Murder of Jessica Heeringa

Jessica Lynn Heeringa disappeared from the Exxon gas station where she was working the late shift in Norton Shores, Michigan, United States, on April 26, 2013; the engaged mother of a young son has not been seen nor heard from since. Left at the scene of the apparent abduction, investigators found Jessica's car and jacket, as well as her cigarettes and purse with a large amount of money. They also located drops of blood outside the gas station,[1][2][3] which subsequent DNA analysis positively matched to Jessica.[4] Also, parts to a firearm were uncovered in proximity to the blood.[5]

Jessica Heeringa
Born
Jessica Lynn Heeringa

(1987-07-16)July 16, 1987
DisappearedApril 26, 2013 (aged 25)
Norton Shores, Michigan, U.S.
StatusEndangered Missing Person (presumed dead)
CitizenshipAmerican
OccupationGas station clerk
EmployerExxon (franchise)
Height5 ft 1 in (155 cm)
Spouse(s)None
Children1
WebsiteFindJessicaHeeringa (Facebook)

Over the next three and a half years, a 75-member task force with 14 specialized divisions—such as aviation, behavioral sciences, technical services, and intelligence analysis — from 15 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies — gave 12,000 man-hours to a vast investigation that included upwards of 1,400 tips received, 33 search warrants executed, 20 residential searches by consent, as well as 12 ground and two underwater searches.[6]

Although Heeringa's remains have never been found, a pair of male cousins have been tried and convicted in connection with her untimely disappearance and assumed murder. In September 2016, a resident of Muskegon Township, Michigan named Jeffrey Willis was charged with Jessica's kidnapping and murder on the strength of forensic evidence combined with eyewitness testimony that implicated him.[7] Willis was found guilty of Heeringa's kidnapping and murder on May 16, 2018;[8] he was sentenced to life in prison a month later.[9]

Willis's cousin, Kevin Bluhm, pleaded guilty to lying to detectives both during the Heeringa investigation as well as during that of a 2014 homicide (of which Willis was eventually convicted); for this offense, he was sentenced to time served.[10][11] On November 27, 2017, Bluhm pleaded no contest to having been an accessory after the fact by helping Willis dispose of Heeringa's body; for this, he was sentenced on January 9, 2018, to time served plus five years' probation along with the added requirement of having to wear a GPS tether for one year at minimum.[12]

On November 2, 2017, Willis was found guilty of the 2014 murder of Rebekah Sue Bletsch;[13] six weeks later, he received the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[14]

Willis is also charged with the attempted kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl in 2016, as well as child pornography in 2011, which involved his unsuspecting female next-door neighbors who were 14 years old at the time.[3][15] He is also a suspect in the unsolved murder of a 15-year-old girl that occurred in 1996.[16]

Disappearance

Timeline
Composite sketch of the suspect[17]

The following is based on eyewitness and police testimony made in court hearings.

April 25, 2013
  • A female customer who frequented the gas station saw Heeringa working late at night and commented to her that she should not be there all alone at such a late hour and that her boyfriend should at least accompany her. She reported that a man who overheard the women's conversation then interjected, "She's got her customers looking out for her too" but that Heeringa "sort of shook her head and started shivering ... like a chill went up her spine or something." Furthermore, the customer claimed that Heeringa "wasn't her usual happy self" and that it appeared "something was wrong," so she parked outside the station until it closed. She did observe the strange man leave that night.[18]

April 26, 2013
  • 10:55 pm: The last transaction, a cigarette lighter, was recorded on Heeringa's register.[5]
  • 11:00 pm: An Exxon manager and her husband drove by the station only to find a man acting in a suspicious manner; they observed him repeatedly opening and closing his silver minivan's rear hatch. Then they saw him drive away. They later described the man, his behavior, and his vehicle to the police.[6]
  • 11:02–11:05 pm: A silver Chrysler Town & Country matching the couple's description was caught by surveillance cameras of three other businesses speeding away from the station.[6]
  • 11:10 pm: A man pulled up to the station and attempted to pay for gas; however, being unable to find Heeringa anywhere in the store, he called 911.[6]
  • 11:25 pm: Police arrived at the gas station. In addition to Heeringa's belongings, they found accessory parts to a gun near a pool of blood outside the station.[5] They ruled out robbery as soon as they discovered that over $400 cash was left in Heeringa's wallet and that no money was missing from the station's register. About an hour later, a police K-9 searched the immediate area but did not find anything.[6]

