OXFORD, Mich. – The trial for Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford High School shooter who killed four people, completed its fifth day Wednesday, and we had live updates from the proceedings.
Last week, the prosecution called five witnesses to the stand across Thursday and Friday. We heard from three additional witnesses on Monday and six each on Tuesday and Wednesday. Prosecutors will keep calling witnesses on Day 5.
Here are some quick facts heading into the trial:
- Jennifer and James Crumbley are both facing four counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with their son’s mass shooting. Those charges stem from the deaths of 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 16-year-old Tate Myre, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin, and 17-year-old Justin Shilling.
- The Crumbley parents were originally going to be tried together, but they asked for separate trials in November, and a judge granted their request.
- Defense attorneys Shannon Smith and Shaun Godwin represent Jennifer Crumbley. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald and assistant Prosecutor Marc Keast represent the people. Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl A. Matthews is hearing the case.
- The shooter was sentenced in December to life in prison without the chance of parole.
Here are the full updates from Day 5 of the trial:
Court adjourns for day
- 4:56 p.m. Wednesday
Court adjourned for the day. Prosecutors likely have a couple more witnesses to call Thursday morning, but the defense could call witnesses by the afternon.
No cross examination
- 4:53 p.m. Wednesday
Smith had no questions for Creer.
Prosecutors show items in court
- 4:50 p.m. Wednesday
McDonald and a lieutenant displayed many of the items shown in the photos below inside the courtroom so the jury could see them.
McDonald then asked Creer to specify where many of the items were located inside the room.
Final pictures of items found in room
- 4:48 p.m. Wednesday
These were the final pictures of items found in the room that were showed by the prosecution.
Money found
- 4:45 p.m. Wednesday
Creer said the money they found inside the room totaled $6,617.
Prosecutors highlight bins
- 4:38 p.m. Wednesday
McDonald showed two dark bins and established that these bins were several feet away from the one that had the pink backpack inside.
Creer said the bin was tightly latched, and officials opened the bin and searched the gray bag they found inside.
Creer said all four cellphones they found were turned off. Those phones were found next to the keys for the Kia.
Objects highlighted by prosecution
- 4:27 p.m. Wednesday
McDonald asked about the pink backpack. Creer said the plastic bin was partially covered, but not fully shut. He thought that was odd so he looked inside and found the big backpack. There were more clothes inside the pink bag, including four pairs of women’s underwear.
He talked about finding the mattress and described some of the socks as still having the tag on, like they’d just been bought.
He said there were plastic cups (”Solo cups”), receipts from purchases, caffeine pills, and a business card. A bag of melted ice was in a metal tray next to an avocado.
Creer said there was medicine for horses. A bottle of alcohol was in the garbage.
A receipt from 4:09 p.m. Dec. 3, 2021, was for $1.04 to the state of Michigan.
Pictures from room
- 4:27 p.m. Wednesday
Here are some pictures who were taken inside the room.
Cigarettes near car
- 4:22 p.m. Wednesday
Creer said he was asked to collect cigarettes near the Crumbleys’ parked Kia for possible DNA evidence.
More about scene
- 4:21 p.m. Wednesday
Creer said when he walked in he thought the room was an art studio. He saw a mattress on the floor, and it looked like someone had been sleeping on a mattress.
He did not have any contact with the Crumbleys that night. They had been taken away by police, Creer said.
What Creer found
- 4:20 p.m. Wednesday
Creer said in this case, he was given free reign to collect evidence throughout the room where the Crumbleys were found.
He described briefly what he found when he walked into the room. He said there were bananas, a jug of orange juice, and a bottle of alcohol, possibly vodka.
Processing crime scenes
- 4:17 p.m. Wednesday
Creer said when he arrives, he does a walkthrough and the officer in charge points out evidence that is important and needs to be collected.
At that point, Creer starts taking pictures, documenting the scene, and collecting evidence.
Sometimes a more thorough search is performed and additional evidence can be gathered.
Creer called to Detroit building
- 4:15 p.m. Wednesday
Creer was working the night of Dec. 3, 2021. He was dispatched to the building in Detroit where the Crumbleys were eventually found.
He went with his partner to the building, and they arrived around 2:40 a.m. He works the midnight shift.
He said his thoughts were that it was just a normal search warrant. When he saw the media at the scene, he realized it was not a normal call.
Witness: William Creer
- 4:13 p.m. Wednesday
William Creer is a forensic technician for the Detroit Police Department. He is a crime scene investigator who collects evidence at crime scenes and testifies in court.
He’s a civilian who works for the police department, not an officer.
Jennifer Crumbley returns to courtroom
- 4:10 p.m. Wednesday
Jennifer Crumbley returned to the courtroom and took her place beside Smith.
Both sides approach bench
- 3:57 p.m. Wednesday
Both sides were approaching the bench off the record when the break began.
Jury exits
- 3:52 p.m. Wednesday
The jury exited the courtroom.
Questions following Meloche statement
- 3:51 p.m. Wednesday
The judge asked if there were any more questions after that statement.
Keast asked Meloche if the officer asked him to say anything that wasn’t true. Meloche said no.
“You were told to tell the truth?” Keast asked.
“Yes, sir,” Meloche said.
“Thank you,” Keast said.
Smith stood up next.
“You were asked questions repeatedly?” Smith asked. “The same questions over and over, as we’ve done in this courtroom today, correct?”
“Correct,” Meloche said.
Re-cross: Brian Meloche
- 3:49 p.m. Wednesday
Smith asked about when Meloche testified that there was pressure on him about certain areas of his life being affected by his statements to police. Keast objected.
Judge Matthews told Meloche that she feels there’s been some inconsistent testimony. She said she had previously asked him if he felt there were veiled threats, and he said yes.
“Did you feel pressure to tell the police some things, and if so, what were those pressures?” Matthews asked.
“I felt I was guarding myself and my statements, being the investigator was pushing it and inferring that this would all get out, which it has now, what was going on,” Meloche said. “He didn’t threaten my job. He was asking questions that were professionally related. He was trying to establish some sort of rapport with be because he worked in law enforcement, so he was asking about pensions.
“He did get more aggressive with it and it was threatening, as in, personal information getting out about me out in the open to the public, and stuff.”
Leaving work
- 3:47 p.m. Wednesday
Keast clarified that Jennifer Crumbley was able to leave work to meet him “when it pleased her.”
Lies in messages
- 3:46 p.m. Wednesday
Keast clarified that Jennifer Crumbley told Meloche that her son’s friend had killed himself and that the school didn’t send her the original math worksheet drawing. Meloche said yes.
Keast asked if he later learned that those things were not true. Meloche said yes.
Keast asks details about affair
- 3:45 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche said he didn’t know how Jennifer Crumbley parented and that wasn’t a topic of conversation.
Keast asked if he met Jennifer Crumbley in the parking lot of a Costco across from her workplace. Meloche said yes.
That would happen during the workdays and during work hours, he testified.
It was a regular thing to meet there, he said.
Meloche’s previous statement
- 3:44 p.m. Wednesday
During his December 2021 interview, Meloche told police that Jennifer Crumbley was worried “he might hurt himself or something like that” in his typed statement.
Keast asked Meloche how much he told police about his extramarital affair at the first interview. He said he didn’t give extensive details because he didn’t want it getting out.
“Are you happy to be here today?” Keast asked.
“No,” Meloche said.
Meloche said he wanted the affair to stay secret to protect other people in his life, including his wife.
