLIS PRELIMINARY HEARING - DAY 2 - PART 1
https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3-HTgBllIo

JEFFREY WILLIS PRELIMINARY HEARING - DAY 2 - PART 2
https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGjtznsarwk

JEFFREY WILLIS PRELIMINARY HEARING - DAY 2 - PART 3
https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=igVQoeiIazo

JEFFREY WILLIS PRELIMINARY HEARING - DAY 2 - PART 4
https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSmXPJl9srM

JEFFREY WILLIS PRELIMINARY HEARING - DAY 2 - PART 5
https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz8FiR2tkU0
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

DNASolves

Who is Fairfield County Jane Doe (1993)?

Members online

... and 217 more.
Total: 1,900 (members: 218, guests: 1,682)

Online statistics

Members online
218
Guests online
1,682
Total visitors
1,900
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
606,446
Messages
18,204,056
Members
233,852
Latest member
chiprocker
Back
Top