SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN Certified Electronic Recorder | 60" District Court - County Building 990 Terrace Street ace ‘Muskegon, MI 49442-3377 (231) 724-6358 RE: People of the State of Michigan v Kevin Lavern Bluhm D.C, File Number 16-180186-FY People of the State of Michigan y Jefltey Thomas Willis C.C. File Number 16-180187-FY EXPEDITED TRANSCRIPT FEE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE .. $55.00 Date: September 21, 20161 STATE OF MICHIGAN 2 IN THE 60TH DISTRICT COURT FOR THE COUNTY OF MUSKEGON 4]| PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN sv 6] KEVIN LAVERN BLUHM D.C. 16-180186-FY 8] PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ofv 10|] JEFFREY THOMAS WILLIS D.C, 16-180187-FY a 12 13 14 15 COMPLAINT AND WARRANT 16 BEFORE THE HONORABLE RAYMOND J. KOSTRZEWA District Court Judge uw Muskegon, Michigan - September 19, 2016 18 19 20 21 Transcribed and: SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN 22 | Recorded by: Certified Electronic Recorder (231) 724-358 23 24 SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60* th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIOAN10 ql 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WITNESSES: None EXHIBITS: None TABLE OF CONTENTS SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - é4 th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 210 aL 12 13 14 15 16 a7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Muskegon, Michigan September 19, 2016 - 4:18 p.m. (Court, Counsel and all parties present). THE COURT: Before the Court is ---- are two files. The first is entitled the People of the State of Michigan versus Kevin Lavern Bluhm, and the second is entitled the People of the State of Michigan versus Jeffrey Thomas Willis. Before the Court is Detective Sergeant DETECTIVE KASHE! Lieutenant. THE COURT: Detective Lieutenant Michael Kasher from the Norton Shores Police Department. Detective Kasher, please raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the information you will provide the Court in support of these warrants is true and accurate? DETECTIVE KASHE I do. THE COURT: Thank you. All right, let's do People v Kevin Lavern Bluhm first. DETECTIVE KASHE! Okay. I’m going to do my best to keep it in line with everything. THE COURT: If you can. DETECTIVE KASHER: On April 26%, 2013, I went out to the scene of 1196 East Sternberg at the Exxon Mobile Gas Station, at around 11:20 p.m. There was a person that was working, Jessica ---- identified as Jessica Lynn Heeringa. SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60" DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 310 1. 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 au 22 23 24 25 was a employee with the Exxon Gas Station, And at that point in time, we were called out there for suspicious circumstances because the business was open but nobody was there, At the crime scene I started investigating. We found behind the crime scene was blood, and which was later we collected and it came back to Jessica Lynn Heeringa’s by the lab that it was her DNA. We also found accessory parts that belonged to a Walther P22 gun. Those were collected and photographed by us in that same vicinity right where the blood spot was at. A witness came forward who also works there, which was Susan Fowler, and she explained in great detail as she was passing by the gas station she saw a silver van drive in the service drive behind the gas station, turn off its lights, and turn around and go back, She thought it was suspicious. she also works first shift, and she knows Jessica was working. As her and her husband proceeded to go by the gas station, they saw a white male, approximately between 5'10" and 6 foot, heavy set, walk back where the Dodge minivan had its tailgate opened up. He slams it shut, opéns it up, re-adjusts something, slams it. He gets in the van and he drives past ‘em - past us ---- past them. She was sure it’s a silver minivan, unsure if it was either a Chrysler Towne and, Country or a Dodge Caravan. THE COURT: And that was at the rear of the gas station? SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60" DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICIIIGAN 410 1 12 13 4 15 16 47 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT KASHER: That's correct, sir. THE COURT: ALl right. DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT KASHER: She was telling me the story, At that point in time, we continued our investigation. We found that the victim’s wallet, personal belongings and car were still at the gas station. There did not appear to be any type of a struggle inside the gas station, and everything else was locked up. She had four hundred dollars cash in her purse and she had money at the till, so we knew that there was no robbery. Fast forwarding the investigation now, we have come - we also took some video. Excuse me, we into the point of took video, found video at Voyeur Gas ---- or Voyeur Coins and also the Old Homestead showing a van, but it was grainy, and it was black and white so we/re not sure what color, but a van at that time and description going northbound on Grand Haven Road and it was approximately, we estimated between 11:10 and 11:17, somewhere in that area. April of this year, of 2016, an investigation was done by the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Department dealing with a 16 year old that was attempted to be abducted in Muskegon