Meloche isn’t accusing police of threats
- 3:41 p.m. Wednesday
“I just want to make sure that we’re all clear: You’re not accusing anyone in law enforcement of threatening you, are you?” Keast asked.
“No,” Meloche said.
Keast asked about the tenor of the conversation during the interview. Meloche said he did feel like he was being yelled at at some points.
Keast clarified that police weren’t threatening to take Meloche’s pension away. Meloche agreed that they were not.
Redirect: Brian Meloche
- 3:40 p.m. Wednesday
Keast asked Meloche why he stopped communicating with Jennifer Crumbley. He said when he saw that the warrants had been issued but that Jennifer Crumbley didn’t turn herself in.
Relationship with Jennifer Crumbley
- 3:38 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche said most of the time when he met with Jennifer Crumbley, they would meet in the mornings of workdays.
Meloche said those would have been school days, so her son would have been at school.
There were not many or any trips or overnights, he said.
“Her relationship with you was very separate from her relationship with her child,” Smith said. Meloche agreed.
Smith asked how many times Meloche would see Jennifer Crumbley in person per week back in 2021. He estimated maybe once per week.
Smith finishes with messages
- 3:37 p.m. Wednesday
Smith finished going through the messages with Meloche
Following lawyer’s advice
- 3:35 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche asked if Jennifer Crumbley had been advised of charges or warrants. She said she was contacting her lawyer. He told her not to put herself in a bad situation.
Smith clarified that Jennifer Crumbley never told him she planned to lie or to disobey her lawyer’s advice. He said that’s correct, she never said things like that.
‘Painted out to be monsters’
- 3:31 p.m. Wednesday
“We’re painted out to be monsters and I can’t defend myself because we’re fearing for our lives,” Jennifer Crumbley messaged Meloche on the day charges were announced.
Meloche told her that she had more support than she thought, but anyone who defended them was being “exposed, crucified, and threatened.” He said he had been defending the Crumbleys to anyone who reached out to him personally.
Meloche agreed he didn’t want to make public statements at that time that he was friends with Jennifer Crumbley.
‘Witch hunt’
- 3:30 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche called the charges against the Crumbleys a “witch hunt” in a message after those charges were handed down.
Jennifer Crumbley replied that she would rather die than go to jail.
‘Sick’ about loss of lives
- 3:26 p.m. Wednesday
Jennifer Crumbley later said that she was “sick” about her son being responsible for the loss of lives.
Jennifer Crumbley on meeting at school
- 3:24 p.m. Wednesday
On Dec. 3, 2021, Jennifer Crumbley said, “No, counselor and dean were in the room. They gave us counselors’ names to call, but said they didn’t see him as a threat and he could stay in school, which he wanted to do. His f------ backpack was with him. Why didn’t they search it?”
“Right?” Meloche replied.
Meloche didn’t say anything about this being her fault, he agreed.
Jennifer Crumbley went on to say officers and parents were not notified about previous “threats.”
“I don’t understand how the school was no nonchalant about this and prior issues,” Meloche said at one point.
“I don’t know, but it failed my son and four other families,” Jennifer Crumbley messaged.
Threats in email, texts
- 3:21 p.m. Wednesday
On Dec. 2, 2021, two days after the shooting, Jennifer Crumbley messaged Meloche that when she finally got into her email there were threats.
She later said her “texts are even worse.”
Several screenshots were sent by Meloche to Jennifer Crumbley. He said he doesn’t remember the contents of those screenshots.
Crumbley on retaining attorney
- 3:13 p.m. Wednesday
“Don’t apologize, (the shooter’s) life is over,” Jennifer Crumbley later messaged. “I need to focus on saving ours. Staying out of jail and not going into a financial hole.
“I really need my giving (sic) phone back.”
“Yes, you really need to focus on you,” Meloche responded, in part. He told her to get an attorney to defend herself.
She said she was working on getting an attorney.
Jennifer Crumbley, Meloche discuss shooter
- 3:13 p.m. Wednesday
“(The shooter) wasn’t a bad kid, Brian,” Jennifer Crumbley messaged.
“He wasn’t,” Meloche said. “I’ve met him.
“I can’t condone or justify what he did, but I do know that he wasn’t a bad kid.”
Meloche agreed that Jennifer Crumbley had never told him her son had any issues or mental health problems.
‘I don’t want to be addressed by counsel’
- 3:09 p.m. Wednesday
Smith asked Keast what word he would like her to use for deleted messages, “deleted” or “unsent.”
“I don’t want to be addressed by counsel,” Keast told the judge.
Jennifer Crumbley says lock was on gun
- 3:07 p.m. Wednesday
Smith specified that Jennifer Crumbley told Meloche the string lock was on the SIG Sauer inside the case. Meloche said a cable lock was being referenced.
Smith clarified that the message doesn’t say the gun had been left unlocked. Meloche agreed.
Jennifer Crumbley later said the gun was stored unloaded and away from bullets. Meloche said yes, she messaged that.
‘I’m glad you’re safely out of the area’
- 3:06 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche told Jennifer Crumbley that he was glad she was safe amid all the negative reactions on social media.
“I’m glad you’re safely out of the area,” Meloche told Jennifer Crumbley. “I can’t imagine being in your shoes.”
Deleting messages
- 3:02 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche told Jennifer Crumbley to be careful of what she messages or texts because it will all be found by law enforcement.
Smith said Jennifer Crumbley never told Meloche to delete messages or that she needed to delete messages. Meloche agreed.
‘You literally need to disappear’
- 3 p.m. Wednesday
Smith continued to go through messages with Meloche.
“You literally need to disappear once you’re free to do so,” Meloche told Jennifer Crumbley.
He said he didn’t think Jennifer Crumbley could be in the public anymore, now that her name was out there in connection with the shooting.
Jennifer Crumbley says ‘system failed’
- 2:58 p.m. Wednesday
Jennifer Crumbley said the school made it seem like the drawing was not a major concern.
“The system failed,” she wrote. “They should have never blown it off and made it seem of no concern and gave him the option to go back to class.”
Jennifer Crumbley then said the shooting could have been prevented. Meloche agreed.
“The whole conversation was very nonchalant,” Jennifer Crumbley messaged. “‘Oh, here’s a list of counselors, but we don’t see him as a threat.’ And we just agreed because he has never done anything wrong.”
Meloche agreed, as someone who knew Jennifer Crumbley for a long time at that point, that she seemed upset with the school about the way the situation was handled.
Smith, Meloche go through messages
- 2:56 p.m. Wednesday
Smith and Meloche went back through several of the Facebook messages he had exchanged with Jennifer Crumbley.
Meloche agreed that he had seen screenshots of several threats or angry messages that were sent to or said about the Crumbley parents on social media.
Decision to make affair admissible
- 2:55 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche interviews
- 2:48 p.m. Wednesday
Smith said in the third interview, which was nearly three hours long, Meloche discussed more information with police than in the other interviews. He said yes.
She said during the first two interviews, he never said he thought there was something wrong with the shooter or that he was disturbed. But now he believes the shooter was disturbed.
Smith said the reason he changed his opinion is because of information from police and the media. Meloche agreed.
‘Veiled threats’
- 2:37 p.m. Wednesday
An officer told Meloche that he’s not in trouble, but he wants to put all card on the table. Smith asked what he took that to mean.
Meloche said there was no threat made to him. He thought there was a veiled threat that his relationship with Jennifer Crumbley was going to be made public.