Charges

Jeffrey Willis
Jeffrey Thomas Willis
2016 mugshot of Jeffrey Willis
Born (1970-03-06) March 6, 1970[19]
Height68 in (1.73 m)[19]
Conviction(s)First-degree murder (two counts)
Kidnapping
Use of a firearm in the commission of a felony
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment without the possibility of parole
Details
Victims3 (convicted)
Span of crimes
2013–2014
CountryUnited States
State(s)Michigan
Date apprehended
April 16, 2016

On September 20, 2016, Jeffrey Thomas Willis, a former factory worker already incarcerated at the Muskegon County Jail for other crimes including homicide, was charged by the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office with the kidnapping and murder of Heeringa. Willis had been a frequent customer at her place of employment, he matched a police artist's sketch of a man seen "being real flirty" with her on the night of her disappearance, and his minivan matched the description of one witnessed at the crime scene and recorded on security cameras speeding away from her workplace at about the time she went missing. His co-workers told police that he was scheduled to work that night but that he never arrived, nor did he show up for work in the days afterwards.[1][20] Police executed a search warrant for Willis's home and found pictures of her in a folder labeled "vics" on his computer.[21] Police searched for her body near his home after a tip was called in on June 17, 2016, but found nothing.[22] Police had previously searched for her body in and around a cabin in Mancelona owned by a friend of Willis's on May 20, 2016, but also came up empty. Soon after Heeringa's disappearance, a local resident saw Willis at the Mancelona property walking out of the woods with a shovel.[23]

Jessica Heeringa trial

On December 13, 2016, a Muskegon County judge ruled that Willis will stand trial for murder and kidnapping charges in Heeringa's case. The judge decided there was enough evidence to call for a trial after four days of testimony during the preliminary hearing. Judge Raymond Kostrzewa noted evidence such as the folder on Willis's computer titled "vics" (possibly short for victims) which prosecutors say included a sub-folder titled with her initials, photos of Heeringa, and the date of her disappearance. They also found necrophilia and murder porn videos downloaded from the internet—some of which were simulated and some of which were real.[7][24][25][26]

The trial for Heeringa's murder took place in May 2018. After 1½ hours of deliberations, the jury found Willis guilty of Heeringa's kidnapping and murder on May 16, 2018.[8] He received a life sentence without parole a month later.[9]

Rebekah Bletsch murder

On May 25, 2016, Willis was charged with the murder of Rebekah Sue Bletsch, a 36-year-old jogger whose body was found with three gunshots to the head near her home in Dalton Township on June 29, 2014. Shell casings found near her body matched a gun found in Willis's minivan, where police also found disturbing photos of women bound and gagged, handcuffs, chains, ropes, and syringes including one with a liquid later identified as a powerful sedative.[3] Another sub-folder found inside the "vics" folder on Willis's computer had pictures of Bletsch.[25] Judge Kostrzewa denied bond for Willis and ordered him to remain in the Muskegon County Jail.[24] Jury selection for the Bletsch murder trial began on October 17, 2017.[27][28][29] On November 2, 2017, a remorseless Jeffrey Willis was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Bletsch and of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was sentenced to life without parole six weeks later.[14]

Rebekah Bletsch Law

On March 9, 2018, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a bill that will require convicted defendants to listen to victims' impact statements at sentencing, which was inspired by Willis's refusal to do so after the Bletsch trial.[30] It was passed by the Michigan Senate on May 10, 2018.[31] Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed it into law on May 24, 2018.[32] It is officially known as the "Rebekah Bletsch Law."[33]

Other charges

Willis is also charged with the attempted kidnapping of an unnamed 16-year-old girl in Laketon Township on April 16, 2016. She became lost after leaving a party, and Willis approached her in his van with an offer to let her use his phone. He insisted that she get in the car to use the phone. Once inside the car, he locked all of the doors and produced a gun, but she managed to escape with minor injuries after she said she couldn't breathe and convinced him to open her window.[3][34][35]

Willis was charged with production and possession of child pornography after police found videos of two nude girls who were 14 at the time on his computer. He lived next door to the girls in March 2011 in Fruitland Township and recorded them without their knowledge while they used his bathroom.[36]

