Funeral services scheduled for murdered Westland teens

Local 4 Defenders offer timeline of events in murders of 2 Westland teens

DETROIT – Memorials are scheduled for both 18-year-old Jacob Kudla and 17-year-old Jourdan Bobbish.

The service for Bobbish will be held Friday morning at Ward Presbyterian Church in Northville.

Kudla's service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Livonia.

Both memorials are open to the public.

Kudla and his friend, Bobbish, were found shot to death July 27 in an abandoned Detroit lot.

The Local 4 Defenders have offered a timeline of known events in the Westland teens' murders.

Complete coverage: Westland teens found dead in Detroit

Sunday evening, July 22

Kudla and Bobbish drove from their Westland homes to Kudla's uncle's home on the east side of Detroit. Local 4 has been told the teens were hoping to get some pills and marijuana to help Kudla cope with pain from a previous injury. Kudla's uncle, Richard Baxter, said he has no idea what happened to the teens after they left his house.

Monday, July 23

Detroit's west side: Investigators found the car Kudla was driving in an ally. Witnesses said they saw two men stripping the car and using bleach to clean it. The car was taken in as evidence. The men were questioned and later taken into custody.

Family members began an all-out search which carried into Tuesday, July 24. They were searching the area for any clues.

Wednesday, July 25

Kudla's mother spoke out hoping someone would find her son and bring him home.

"There has been no phone activity on either boys' cellphone since Sunday," said Virgie Kudla.

The families continued searching the west Detroit neighborhood where the car was found. They had no luck.

Thursday, July 26

Family, friends and members of the community gathered for a candlelight vigil at Livonia Churchill High School. Kudla's mother remained optimistic.

"We are bringing our boys home," she said.

Friday, July 27

Investigators made a gruesome discovery. Two bodies, both male, were found on the east side of Detroit. Both victims were stripped of clothes and shot in the back of the head.

Saturday, July 28

Saturday brought the news no one wanted to hear: It was confirmed the two bodies found Friday of Kudla and Bobbish. Later that day, the two men who allegedly found Kudla's car and stripped it were formally charged with that crime. Police were investigating whether the two men also were connected to the murders.

Sunday, July 29

Bobbish's grandparents spoke out for the first time since the teens went missing.

Monday, July 30

The Local 4 Defenders tracked down Kudla's uncle, Richard Baxter. He was the last relative to see the teens alive. The Defenders also learned Baxter has a criminal past with various drug possession and distribution charges.

Wednesday, Aug. 1

Baxter went to court for a probation violation. Now, he could be facing legal trouble for admitting he gave the Westland teens pills and marijuana while he was on probation himself.

Meanwhile, police continued questioning people in the neighborhood where Kudla's car was found. Police also questioned Kudla's uncle several times, working to see if anyone could solve the mystery.

Thursday, Aug. 2

A $25,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information leading to an arrest. Investigators have received many tips. Anyone with information should call the police immediately.