Smith said police kept asking for more details
- 2:35 p.m. Wednesday
Smith said as Meloche spoke to police the second and third times, they continued to ask about details of his affair. He said yes.
Smith said police brought up Meloche’s employment as a firefighter and his benefits, and asked if he was afraid to lose his job or benefits. He said he was not.
During the third interview, he was asked the same questions as before, according to Smith. Meloche agreed. Police told him they had evidence that Jennifer Crumbley had lied, and Meloche said that’s correct.
Meloche on interviews
- 2:31 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche agreed with Smith that at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 10, 2021, he spoke with a detective and gave a copy of his Facebook message threat on a thumb drive. He told them about his relationship with Jennifer Crumbley.
He turned that drive over to Detective Joe Brian, Smith said.
Meloche said he doesn’t remember which police officer interviewed him.
Meloche on affair
- 2:26 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche said he admitted to police from the very first interview that they had had an extramarital affair. He also told them that the relationship was sexual.
Judge doesn’t know what evidence will show
- 2:26 p.m. Wednesday
“I don’t know what to say,” Matthews said. “I don’t know what the evidence is going to show.”
Smith on Jennifer Crumbley’s affair
- 2:25 p.m. Wednesday
Smith said her client knows what will come out and she’s OK with that because it’s the truth that will come out.
Smith said Jennifer Crumbley had an affair, but that doesn’t mean she knew her son was a school shooter.
Smith vs. Keast on witness
- 2:21 p.m. Wednesday
Smith said the reason Meloche changed his story is because law enforcement threatened that he was going to lose his job. Keast called that “completely inaccurate.”
Keast said, at a minimum, the two investigators being questioned need to testify.
Jennifer Crumbley weighs in
- 2:16 p.m. Wednesday
Matthews spoke directly to Jennifer Crumbley about previous motions that had been made to exclude certain evidence.
“I want to make sure you understand what your lawyer said,” Matthews said.
The judge had previously ruled that a romantic relationship with Meloche was inadmissible. But now Smith is trying to make that information available to discuss on the record.
“I trust her, so yes,” Jennifer Crumbley said. She supported Smith’s decision to put information about that affair on the record.
Keast said that would also open the door to talk about other items that were previously inadmissible. The judge said she’s not sure that’s true.
‘That’s now fair game’
- 2:15 p.m. Wednesday
Keast clarified that this also opens the door for the prosecution to question Jennifer Crumbley about the extramarital affair when she takes the stand, which the defense has said she plans to do.
“They threatened him about his job, his pension,” Smith said of police interviewing Meloche.
Keast said they can argue that characterization of what happened.
‘The door is opened’
- 2:14 p.m. Wednesday
Keast said information about an extramarital affair was supposed to be kept off the record, but if Smith is going to suggest that police intimidated the witness, then the door is opened for him to ask about that during redirect.
“I would like the door to be opened,” Smith said. “I would like to fully question this witness.”
Jury dismissed
- 2:11 p.m. Wednesday
The jury was dismissed for a 10-minute break.
Smith implies police intimidated Meloche
- 2:09 p.m. Wednesday
The last time he spoke to Jennifer Crumbley was Dec. 4, 2021, Meloche said. Since then, Meloche has been asked the same questions over and over, he said.
Smith asked if he would agree that he can sometimes tell they don’t like the answers to his questions. Meloche agreed.
They told Meloche that he could lose his job as a firefighter if he helped Jennifer Crumbley, he admitted. Smith said when he’s testifying, those things are based on brand new things he’s seen within the last few months.
Smith said Meloche had his mind changed by police. He said he changed his mind as more information came in.
Meloche’s memory
- 2:06 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche said he told law enforcement repeatedly that he had memory problems. Meloche agreed he does not have a good memory.
Smith said Meloche originally was asked to write a statement, so he typed one. This was the morning after his first interview with police, on Dec. 11, 2021.
In that statement, Meloche gave police as much information he could remember, Smith clarified. Meloche agreed. She pointed out that that statement was made much closer to what happened than now, and he agreed.
Meloche police interviews
- 2:05 p.m. Wednesday
Smith clarified that Meloche got involved in this case when police reached out to him to see if he knew anything about the Crumbleys or their son. Meloche agreed.
He was interviewed for an hour and 42 minutes. In February 2022, he did a second interview with officials that was about an hour long.
In December 2023, law enforcement did a third interview with Meloche that lasted nearly three hours.
Cross examination: Brian Meloche
- 2:04 p.m. Wednesday
Drawing messages
- 2:03 p.m. Wednesday
Jennifer Crumbley sent Meloche pictures of what the shooter had drawn the morning of the shooting.
“This is what they found, a non-threat,” she said.
“And never even notified the liaison officer?” he replied.
“But the paper they showed us had all these things scratched out,” she replied.
Meloche said he was not aware at the time that Jennifer Crumbley had been shown the math worksheet without the drawings scratched out.
More messages
- 2:02 p.m. Wednesday
“They’re saying involuntary manslaughter,” Jennifer Crumbley messaged the morning of Dec. 2, 2021, according to Keast.
She later said, “We’re on the run again. Helicopters. Not sure where to. I’ll message you.”
At 11:40 a.m. Dec. 2, Jennifer Crumbley told Meloche that she had bought new phones. She said “clear your cache,” and he took that to mean clear messages.
At 2 p.m. Dec. 2, Jennifer Crumbley told Meloche, “We’re f-----.”
Later in the afternoon she told Meloche that she had retained a lawyer. He asked if they were going to be charged, and she replied, “Yes, we will be charged.”
Message about shooter
- 1:58 p.m. Wednesday
Jennifer Crumbley told Meloche that she’s lost her son and that she can’t live with the guilt of knowing he’s a murderer. That message was deleted by Jennifer Crumbley, according to the prosecution.
Jennifer Crumbley says gun was secured
- 1:55 p.m. Wednesday
“Everything was secured, not loaded, bullets stored separately,” Jennifer Crumbley said in a later message.
More about charges
- 1:55 p.m. Wednesday
“The news articles are saying charging both parents,” Jennifer Crumbley said.
Meloche told her that he heard that but that the news doesn’t always have the full story. He said the news fills in gaps of info they don’t have and reports it as if they heard it third-hand.
“It’s coming from the prosecuting attorney,” she replied. “I need to retain an attorney, stat.”
Gun lock
- 1:54 p.m. Wednesday
Jennifer Crumbley told Meloche that the gun was locked with the cable lock.
Meloche said she hadn’t mentioned locking the gun previously.
Messages about charges
- 1:51 p.m. Wednesday
“Seriously!? Can’t see my horses?” Jennifer Crumbley sent him, after a screenshot of Kira Pennock telling her not to come to the horse arn.
“No one knows how to handle any of this,” Meloche responded.
“We heard we might be charged too,” Jennifer Crumbley messaged later.
Melcohe replied that he didn’t understand how they could be charged, unless James Crumbley was charged for the handgun not being secured.
Facebook messages
- 1:48 p.m. Wednesday
Keast went through the messages that were recovered from Facebook.
Jennifer Crumbley sent him screenshots of messages and posts she was receiving on Facebook after the shooting.
“I failed as a parent,” Jennifer Crumbley sent him. “I failed miserably.”
“You didn’t do this,” Meloche responded.
Meloche said at the time he was frustrated that Jennifer Crumbley was being blamed for what happened. He said he has more information now, and his opinion has changed.