County. They proceeded with their investigation and made a traffic stop and arrested Mr. Jeffrey Thomas Willis. Mr. Willis was then arrested and taken into custody. A search warrant was for a van by the Muskegon County Sheriff's SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60" th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 510 1 12 13 44 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 Department under the attempted abduction. And in that van, they did proceed to find some items, including a P22 stolen Walther handgun. With that, he had a silver van, and he also ~ search warrant was done on his home on the same day, which would have been the end of - in May, 1142 South Sheridan. In that, the computers were taken to a crime scene for a lab and for Rockford and State Police. In those files, one was a victim's file, and that was proceeded to be under Jessica Lynn Heeringa, Under that file, showed a lot of different pictures, flyers, And also another victim, or the vic’s file was Rebecca Bletsch, a homicide that was done in 2014 that was being investigated by the State Police and also the County Sheriff's Department. Connecting to Mr, Willis at that point, being a prime suspect in our investigation, an abduction up in the County and Rebecca Bletsch’s murder, where the name of Kevin Lavern Bluhm came about because he’s first cousins with Jeffrey Willis and they grew up together, We had a couple conversations with him, And on June 17", 2016, of this year, 1 was contacted by Detective Frerres of the County Sheriff’s Department and Detective Stacey Eck of the MSP to come talk to Mr. Bluhm, Mr. Bluhm was admitting to being involved with Jessica Lynn Heeringa, not the abduction, but that he knew SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60% th DISTRICT COURT MUISKEGON, MICHIGAN 610 qa 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 where her was body was at, and that he had information dealing with Mr, Jeffrey Willis. Statements that Mr. Bluhm told me face to face on June, on Friday, June 17, 2016, was that a couple days prior his story was that a couple days prior of April 26", so it/d be April 24th/25th of 2013, he had stopped by Mr. Willis’s house. Mr. Willis told him, why don’t you come over to his grandpa’s house, which was at 3038 Bailey, which is located in the City of Norton Shores. At that time, Mr. the grandfather no longer owned the house because he passed away and he turned it over to Mr. Jeffrey Willis, who was primary taking care of the house. He specifically ---~ Mr Bluhm told me that they had this conversation that there would be some women there and that they were going to kind of party and have a foursome. Mr. Bluhm, on April 27°", 2013, went to the house of 3038 Bailey, which is the grandfather’s old home. And in his owns words, and I’m paraphrasing, he went into the basement of the grandpa’s home and when he got to the bottom of the step he saw a female face down, hands out, and they were tied, He did not see any movement. He remembers the female was nude and her face was facing away from him and that Jeff Willis was standing next to the body. He said, “I got some pussy.” Bluhm said that he was down theré in the basement, the lights were dim. He knows that Willis was standing to the right of the body. Jessica, as he said to me, SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 ‘OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60" th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 110 1 12 13 a4 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 was lying on a off colored sheet. The sheet was either gray or tan, Jessica was face down. Her hands were out and tied, but unknown what they were tied to, Bluhm knows that she was at that point in time deceased or dead, when asked why he thought that, he said that he could see liquid coming from her head the color of her skin, and that she was not moving. At that time, Mr. - they ---- he was told that Mr. Willis had sex and used sexual toys and torture on Ms. Heeringa. The conversation with Bluhm went on about how he admitted that he came over to the house and that he admitted that he had helped Willis get rid of the body. He helped Willis with getting rid of Jessica’s body. Bluhm first said to me that he helped Willis place Jessica in a sheet and wrapped her up like a quote/unquote taco. Bluhm explained to me in qreat detail how he and Willis wrapped Jessica up, tock her to Willis’s van and placed the body inside. As they were walking up the steps, he noticed that there was body fluid coming from the top of her head and also from her buttocks area, Bluhm explained that there was a clear tarp or plastic in the back of the van, and the body was laid on it, Bluhm said that Jessica had injury to the head and buttocks where the fluid was dripping out. Bluhm went on to say that Willis had carried Jessica up the stairs from the basement. The van was parked in the driveway at 3038 Bailey. Bluhm stated that he parked his Suburban behind ~--- behind Willis’s van and he SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 810 a 12 14 15 16 ay 18 19 20 21 opened the hatch of the van, Willis put the body in the van. Then Bluhm continued and followed Willis over to the railroad tracks located off of Sheridan just south of ---- or just north of Laketon, He said that the hole was already dug, and that the shovels were there. They parked their vehicles at the drywall place located on Sheridan just south of the