Other suspected crime

Willis is a suspect in the unsolved murder of 15-year-old Fruitport High School student Angela Marie Thornburg, whose partially-clothed body was found by a hunter on October 17, 1996, in the woods near I-96 in Fruitport. She went missing a month earlier and was initially considered a runaway, with sightings of her reported soon after. Reports from the time said she ran out a back door at her boyfriend's house when her mother came to pick her up. Willis graduated from the same high school in 1988 and worked as a janitor for the school district from 1998 to 1999 before being fired for looking at pornography on a computer meant for students in an elementary school.[16]

Kevin Bluhm
Kevin Lavern Bluhm
2016 mugshot of Kevin Bluhm
Born (1968-10-18) October 18, 1968[37]
Height75 in (1.91 m)[37]
Conviction(s)Lying to a police officer during a violent crime investigation (two counts)
Accessory after the fact
Criminal penaltyFive years' probation
Required to a wear a GPS tether
Time served
Details
Span of crimes
2013–2014
CountryUnited States
State(s)Michigan
Date apprehended
June 21, 2016

On June 21, 2016, Willis's cousin Kevin Lavern Bluhm, a former Michigan Department of Corrections prison guard, was charged with lying to a police officer during a violent crime investigation after he told police information about Heeringa's disappearance that was not made public but which he later recanted. He was charged with the same crime in connection with the Bletsch case. Bluhm pleaded guilty to both counts on August 26, 2016 and was later sentenced to time served.[11]

Bluhm was also charged with being an accessory after the fact when he admitted to investigators he saw Willis with Heeringa's body and helped him bury her after she was sexually assaulted. Bluhm said Willis called him the day after Heeringa's disappearance and said he had a woman and there was a party. Bluhm told police he saw Heeringa with an obvious head wound, face down, hands out, and tied. She was naked and wasn't moving. He also told police he knew that "Jeff had been following or watching Ms. Heeringa, and that he hit her ... which made her go unconscious to get her in the van," and that Willis had sex and used sexual toys and torture.[5] He told investigators he and Willis wrapped Heeringa up in a sheet and drove her to an area on Sheridan Road near Laketon Road, where Willis had already placed shovels, and buried her in a hole that had already been dug.[38][39][5] Bluhm has been suspended without pay from his job as a sergeant at the West Shoreline Correctional Facility, a state prison in Muskegon Heights.[38][40] On November 27, 2017, Bluhm pleaded no contest to being an accessory after the fact for helping Willis dispose of Heeringa's body and was sentenced on January 9, 2018 to time served, plus five years probation and to wear a GPS tether for at least a year.[12]

Jessica's Law

On December 9, 2013, a Michigan House of Representatives Bill was announced titled the Jessica Heeringa act, or alternatively Jessica's Law (officially known as House Bill 4123).[41] It was requested by Heeringa's parents, introduced by Representative Collene Lamonte and community member Sharron Pennell and sponsored by Marcia Hovey-Wright and several other Michigan legislature members.[41][42][43] The bill requires gas stations and convenience stores that are open between the hours of 11pm and 5am to install and maintain a security camera system or to have at least two employees on shift during these hours. The bill would establish a civil fine of not more than $200 for each violation. Businesses excluded from Jessica's Law include hotels, taverns, restaurants, pharmacies, grocery stores, supermarkets or businesses that have more than 10,000 square feet of retail space.[42][44]

As of March 11, 2020, the bill has not been passed by the Michigan legislature.[41] Small business owners are concerned about the cost associated with installing surveillance cameras or the hiring of additional staff.[45] In November 2014, Shelley Heeringa, Jessica's mother traveled to the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing to speak with state lawmakers concerning Jessica's law. "If you have a daughter, a sister, thank God that they're still with you," Shelly Heeringa said.[46] The owner of the gas station Jessica Heeringa worked at, which did not have a surveillance camera system at the time of her disappearance, has since had one installed.[42]

The television series Unsolved Mysteries released their Jessica Heeringa story on the two-year anniversary of her disappearance in April 2015. The story was released via a webisode titled "The abduction of Jessica Heeringa," which was narrated by her mother, who also mentioned there was a $26,000 reward for information about her disappearance.[47][48][49]

The case was featured on the season seven premiere of the Investigation Discovery series Disappeared, titled "Somebody's Watching," originally aired on April 11, 2016.[50][51][52][53] Coincidentally, Willis's arrest for the attempted kidnapping of the minor female less than a week later on April 16, and the additional investigation afterwards, eventually led to the other charges against him and Bluhm.[3]