Meloche tells Jennifer Crumbley to call 911
- 1:47 p.m. Wednesday
The messages begin on the late evening hours of Nov. 30, 2021. Meloche said he spoke to Jennifer Crumbley before receiving those messages, too.
After the shooting, Meloche said Jennifer Crumbley told him the SIG Sauer was missing. He told her to call 911 to give authorities notification of what was going on.
Questioning continues
- 1:45 p.m. Wednesday
Keast continued to question Meloche. He said it was his common practice to delete messages as he received them.
He went through the conversations they had on Facebook.
Smith has no objection to exhibit
- 1:44 p.m. Wednesday
Smith said she does not object to the exhibit, so it has been admitted in full.
Judge returns
- 1:42 p.m. Wednesday
Matthews returned to the courtroom and the court is back in session.
Jennifer Crumbley remains in courtroom
- 1:40 p.m. Wednesday
Smith asked if Jennifer Crumbley could remain with her in the courtroom during the break, instead of being taken out of the room by deputies. The judge granted that request.
The two appeared to discuss the 77-page exhibit together.
What’s happening now
- 1:31 p.m. Wednesday
Defense attorney Shannon Smith is currently going over all 77 pages of messages between Jennifer Crumbley and Meloche, a high school friend Jennifer Crumbley had stayed in touch with until the shooting.
Eight of those 77 pages had already been agreed upon by both sides, but Smith was granted time to go through the rest of those messages.
If she has any objections, those will be argued in front of the judge after this break.
Jury dismissed
- 1:19 p.m. Wednesday
Matthews dismissed the jury to “eat licorice and donuts” while Smith looks over the exhibit.
Smith asked that the audio in the courtroom be muted so microphones don’t pick up the conversation between her and Jennifer Crumbley as they go through the conversation.
Clarification about objection
- 1:18 p.m. Wednesday
Eight pages of Exhibit 151 have been admitted, but Keast wants to admit the entire 77-page conversation.
Smith said this is a surprise and a “repeated pattern” by the prosecution.
“If someone wants to admit an exhibit, they have an exhibit and the other side gets to read the exhibit and decide if they have an objection,” Matthews said.
Matthews clarified that Smith has a right to review the exhibit and that she has not objected to move of the evidence that has been presented.
Dispute over 77-page exhibit
- 1:14 p.m. Wednesday
Keast asked to admit the 77-page exhibit that shows the entire conversation between Meloche and Jennifer Crumbley.
Smith said she’s only seen eight pages of this, and Keast wants to admit the entire conversation. She asked for time to review the exhibit, and the judge agreed she deserves that time.
Keast said Smith has had this for two years, and Smith said she’s gone through the mountain of evidence but this wasn’t provided as something that would be used specifically during the testimony.
“This is last-minute craziness,” Smith said.
“Judge, this is wholly inappropriate, especially in front of the jury,” Keast said.
Matthews said if everything that was put into discovery was placed into evidence the trial would last five weeks.
“We have no objection to her reviewing it,” Keast said.
Learning about shooting
- 1:12 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche said he found out later that day through the news that there had been a shooting at Oxford High School.
Meloche had deleted the messages from Facebook, but they were recovered by Facebook.
Meloche asks about gun
- 1:11 p.m. Wednesday
When Jennifer Crumbley said she was worried that her son was going to do something dumb as she went to the meeting at the school, Meloche said he asked where the gun was, because he knew it could create “irreparable damage.”
Jennifer Crumbley said that the gun was in her car, and he told her it shouldn’t be there. He doesn’t remember what she said in response.
Meloche said this conversation happened over a messaging app.
Morning of shooting
- 1:10 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche said Jennifer Crumbley told him that she had to go to the school for a meeting. He said she told him she was worried that he was “going to do something dumb.”
Meloche said he was aware that the Crumbleys bought a gun for their son because he saw it on a Facebook post. He said he was surprised that they had purchased him that handgun.
Communication
- 1:08 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche said up until the shooting, he and Jennifer Crumbley would communicate in person and by messaging.
Meloche on shooter’s friend
- 1:07 p.m. Wednesday
Meloche said he never met Jennifer Crumbley’s son, and she didn’t talk about him very much.
She told Meloche that her son’s friend had killed himself, but he later learned that that wasn’t true, he testified.
Witness: Brian Meloche
- 1:05 p.m. Wednesday
Brian Meloche is a firefighter captain who knows Jennifer Crumbley and her husband personally.
Meloche met Jennifer Crumbley in high school and he met her husband when the Crumbleys moved back to Michigan.
He said he followed Jennifer Crumbley on Facebook.
Court back in session
- 1:03 p.m. Wednesday
Judge Matthews returned and called court back into session.
Jennifer Crumbley returns
- 1:02 p.m. Wednesday
Jennifer Crumbley has returned to the courtroom.
Detective on Jennifer Crumbley giving up phone
- 1 p.m. Wednesday
Detective Lt. Sam Marzban testified about how Jennifer Crumbley reacted to having her phone seized during a search warrant.
Click here for a deeper dive into that testimony.
Constant battle over witnesses
- 12:51 p.m. Wednesday
For the past several days in court, Smith has publicly asked the prosecution to share with her their plans in terms of witness schedule. When that topic has been brought up, the response has typically been something like, “You’ll know when we know.”
Prosecutors aren’t required to be specific about their witness plans, but Smith has requested that they extend her that “professional courtesy.” She said she wants to tell her witnesses when they can expect to be called.
Now that the prosecution is close to resting, that back-and-forth could be coming to a head. If Smith doesn’t feel she’s adequately prepared to call her first witness when the prosecution rests, Matthews will allow her to start fresh in the morning.
‘Can’t be defense attorney and witness’
- 12:39 p.m. Wednesday
While Smith was cross examining Hendrick, she clarified that the lawyer he had met with while he was searching for the Crumbleys was her, and that they met briefly in the hallway.
She started to ask a question that included her own statement that she had told him her clients (at the time both Crumbley parents) were preparing to turn themselves in. Keast immediately objected and said Smith can’t be both the defense attorney and a witness.
Matthews agreed, and the prosecution’s objection was sustained.
Smith says Crumbleys were going to turn themselves in
- 12:25 p.m. Wednesday
Smith has maintained since her opening statement on the first day of the trial that Jennifer Crumbley and her husband had plans to turn themselves in to police. She said they were not on the run.
The prosecution’s last three witnesses before Wednesday’s lunch break were questioned in order to paint a picture of the Crumbleys trying to avoid arrest.
Smith tried to counter during her cross examinations, pointing out that the Crumbleys didn’t run away when Kirtley called police and that both cars were within an hour of their home.
Prosecution’s witnesses so far
- 12:11 p.m. Wednesday
At the start of the trial, prosecutors said they planned to call 20 or more witnesses to testify. Keast has since said they might not call all of the witnesses who were on that original list.
Through the first four and a half days, 18 witnesses have been called, and the prosecution will continue after lunch. Keast said it’s possible that the prosecution will be done before the end of the day.
If that happens, it sounds like the defense will likely start fresh with its first witness on Thursday morning.
What we just saw before break
- 11:59 a.m. Wednesday
The jury was showed a series of evidence right before the lunch break.
During Kirtley’s testimony, prosecutors showed surveillance video of someone walking out to the Crumbleys’ car from the Detroit building. The video showed Kirtley walking over to the car and then back inside his workplace.