railroad tracks. Bluhm advised that he got in the front passenger seat with Willis and then they continued to the site where the hole was dug, and they got out and helped carry the body, which would have been Jessica Lynn Heeringa, to the hole where then they buried the body. Now these statements were corroborated in a sense by the investigation dealing with Mr. Willis. Mr. Willis’s phone records show him to be at the address. The towers were hitting off it which covers 3038 Bailey. Mr. Bluhm made the statement that he knows that Jeff had been following or watching Ms. Heeringa, and that he hit her, Initially he hit her, unknown where, but he thinks in the head area, which made her go unconscious to get her in the van, He made the statements that he knows it was in the parking lot or behind the building in the parking lot. There is a service drive behind the park - or behind the gas station. - or I know We know that from the investigation - that from the investigation that Mr. Willis was there that night, April 26, 2013, at around 5:00 o’clock, based on the SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60" th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 910 cI 12 13 14 15 16 47 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 cell records. He was also involved in a magic tournament, which is at the Point’s Mall, which is located about 200 yards, 250 yards north of the gas station where you could see the parking lot could see the back of the gas station. He ---- we know from prior to this based on his - Mr. Willis’s Mastercard accounts and some witnesses that up from August 2012, when Jessica started working in August til about that day, he had been at least at the store 15 to 16 times, and he has had contact. On April 2 the night before, Thursday night, he was in the store at about 10:30 at night. Nobody else was in'the store. Ms. Nester, who is a witness, said that she was in there. She had seen Mr. Willis there and had talked to ---- was talking to Jessica. So we know that Mr. Willis has seen, has talked to, and has been in contact with Ms. Heeringa. Based on the statements that Mr. Bluhm gave us, and based on what we have seen so far with the investigation w: Mr, Willis, we believe that Mr. Bluhm was involved, an accessory after the fact, that Jessica was abducted. It’s been almost three and a half years. We have not heard from her. We have done our checks, and we believe that she is definitely not alive at this time, We know that she was abducted by force. Getting back to the gun, we had traced the gun down to the gun owner, and the gun owner, Michelle ---- forgive me SALLY A, JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 6* th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 1010 a 12 13 14 15 16 a7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 if I say this’ wrong - Schnotala, Schnotala, was the gun owner of the P22, She looked at the gun, she knows the gun, and the accessory that was on the gun was no longer on the gun when we found it the day of the search warrant. We traced back that gun when she bought it, which was ---~ she purchased the gun, I believe it’s going to be ---- the last time she saw the gun was on February 22", 2013, which is about two months prior to Jessica’s abduction. At that time she knows for a fact, along with her ex-husband, they know for a fact that the accessory and the gun was in perfect condition and there was nothing missing from it. We know she purchased it from the gun shop with the accessory on the gun, and since that point in time it has been ---- it is not there. We know that the accessory as I’ve told you for the P22 is specifically for that Walther gun. That was a link that we believe that that part goes with the gun, And again, Mr. Willis was caught with in it his vehicle, and his DNA ---- lab reports will show that his DNA is on that gun. Mr. Willis bought a Dodge, 2006 Dodge Caravan, the same type of van that was described to us, in the end of March of 2013, one month prior to the abduction of Jessica Lynn Heeringa. We believe it’s going to be the same van that was or behind used that our witnesses saw behind that van ~ that gas station and then leaving and going northbound on Grand Haven Road. SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60° th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN n10 a 12 13 14 is 16 ay 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 What’s interesting is on the statements, when we interviewed Mr, ---- we got a tip dealing with Mr. Willis, the task force, and on or about May 5‘, May 6", I had two officers, Officer - or Sergeant Baker and Corporal Hare go talk to Mr. Willis. He was not a suspect at the time, he was just a person that a tip came across. And at that time frame we probably took in fifteen hundred tips. He had a gray van somebody called it in. ‘They went out and talked to him. When - now this is a they did talk to him, he made the statement - good probably about seven days behind ---- afterwards. He made the statement, and our officers will testify to it, that he said from about 9:30 to 12:30 he was home with his wife on South Sheridan, At about 12:30 or 12:35 he left and went over to his grandfather’s house, 3038 Bailey, and he was looking for wood for his dog kennel, and then decided to go to Taco Bell located on East Sternberg in Fruitport to get some food before it closed. We know for a fact that based on the phone records assigned to his phone that