Jessica's story was subject of a three-part episode of the podcast The Vanished in April to September 2016. The episodes review the disappearance, investigation, evidence and eventual charges against the suspects in her disappearance.[54][55][56]

The case was also profiled on an episode of Crime Watch Daily, originally aired on January 10, 2017.[57][58]

The case was profiled on an episode of Jensen and Holes: The Murder Squad podcast dated April 15, 2019.[59]

The case was profiled on an episode of Crime Junkie Podcast dated February 24, 2020.[60]

See also

References
  1. Dolak, Kevin; Newcomb, Alyssa (May 8, 2013). "Mom's Blood Found at Vanishing Scene". ABC News. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  2. "Jessica Heeringa Disappearance". The Charley Project. July 24, 2016. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  3. "Jeffrey Willis charged in 2014 murder of Rebekah Bletsch". WOOD-TV. May 25, 2016. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  4. Lendon, Brad (May 3, 2013). "Michigan woman's blood found at scene of her abduction, police say". CNN. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  5. Anderson, Elisha (September 21, 2016). "Police: Phone records, gun tie Willis to Heeringa". Detroit Free Press.
  6. Peters, Heather Lynn (April 24, 2014). "Jessica Heeringa case: Police release new timeline details, crime-scene photos". Muskegon Chronicle.
  7. 24 Hour News 8 web staff (September 20, 2016). "Jeffrey Willis charged with murdering Jessica Heeringa". WOOD-TV. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  8. Moore, Lynn (May 16, 2018). "Jeffrey Willis found guilty of kidnapping, murdering Jessica Heeringa". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  9. "Willis claims innocence at Heeringa murder sentence". WOOD-TV. June 18, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  10. WZZM Staff (August 26, 2016). "Kevin Bluhm pleads guilty to lying to police about Jessica Heeringa's disappearance". WZZM. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  11. Moore, Lynn (September 20, 2016). "Kevin Bluhm sentenced to time served for lying about Heeringa, Bletsch cases". Muskegon Chronicle.
  12. Moore, Lynn (January 9, 2018). "Kevin Bluhm walks free for his role in Jessica Heeringa's murder". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  13. Moore, Lynn (November 2, 2017). "Jurors discuss guilty verdict in Jeffrey Willis murder case". Muskegon Chronicle.
  14. Moore, Lynn (December 18, 2017). "The 'pain will never go away' sister says of Rebekah Bletsch's murder". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  15. Kolker, Ken (December 27, 2016). "The Jeffrey Willis cases: A 'quarter-million dollar' defense". WOOD-TV.
  16. Walker, Heather (May 26, 2016). "Family: Police looking at '96 death in Willis investigation". WOOD-TV. Archived from the original on March 11, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  17. Lendon, Brad (May 1, 2013). "Sketch of suspect in Michigan abduction released". CNN. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  18. Moore, Lynn (December 6, 2016). "Jessica Heeringa 'started shivering' near Jeffrey Willis, customer testifies". Muskegon Chronicle.
  19. "Jeffrey Thomas Willis - Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) - Offender Profile". Michigan Department of Corrections. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  20. Walker, Heather (June 20, 2016). "Source: Willis not at work after Heeringa abduction". WOOD-TV.
  21. "Source: Willis had file labeled with Heeringa's name". WOOD-TV. June 22, 2016. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018.
  22. Baldas, Tresa (June 17, 2016). "New lead triggers search for body of Jessica Heeringa". Detroit Free Press.
  23. Kolker, Ken (June 23, 2016). "MSP searched N MI property for Heeringa after Willis' arrest". WOOD-TV.
  24. WZZM Staff (December 14, 2016). "Jeffrey Willis to stand trial for open murder, kidnapping in Heeringa case". WZZM. Muskegon, MI. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  25. Moore, Lynn (December 12, 2016). "Willis' computer codes reference Heeringa, Bletsch initials, death date: expert". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  26. Kloosterman, Stephen (December 13, 2016). "Jeffrey Willis to stand trial for Jessica Herringa's kidnapping, killing". Muskegon Chronicle. Muskegon, MI. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  27. Brenzing, Bob (August 4, 2017). "Murder trial of Jeffrey Willis delayed to October". WXMI.