Moments later, Kirtley called 911 to report the vehicle, and the court heard that 911 call.
MORE: 911 call, security cam show when Detroit business owner finds wanted parents of Oxford shooter
During Shaw’s testimony, the jury saw three photos from the outside of the Detroit building, as well as Shaw’s body camera footage from the moment the parents were taken into custody.
Lunch break
- 11:45 a.m. Wednesday
The court took a break for lunch. Matthews wants to resume at 12:45 p.m.
‘We could rest today judge’
- 11:44 a.m. Wednesday
Keast said prosecution could rest on Wednesday, and if Smith isn’t prepared to start her case, she could start Thursday morning.
Questions about arrest
- 11:43 a.m. Wednesday
Smith asked who was the person making the noises during the arrest. Shaw said that was James Crumbley.
Jennifer Crumbley asked if she could have her glasses, Smith clarified. Shaw said he wasn’t sure.
Cross examination: David Shaw
- 11:42 a.m. Wednesday
Smith began her cross examination of Shaw.
Shaw says Crumbleys were awake
- 11:41 a.m. Wednesday
Keast asked Shaw if he believes the Crumbleys were asleep when police entered the room.
“As I made entry, I see two people on the mattress,” Shaw said. “I see two people facing each other, not moving, not making a sound.”
Body cam footage shows arrest
- 11:34 a.m. Wednesday
Prosecutors showed Shaw’s body camera footage from that date in the courtroom. It’s timestamped 1:33 a.m. Dec. 4, 2021, at the very start of the video.
Police opened the door and Shaw was the first person inside. The Crumbleys were lying on a mattress, and police immediately saw them and told them to show their hands.
They were both taken into custody without incident.
James Crumbley identified himself first, then Jennifer Crumbley was taken off the bed and placed in custody.
WARNING: There is profane language in the video.
Inside suite 130
- 11:33 a.m. Wednesday
Shaw said he estimates that his team had been at the building for about 90 minutes to two hours before they went into suite 130.
Where his team went
- 11:31 a.m. Wednesday
Shaw said they received information that the Crumbleys had gone up to the second floor and didn’t return downstairs. They went up and there was a second tactical team that told them they had cleared all the open doors.
“At some point, somebody gained access to a ring of keys and we were opening locked doors with the keys,” Shaw said.
K-9 officers were also in the building checking doors, Shaw said. They didn’t get any hits from the dogs on the second floor.
After the second floor was cleared, Shaw’s team went up to the third floor and then returned back to the main floor.
“At some point, one of my supervisors was given information that the room the wanted fugitives were supposed to be in was on the first floor,” Shaw said.
Police went down directly to that room, and Shaw confirmed it was suite 130. He said that room is on the same floor as where police used the ram on the other door, about 15 feet away.
Breaching doors
- 11:29 a.m. Wednesday
The first thing his team did when they entered was search the main floor. He said they breached one or two doors upon their initial entry.
They used a ram to break the door open by defeating the locking mechanism.
“You’re essentially banging a 35-pound metal ram against a door until it opens,” Shaw said.
Scene when Shaw arrived
- 11:28 a.m. Wednesday
Shaw said he was the first person to arrive from his team. He learned more about what was going on and had his bullet-proof vest under his clothing.
He estimated there were about 20 officials in the main entryway. Some were in plain clothes with a vest that identifies them as police officers.
Pictures of building
- 11:25 a.m. Wednesday
He describe the building as an “industrial-type building.” Prosecutors showed pictures of the building:
Night he was called to Detroit
- 11:22 a.m. Wednesday
Shaw was asked about Dec. 3, 2021, at around 11:30 p.m. He said he was called to the building in Detroit in relation to a fugitive.
He was at home when he was called to duty. Once he got there, he received more information. He said he arrived before midnight.
Witness: David Shaw
- 11:20 a.m. Wednesday
David Shaw is on the SWAT team of the Detroit Police Department. He is a corporal, which means he’s a trainer of other police officers.
Redirct: Luke Kirtley
- 11:19 a.m. Wednesday
McDonald clarified that Kirtley was hiding in his office from the people who owned the car in the parking lot, not from law enforcement. He said yes.
Kirtley thought Crumbleys would have run
- 11:18 a.m. Wednesday
Smith clarified that Kirtley was pretty sure that the Crumbleys would have taken off and run by the time police showed up. He said yes that’s what he told police.
Cameras are visible
- 11:17 a.m. Wednesday
Smith clarified that the cameras on the side of the building are fairly visible, and Kirtley agreed that if you looked around, you would see the cameras.
‘Statewide manhunt’
- 11:14 a.m. Wednesday
Smith said Kirtley was in the corner of his office because he wanted to be safe. Kirtley said he wanted to be as far away from the door or windows as possible.
She asked if he knew it was a “statewide manhunt,” and clarified that he knew enough about the case that he called 911 when he saw the license place. He said yes.
Walking up to car
- 11:12 a.m. Wednesday
Smith clarified that Kirtley walked right up to the back of the car with his flashlight on and the person he saw didn’t run away or move toward him. He said yes.
Kirtley said he can’t say for sure if the other person saw him.
Cross examination: Luke Kirtley
- 11:11 a.m. Wednesday
Smith clarified with Kirtley that the building is in no way “an abandoned building.” He agreed.
Arrest details
- 11:11 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley was not in the building at the time of the Crumbleys’ arrest. He said he was at the command space police had set up a few blocks away.
He said he just saw the police car driving away.
Kirtley thought Crumbleys had run away
- 11:09 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said he told police that he believed the Crumbleys would have taken off because he didn’t think they would be able to get into the building.
“I didn’t think there would be a situation where they could access the building without the fob,” Kirtley said.
Sounds during search
- 11:06 a.m. Wednesday
When he was in his office while police searched the building, Kirtley said he could hear a lot of noises.
He estimated about 10 officers were in the building, and they were talking.
Police arrive
- 11:06 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said he saw police lights through his window about five minutes later, and that’s when he came out.
“It was like one or two (cars),” Kirtley said. “I met them out there and basically gave them the lowdown.”
He let police into the building and they went out the side door and verified the plate.
“Then a lot more people showed up,” Kirtley said.
About five minutes later, about 20-30 officers with lights on.
“People can locked and loaded,” Kirtley said. “There were a lot of guns. The officers that were inside the building had full-on rifles walking through the space. I know U.S. Marshalls were there.”
Kirtley hid in office
- 11:05 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said he was sitting in the corner of his office, hiding, while he made the 911 call. At the time he thought that was the best spot, but it shares a wall with the art studio, he said.
911 call
- 11:01 a.m. Wednesday
Prosecutors played Kirtley’s 911 call in the courtroom.
“The parents of the shooter that are running away are here,” Kirtley said in the call. “The Oakland shooter, the kid, has the two parents that are on the run right now.”
He said he went to park his car at his office and he had checked the license plate.
“It’s their car and the woman is here ... sitting next to her car in the parking lot,” Kirtley said in the call.
He said it was a black 2021 Kia. He read off the plate number.
“She’s wearing a hoodie, I don’t know what kind,” Kirtley said.
Here is the full 911 call:
Artist in building
- 10:59 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said the tenant in the building next to him is an “artist.” They have waved to each other, but he doesn’t know anything about him.
At the time, a mattress was sitting in the promenade within the building, Kirtley said. It wasn’t normal to have a mattress in that area, but it had been there for a few days. Somebody had put a note on it asking if they could buy it, Kirtley said.