multiple calls were made from his phone and calls were going to his phone and the towers are hitting at 3038 Bailey. One being at 23 after 11:00, one being at one minute or ---~ 11:59, and then 11:05, His wife, which is Char Willis, was calling from their residential phone to his phone at 11:23 p.m, The same time he says he was home it shows that his phone was hitting in ---- right at the area of SALLY A, JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 210 1 12 13 14 1s 16 a7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3038 Bailey, which if we follow the direction you can - it’s about seven minutes away from the Point’s Mall or the gas station going northbound on Grand Haven, right onto Getty, to Summit, to Bailey. At one minute or 11:59 it still shows again, Char Willis, the residence is calling his phone. No answer. At five after 12:00 it shows him calling the residence, and it had a duration of talk about 50 seconds. At that point in time there was no other conversation, there was no other hits on the phone, but it shows his phone right there at 3038 Bailey. His statements to our officers was that he was at home at that time, and we know that to be false So with Mr. Bluhm knowing where to go, knowing that - what the house is at 3038 Bailey, that time frame, it is my belief that he has information and he knows and that he helped corroborate or helped with the victim, taking the victim out of the home, taking the victim to the resting spot, and helped burying the victim THE COURT: All right, Based upon the testimony of Detective Lieutenant Michael Kasher, the Court finds that there is probable cause to issue a warrant for the arrest of Kevin Lavern Bluhm for the charge alleged in the felony complaint occurring on April 26", 2013, in the City of Norton Shores, County of Muskegon, State of Michigan, at or near 3038 Bailey Street, and that is for the felony offense accessory after the fact to a felony, so I am signing that arrest SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 ‘OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 639 th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN B10 an 12 13 44 15 16 Ww 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 warrant based upon the testimony of Detective Kasher. As to Mr. Bluhm, I’m setting interim bond in the amount of one quarter of a million dollars, So I have executed that felony warrant. DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT KASHER: Thank you, Your Honor. THE COURT: And as to Jeffrey Thomas Willis, I am going to take all Dececeiiaaiieetanane Kasher’s testimony and incorporate it just by reference into the next proceeding, that’s People versus Jeffrey Thomas Willis. Is there any additional information you want me to know regarding this felony complaint and warrant? DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT KASHER: Well, I think there's an interesting fact, if the Court’s not satisfied enough, Your Honor. THE COURT: No, I would be. That’s why I incorporated everything by reference into my everything by reference that you said with respect to the swearing of the warrant for the arrest of Kevin Bluhm into this proceeding, Jeffrey Thomas Willis. DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT KASHER: Okay, okay. THE COURT: So T am, based upon all that testimony, finding that there’s probable cause to issue the warrant charging Jeffrey Thomas Willis with having on or about April 26", of 2013, in the City of Norton Shores, County of Muskegon, State of Michigan, at or near 1196 Bast Sternberg SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 (OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60% th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN “410 1. 12 13 14 15 16 7 18 19 20 a1 22 23 24 25 Road, with the felony offense of open murder in that he did murder Jessica Lynn Heeringa. I’m also finding that there's probable cause to believe that he committed the charge in Count Two of the felony complaint, that being kidnapping as it applies to Jessica Lynn Heeringa, so I will be signing that felony complaint as we speak. And I'm also with respect to pre-trial release on this matter, pursuant to Michigan Court Rule 6.106(b) (1) (a) (i), T’m denying pre-trial release in that this is a charge of open murder. I've executed both felony complaints and the felony warrants, DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT KASHER: Thank you, Your Honor. THE COURT: You’re welcome. Anything else, Detective kKasher? DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT KASHER: No, that’s it, Your Honor. Thank you. THE COURT: Thank you very much. DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT KASHER: Thank you. THE COURT: You‘ re welcome. (At 4:43 p.m., proceedings were concluded). SALLY A. JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 1s10 1. 12 13 14 15 16 a7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 STATS OF MICHIGAN ss COUNTY OF MUSKEGON I, Sally A. Johnson-McGoran, do hereby certify that I ama Certified Court Recorder for the 60th District Court of Muskegon County, that the foregoing transcript of record is a full, true and correct copy of the proceedings had at the time and place and in the matter hereinbefore set forth, as recorded and transcribed by me. Sally A. Johnson-McGoran, CER 3460 September 21, 2016 SALLY A, JOHNSON-MCGORAN CER 3460 OFFICIAL COURT RECORDER - 60 th DISTRICT COURT MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN 16