  28. Dean, Evan (October 3, 2017). "500 potential jurors called for Jeffrey Willis trial". WOOD-TV. Muskegon, MI. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  29. Moore, Lynn (October 17, 2017). "Jeffrey Willis trial: Jury selection begins in Bletsch murder case". Muskegon Chronicle.
  30. McNeill, John (March 9, 2018). "Bletsch bill clears the State House". WKZO.
  31. Associated Press (May 10, 2018). "Michigan Senate: Defendants must listen to victim impact statements". WJRT-TV.
  32. Associated Press (May 24, 2018). "Bill signed requiring defendants to hear impact statements". WJRT-TV.
  33. WILLIAM VAN REGENMORTER CRIME VICTIM'S RIGHTS ACT (EXCERPT) Act 87 of 1985 Michigan Legislature, May 23, 2018
  34. "Police searching for link between abduction, Jessica Heeringa". WOOD-TV. May 17, 2016. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  35. Anderson, Elisha; Baldas, Tresa (May 21, 2016). "Teen's daring escape may help solve 2 cold cases". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  36. "Girl allegedly recorded by Willis: 'Didn't think he would do this'". WOOD-TV. June 23, 2016. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
  37. "Kevin Lavern Bluhm - Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) - Offender Profile". Michigan Department of Corrections. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  38. Kolker, Ken (June 21, 2016). "Jeffrey Willis' cousin charged with lying in Jessica Heeringa case". WOOD-TV. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017.
  39. VanTimmeren, Christine (September 21, 2016). "Court documents reveal disturbing new information in Jessica Heeringa case". WWMT. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  40. "Prison Guard Charged With Lying In Jessica Heeringa Disappearance Probe". WWJ-TV. June 21, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  41. "Michigan Legislature - House Bill 4123 (2015)". legislature.mi.gov. Michigan Legislature. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  42. Kloosterman, Stephen (December 9, 2013). "Jessica Heeringa's mother: Security cameras required in bill would have prevented daughter's disappearance". Muskegon Chronicle. Norton Shores, MI. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  43. "Hearing held on Jessica Heeringa Act". Grand Haven Tribune. July 22, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  44. "'Jessica's Law,' named after missing Jessica Heeringa, unveiled by officials, family". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  45. Sidorowicz, Josh (April 11, 2016). "Former lawmaker wants renewed push to pass "Jessica's Law"". WXMI. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
  46. Cunningham, Darren (November 12, 2014). "Jessica Heeringa's mother discusses proposed "Jessica's Law"". WXMI. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
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  48. Peters, Heather Lynn (April 24, 2015). "Jessica Heeringa's story to be highlighted on 'Unsolved Mysteries' show online". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  49. "UPDATE: Jessica Heeringa". YouTube. Unsolved Mysteries. September 20, 2016.
  50. "Jessica Heeringa's disappearance to be featured on Investigation Discovery channel". WXMI. April 7, 2016.
  51. Bunchman, Meghan (April 10, 2016). "3 years later, Jessica Heeringa disappearance to be featured on TV show". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  52. Moore, Lynn (April 12, 2016). "TV show identifies possible suspects in Jessica Heeringa's disappearance". Muskegon Chronicle. Retrieved February 5, 2017.
  53. "Somebody's Watching". Disappeared. Season 7. Episode 1. April 11, 2016. Investigation Discovery.
  54. Jones, Marissa (Host) (April 5, 2016). "Episode 12: Jessica Heeringa" (Podcast). The Vanished.
  55. Jones, Marissa (Host) (May 23, 2016). "Episode 25: Jessica Heeringa - Part 2" (Podcast). The Vanished.
  56. Jones, Marissa (Host) (September 20, 2016). "Bonus: Jessica Heeringa Part 3" (Podcast). The Vanished.
  57. "New Kidnapping, Murder charges in Jessica Heeringa Case (Pt 1)". YouTube. Crime Watch Daily. January 10, 2017.
  58. "New Kidnapping, Murder charges in Jessica Heeringa Case (Pt 2)". YouTube. Crime Watch Daily. January 10, 2017.
  59. Jensen, Billy; Holes, Paul (Hosts) (April 15, 2019). "Jeffrey Willis" (Podcast). Jensen and Holes: The Murder Squad.
  60. Flowers, Ashley (Host) (February 24, 2020). "MURDERED: Jessica Heeringa" (Podcast). Crime Junkie Podcast.
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