When Kirtley passed, he doesn’t remember whether the mattress was still there that night.
What surveillance footage shows
- 10:56 a.m. Wednesday
The footage shows someone walking to the car that’s parked in the corner. It then shows Kirtley pulling in through the gate in his BMW. He parked right next to the door of the building.
Kirtley went into the building briefly and then walked over to check the license plate. Surveillance footage shows him go right up to the back of the Crumbleys’ car and then walk back inside the building.
Moments later, the person who had walked to the car before Kirtley arrived also went into the building. That person got into the building.
Here is the surveillance footage:
Surveillance camera
- 10:52 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said he’s aware that there are cameras in the building. He said one of them is in the parking lot.
Prosecutors showed surveillance video from the back of the building. It’s timestamped 10:56 p.m. Dec. 3, 2021, but apparently, it’s off by 22 minutes. The actual time was 10:34 p.m.
The camera is attached to the building and looks away from the building, toward the gate.
Kirtley walks back into building
- 10:51 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said the person who was sitting on the curb didn’t move, respond to the flashlight, or say anything.
He said he turned his flashlight off and then walked back into the building “as if he didn’t see anybody.”
Kirtley said he assumed that the person sitting on the curb was “somebody related to the incident.” He walked back into his office and locked the doors.
He said he made a 911 call (around 10:43 p.m.) to report the vehicle.
License plate matches poster
- 10:48 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said he pulled up the poster on his phone as he was walking to the car. He turned his flashlight on and looked at the plate, and it matched what was on the poster, Kirtley said.
“I looked over and saw somebody sitting next to the car on the curb,” Kirtley said. It was on the rear passenger side.
He didn’t say anything to that person, Kirtley said. It was also dark.
Kirtley notices car
- 10:47 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said he used the fob to open the gate and he saw a car parked in the back corner of the lot. He said he didn’t think much of it, but he’s usually in tune with his surroundings.
He said when he walked back out, he was in line with the car, which was backed “into the furthest corner of the lot.”
He said there’s a car that generally sits there, and it wasn’t that car. He said it was the “furthest spot you could park possible” from the building.
“When I opened the side door of the building and walked out, I was more in the line of sight of the front of the car,” Kirtley said.
He thought it looked a little familiar, and it “rung a bell” that it was the car he had seen on the poster.
Wanted poster
- 10:44 a.m. Wednesday
When he swapped his cars on Dec. 3, the night right before the Crumbleys were taken into custody, Kirtley said he was in tune with what had happened at Oxford High School. He said he had seen a poster of the parents of the shooter and stock photos of their vehicles.
He said license plate numbers were also on the cars, and the poster had additional information about whereabouts.
“What I remember is the car, and the license plate,” Kirtley said.
Swapping cars
- 10:43 a.m. Wednesday
He said the businesses next to him are a rare plant business and a vinyl sign business. Generally, when he is at the building to swap cars, those business owners are gone.
Kirtley said he lives nearby, and when he parks his cars on the street, it’s a liability. He had a mirror knocked off a car once.
“When it was time to put (a nicer car) away, I went and got my worse car, generally, and went to put that on the street,” Kirtley said.
In essence, Kirtley said he takes his nicer cars out sometimes to enjoy, and then he puts them away at the building and gets his “beater” car out to park on the street.
Kirtley stores cars at building
- 10:40 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said his hobby is that he likes to drive cars. He stores cars on the third floor, where there’s a garage door where he can put them. He said he has two or three cars at any given time.
Kirtley said he believes he owned two or three cars at the time of the Oxford High School shooting. He worked that day during the day. Sometimes he works early or late, but generally he gets done working around 6 p.m.
Building details
- 10:39 a.m. Wednesday
Kirtley said his least doesn’t allow him to have people stay overnight or “sleep there at all.”
He said the building is about two blocks from Jefferson Avenue, near Belle Isle. There are about 10 other lease holders, he believes.
Kirtley said tenants have the remote fob that opens up the gate to get into the parking lot. He said there’s a part of the building that isn’t necessarily in use -- the city keeps a salt truck over there.
Witness: Luke Kirtley
- 10:36 a.m. Wednesday
Luke Kirtley owns a company called Coffeehaus in Detroit.
His company is in the building where the Crumbleys were taken into custody.
Court returns
- 10:35 a.m. Wednesday
Court is back in session.
Short break
- 10:10 a.m. Wednesday
Smith requested a bathroom break, and Judge Matthews said they will take a 10-minute break.
Smith requested a list of the witnesses who are lined up in the hallway, Keast and McDonald said they sent her a list. Smith said it’s the full list, and Keast said yes, those are all lined up for today.
Redirect: David Hendrick
- 10:09 a.m. Wednesday
Keast clarified that the rooms Hendrick cleared were not homes or lofts. Hendrick said that’s correct.
Crumbley arrests
- 10:09 a.m. Wednesday
Smith asked whether Hendrick knows what the Crumbleys were doing when they were taken into custody at 1 a.m.
“I have no idea,” Hendrick said. “I was not in the room.”
Industrial building
- 10:08 a.m. Wednesday
Smith said the “industrial building” where the Crumbleys were found was not an abandoned warehouse. Hendrick agreed that there are several suites where people live and several active businesses operating out of that building.
Smith said the Crumbleys were found in an art studio. Hendrick said he never actually entered the studio.
Smith said she wants to make it clear that the Crumbleys were not hiding out in an abandoned or vacant building or room.
Cars were close to courthouse
- 10:06 a.m. Wednesday
Smith said Hendrick doesn’t know why the Crumbleys went to a hotel, why they left a car there, and why they went to the studio in Detroit.
She clarified that both vehicles were found less than an hour from the courthouse.
Smith says Hendrick might not have been aware of plans
- 10:04 a.m. Wednesday
Smith asked Hendrick if he spoke to the Crumbleys on the day that charges were announced.
Hendrick confirmed that he had gone to Smith’s office and they met very briefly in the hallway. Smith said she was trying to make arrangements for the Crumbleys to turn themselves in, and Keast objected, saying she can’t be a defense lawyer and a witness. The judge agreed.
Smith said if the Crumbleys had hired a lawyer and that lawyer was making plans for them to turn themselves in, Hendrick wouldn’t necessarily know about those arrangements. He said that’s correct.
Ways people are arrested
- 10:02 a.m. Wednesday
Smith clarified that when a fugitive is taken into custody by police, there are different ways that someone can be taken into custody. Hendrick agreed.
Smith said it’s possible that when warrants are issued, arrangements can be made to turn someone in that he wouldn’t be aware of. Hendrick said possibly.
She was trying to establish that Jennifer Crumbley might have had plans to turn herself in, even if he didn’t know about those plans.
Cross examination: David Hendrick
- 10:01 a.m. Wednesday
Smith began her cross examination of Hendrick.
Parents found in studio
- 10:00 a.m. Wednesday
Hendrick said he later learned that an acquaintance of Jennifer Crumbley lived in a studio at that building.
When Detroit police searched that room, officers found Jennifer Crumbley and her husband inside that person’s room around 1 p.m., according to Hendrick.
The parents were turned over to Hendrick, and his team transported them back to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
Searching industrial building
- 9:59 a.m. Wednesday
Hendrick spoke to the official who was in charge, and the plan was to search the industrial building, he said.
