Jessica Heeringa case: Muskegon man charged with murder, kidnapping

Heeringa went missing from gas station in April 2013

MUSKEGON, Mich. – After three years of investigations, a man is charged in the kidnapping and murder of Jessica Heeringa, who was abducted from a west Michigan gas station in April 2013.

Jeffrey Willis, 46, of Muskegon, was considered a person of interest in Heeringa’s disappearance. He is now charged with murder and kidnapping, prosecutors announced Tuesday. Judge Raymond Kostrzewa told WOODTV warrants were sworn out Monday afternoon.

Kevin Bluhm, Willis' cousin, is being charged with accessory after the fact in relation to Heeringa's death, Muskegon County Prosecutor D.J. Hilson announced during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.  

"This comes at a time that a lot of people, including the Heeringa family, have been waiting for many years," said Hilson.

Hilson and police would not disclose case evidence details.

Watch an excerpt from the news conference here: 

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The Norton Shores Police Department first named Willis a person of interest in May when he was charged with trying to kidnap a 16-year-old girl near Muskegon. She told investigators that she jumped out of the man's van to escape.

Then, also in May, the Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office charged Willis with murder in the 2014 shooting death of 36-year-old Rebekah Bletsch.

What happened

Heeringa, a gas station clerk, went missing April 26, 2013 right before she was set to close the Exxon Mobile station on Sternberg Road in Norton Shores.

Police had said the 25-year-old may have known her abductor because there was no sign of a struggle. However, tests done on blood droplets found at the gas station came back positive for Heeringa’s blood.

A man called 911 when he arrived at the Exxon Mobile station and found it unattended.

“It’s very suspicious that there’s nobody here,” he said. “I hollered, ‘Hey!’ you know, walked around the building. It’s just, I don’t know, I mean they’re supposed to be open… the cashier is supposed to be there, but I don’t see anybody.”

Listen back: Driver calls 911 after finding gas station unattended

Surveillance images and video showed what might be a suspect’s vehicle in the case -- a silver minivan.

Police also released a sketch in April 2013 of a man who was considered a person of interest in Heeringa’s case.

Police have been sorting through more than 2,000 tips in this case. But it's been three years and there has been no sign of Heeringa or a possible suspect in the case -- until now. 

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