“We formulated a plan that several of us would search the second, and I believe third, floor of the building,” Hendrick said. “The Detroit Police Department SWAT team was going to search the first floor.”
He said this search process is very slow and methodical. Officials slowly approach every door and make sure nobody gets hurt inside or outside. Then once inside a room, police search every possible location inside of a room.
Hendrick said the search was “very noisy.”
Arriving at location of second car
- 9:57 a.m. Wednesday
When he first arrived at the location, Hendrick said the Detroit Police Department was there, and they had blocked off the parking lot. Several officers were at the scene -- possibly around 15-20, he testified.
More officers continued to arrive at the scene. Hendrick believes around 100 law enforcement officials were there by the end of the night.
“We got down there pretty quick -- probably about 15-20 minutes,” Hendrick said.
Car found in Detroit
- 9:55 a.m. Wednesday
He said he learned the second car had been found in Detroit shortly before 11 p.m. -- about 11 hours after formal charges against the parents were announced.
Hendrick said he had one member of his team stay on the first car, and everyone else went to investigate the location of the second vehicle.
The second vehicle had been found on the east side of Detroit near Belle Isle, just a couple blocks in from Jefferson Avenue, near the Detroit River. He said it was an industrial building with multiple floors and rooms.
Search continues for second car
- 9:52 a.m. Wednesday
Hendrick said his team was continually looking for the Crumbleys by going to hotels and other locations.
Other law enforcement agencies were also searching, including the U.S. Marshalls, Border Patrol, ATF, Michigan State Police, and the Detroit Police Department.
“Everybody in the general area was looking for the vehicle that was still unaccounted for,” Hendrick said.
He said that type of effort was fairly common for a case “of this magnitude.”
Meeting at attorney’s office
- 9:50 a.m. Wednesday
“We sat and watched the vehicle all afternoon and all evening of Friday (Dec. 3),” Hendrick said. That’s when he learned their other vehicle had been seen in the city of Detroit.
Hendrick said at this point, he knew that the Crumbleys had been formally charged. They went to their attorney’s office and tried to locate the vehicle. He spoke to their attorney to make sure they were aware that a warrant had been issued.
He said he wanted to broker an event-free surrender, but he wasn’t able to, Hendrick said.
Jennifer Crumbley and her husband didn’t show up to that office, according to his testimony. He was only there for about 5-10 minutes
Finding car at hotel
- 9:48 a.m. Wednesday
Hendrick said a Kia linked to the Crumbleys was found at an extended stay hotel in Auburn Hills on Dec. 3 in the afternoon.
When he received that information, he sent his entire team to that spot to set up surveillance to see if the Crumbleys were still guests at the hotel. He found out that they had been staying there, but they left.
When the parents left, they also left the car. Hendrick said he kept a team member on that vehicle, but the parents never returned.
Information about Crumbleys
- 9:46 a.m. Wednesday
He said police had their basic information, like their address and the vehicles they drove. He said he doesn’t remember whether police knew the parents had bought burner phones.
Hendrick said he assigned members of his team to check homes of family members and friends.
Assigned to find Crumbleys
- 9:44 a.m. Wednesday
Hendrick was not working the day of the Oxford High School shooting, so he did not respond to the school that day. But in the days following the shooting, he was asked to find the parents of the shooter.
He believes he was assigned to find the Crumbleys on Dec. 2 -- two days after the shooting.
Finding people who don’t want to be found
- 9:44 a.m. Wednesday
Hendrick said he’s apprehended hundreds of fugitives in his life. He said he’s trained on how to find people who don’t want to be found.
He said people will often leave their home and stop communicating with family members and friends. Many times, they will try to rely on cash because it’s harder to track.
Witness: David Hendrick
- 9:41 a.m. Wednesday
David Hendrick was a member of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the shooting. He has since retired. He was a detective sergeant with the fugitive apprehension team.
Hendrick said he had been with the fugitive apprehension team for four years at the time of the shooting.
Marzban hadn’t met Jennifer Crumbley
- 9:40 a.m. Wednesday
Smith said Marzban had never been around Jennifer Crumbley other than that night. He said that’s correct.
Smith asks about cellphones
- 9:39 a.m. Wednesday
Smith clarified that Jennifer Crumbley only had one cellphone at the time her phone was taken for the search warrant. Marzban agreed.
Smith said her client was hesitant to give up her cellphone because she wanted to be able to contact certain people in her contacts list. Marzban said yes, that’s why he allowed her to write down some of her contacts.
Cross examination: Lt. Sam Marzban
- 9:38 a.m. Wednesday
Smith began her cross examination of the lieutenant.
‘Suffer’
- 9:36 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban continued, saying the choice of the word “suffer” is specifically what was odd to him.
He said parents usually say they know there will be “consequences,” or something like that.
Smith objects
- 9:36 a.m. Wednesday
Smith objected to Marzban speculating how parents of mass shooters should respond.
Matthews said she doesn’t think he’s doing that. She said he’s speaking from the standpoint of someone who has talked to parents whose children have killed someone.
Marzban clarified that he had not met the Crumbleys before that night.
‘He’s going to have to suffer’
- 9:35 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said he told Jennifer Crumbley that there were several dead children at the school and that it was on the national news. He said he knew that information from seeing the news cameras and speaking to other people at the scene.
“Was Jennifer Crumbley crying?” McDonald asked.
“No,” Marzban said. “She seemed irritated and frustrated.”
He said Jennifer Crumbley made a statement that “lives were lost today, and he’s going to have to suffer.” He said he found that odd because she was referring to a person who was her son.
Seizing cellphones
- 9:32 a.m. Wednesday
When he takes a phone, he puts it in airplane mode so it can’t be remotely “wiped,” Marzban said. It’s to preserve evidence.
Marzban said when he met resistance from Jennifer Crumbley about the phone, he told her that it was part of the process and the parents wouldn’t be allowed to decline.
Burner phones
- 9:30 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said Jennifer Crumbley was concerned about being able to call people, and he told her she could go buy a temporary phone. He asked for her to give them that phone number, but the parents did not provide the numbers to him, he said.
Jennifer Crumbley didn’t want to hand over phone, cop says
- 9:28 a.m. Wednesday
When the parents returned to the home, Marzban told them they would receive a list of items that had been taken from the home.
He told them he needed both of their cellphones for the investigation.
“She was not happy about that,” Marzban said. “She did not want to give me her phone. She seemed irritated about it, initially. She was not handing it over promptly.”
Marzban said it was part of the search warrant. James Crumbley interrupted his wife and told her that police were going to get the phone one way or another, so that’s when she turned it over.
Jennifer Crumbley also gave police the password to the phone after he explained that he had a way to get past the security measures, if necessary.
He took a sheet of paper and allowed Jennifer Crumbley to write down a list of numbers of family members.
Marzban wanted parents’ cellphones
- 9:23 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said the parents of the shooter weren’t at the house when he showed up. They were asked to return to the home, and they did about 15 minutes after he arrived.
Marzban said he wanted them to return because they had cellphones. He thought their cellphones were relevant to the investigation because he learned at the school that there had been a meeting with the parents that morning.
He also said he had seen the text from “mom” on the shooter’s phone that said, “Don’t do it.”
Arriving at Crumbley household
- 9:24 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said he arrived at the Crumbleys’ house around 6:30 p.m. Detectives were already searching the home, and they had been for about an hour, he estimated.
Everybody was inside the house, with uniformed cars outside as security. He said it was members of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and ATF Special Agent Brett Brandon
Weapon used in shooting
- 9:23 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said by the time he saw the weapon used in the shooting, it had been brought into evidence at the front of the school.
He identified it as a SIG Sauer 9 mm handgun.
Surveillance video from south hallway
- 9:22 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said he watched surveillance video that showed the shooter going into a bathroom, coming back out moments later, and firing shots at other students while walking east down the hallway.
Student witnessed murder
- 9:20 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban spoke to a student who was in one of the counselor’s offices. The student had witnessed the murder of Justin Shilling.
Marzban told a detective to stay with the student so that he wouldn’t be alone and gather information.
That student also had information about the shooter, Marzban testified.
Search warrant authorized
- 9:19 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban had his laptop brought to him at the school and typed out a search warrant. Once it was authorized, he told his detectives that they could begin the search at the Crumbley house.
He had asked several detectives to go to the house previously to preserve it, so once the search warrant had been signed by a judge, they were ready to begin the search immediately.
Lawyers bicker again
- 9:17 a.m. Wednesday
Smith and McDonald got into another sparring match over objections, and specifically McDonald talking over Smith when Smith makes objections.
The judge agreed, and Smith’s objection was sustained.
Texts on shooter’s cellphone
- 9:15 a.m. Wednesday
The shooting began at 12:51 p.m. Nov. 30, 2021, according to Marzban.
On the phone, there were texts from both of his parents, he testified. Those texts had been received about an hour before he viewed the phone.
“(The shooter’s name) don’t do it,” Jennifer Crumbley had messaged.
“(The shooter’s name) call me now,” James Crumbley had messaged.
Shooter’s cellphone
- 9:12 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban looked at the shooter’s cellphone and could see from the lock screen that a few messages had been received. He said he could see who those messages were from and what they said.
At the time, he was in the front of the school by the administrative offices with another detective from computer crimes.
Search warrant
- 9:11 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said he was then instructed to prepare a search warrant for the Crumbley household.
The purpose of the search was to look for any more evidence for the homicide investigation. He said that’s a normal course of action.
Identifying victims who were killed
- 9:10 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said he began to identify the victims who were killed in the shooting. He described finding the body of Hana St. Juliana. They identified her based on her school picture so they could notify her family.
They continued down the hallway and found the body of Madisyn Baldwin, Marzban said. She had been shot in the head. She still had a backpack on. He found her license in her wallet and was able to identify her as Maidsyn Baldwin.
Arriving at school
- 9:05 a.m. Wednesday
Marzban said police did a sweep of the school to make sure it was safe, and he talked about coming across a classroom full of students.
He said police had to identify themselves to the people behind the locked bathroom door.
“We wanted to make sure that there was a safe path,” Marzban said.
Marzban said since the shooter was in custody, the primary goal was to escort everyone out safely while preserving the crime scene.
Witness: Lt. Sam Marzban
- 9:01 a.m. Wednesday
Lt. Sam Marzban is a detective lieutenant with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. He’s the commander of the Pontiac detective bureau.
Jennifer Crumbley arrives
- 8:50 a.m. Wednesday
Jennifer Crumbley has been escorted into the courtroom. She took her place beside Smith.
Defense, prosecution argue over witnesses
- 9:43 a.m. Wednesday
Smith and McDonald entered the courtroom, followed a few minutes later by Keast.
They worked at their own desks for several moments before the discussion turned to witnesses.
Smith has asked prosecutors to extend her the professional courtesy of keeping her up to date on their plan to call witnesses so she can coordinate with her own witnesses. The prosecution hasn’t appeared eager to comply.
Judge wanted to start earlier today
- 8:29 a.m. Wednesday
At the end of the day Tuesday, Matthews said she wanted to start proceedings earlier on Wednesday because the first witness didn’t take the stand until 10:22 a.m. Tuesday due to procedural issues.
Boss, coworker testimony
- 8:16 a.m. Wednesday
When Jennifer Crumbley’s former boss testified on Tuesday, prosecutors tried to establish that she would have been allowed to miss work on the day of the shooting if she’d wanted to take her son home from school.
He told the court that Jennifer Crumbley was a hard worker and good at her job. He also described the moment when she found out that there was a shooting at Oxford High School, saying he could hear the commotion from inside his office.
Amanda Holland, a coworker whose desk was nearby, told the court that when Jennifer Crumbley showed her the picture of the math worksheet the shooter had drawn on, she found it scary and recommended Crumbley spend more time with her son.
Witness breakdown so far
- 8:07 a.m. Wednesday
The prosecution has called 14 people to the stand -- four Oxford school officials, five current or former members of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, two people from Jennifer Crumbley’s former workplace, the owner of the horse barn, an ATF agent, and an employee of the gun store.
Each of the final three witnesses from Tuesday were with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the shooting. Stoyek and Peschke focused primarily on the search warrant served at Jennifer Crumbley’s home, while Koteles recreated the crime scene at the high school from a forensic standpoint.
When will prosecution rest?
- 7:54 a.m. Wednesday
Before the proceedings began Tuesday, Judge Matthews asked the prosecution about their outlook for the rest of the week. She was trying to get a feel for whether the trial is still on schedule.
Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Marc Keast said the prosecution plans to rest before the end of the week. Defense attorney Shannon Smith said in that case, she needs a list of the witnesses the prosecution no longer plans to call, in case she wants to call some of those witnesses herself.
Keast told the judge he believes the case is on or a head of schedule.
Witnesses from this week
- 7:39 a.m. Wednesday
On Monday, the prosecution called Kira Pennock, Shawn Hopkins, and Sgt. Joe Brian.
Pennock owns the barn where the Crumbley parents kept their horses, Hopkins is an Oxford High School counselor, and Brian interviewed the parents at an Oakland County substation in Oxford right after the shooting.
Nicholas Ejak, who was the dean of students for Oxford High School at the time of the shooting, began Tuesday by talking about why the shooter’s case was considered a counseling issue, and not a disciplinary issue.
Jennifer Crumbley’s boss, Andrew Smith, and coworker, Amanda Holland, testified about what they remember from the day of the shooting.
Tuesday ended with testimony from three members of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. Detective Adam Stoyek and Sgt. Matthew Peschke were part of the search warrant at the Crumbley household, and Robert Koteles was the crime scene supervisor who went to the high school and documented evidence.
Who we heard from last week
- 7:21 a.m. Wednesday
The prosecution plans to call 20 or more witnesses to the stand, and so far, we’ve heard from eight of them through three days of the trial.
On Thursday, Molly Darnell, Kristy Gibson-Marshall, and Cammy Back all testified before lunch. Darnell was a staff member at Oxford High School at the time of the shooting, Gibson-Marshall is the assistant principal, and Back works at the gun store where James Crumbley bought the SIG Sauer handgun for the shooter.
After lunch, we heard testimony from Special Agent Brett Brandon, of the ATF.
On Friday, Edward Wągrowski, who was a computer crimes expert for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the shooting, testified for the entire time court was in session.
Breakdowns from previous court dates
- 7:09 a.m. Wednesday
If you missed any of our updates from the first four days of the Jennifer Crumbley trial, or from the jury selection process, here are links to those articles:
Court schedule for Wednesday
- 6:58 a.m. Wednesday
Day 5 of the trial will continue with prosecutors calling witnesses to the stand. Judge Cheryl A. Matthews asked the jury to be ready by 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.