VanCallis, 34, of Goodells, is on trial for killing April. VanCallis' brother says James asked him to delete all his texts The ex-girlfriend of murder suspect James VanCallis took the stand in his trial for the murder of April Millsap Friday. When Krystal, a high school senior from Michigan, was 17, she met James for the first time. He has been in custody since then, it was only on August 19 that officials named him as being related to the April Millsap case. Attorney: "What were the conversations that led to those frightening statements?". VanCallis sentenced to life in Millsap murder - WXYZ Channel 7 One day, a trooper drove home from work and spotted a blue and white motorcycle parked in a driveway. VanCallis maintained that he had gone to visit his brother at around 6 pm and then went home nearly two hours later. The first episode of Investigation Discoverys Caught in the Net as well as Hulus How I Caught My Killer: You Can See The Panic delves into how digital forensics was instrumental in catching Aprils killer. Chief: VanCallis beat April Millsap to death - The Detroit News James Buckley, conservative ex-senator and brother of late writer He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. Here's everything you need to know. As per the show, a day after Aprils body was found, patrolling police officers located a bike that matched the description from before parked at a home. Morning Mix The 'dangerous science' that helped convict a 14-year-old girl's killer By Lindsey Bever February 9, 2016 at 1:20 p.m. EST James VanCallis, right, with his attorney, Azhar Sheikh,. No charge. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter. As per the show, another witness claimed to have seen a man acting suspiciously in the woods where she was found. VanCallis and his father, James Bernard VanCallis, 66, were arrested July 30 on drug charges related to a pot-growing operation at their home in Goodells in St. Clair County. "This is a sad chain of events that somehow I'm wrapped up in," he said in court. The Main Street video alone could support the claim VanCallis drove straight to his brothers house. April Millsap allegedly encountered James VanCallis, who was riding by the trail on his motorcycle, on the evening of her death. "You were so scared of Mr. VanCallis to the point that it didn't matter that there were two troopers there," the attorney said. Though there was little evidence or physical links, authorities managed to nab the main suspect through witness statements and a cell phone location from April's fitness application. So, if you want to know more about the latter, we've covered you. What happened to April Millsap? Full story and James VanCallis update . Donald VanCallis also testified he left his construction job at a site in Ferndale at 6 p.m. and that it typically took about 40 to 45 minutes to drive home. James VanCallis, then 34-years-old was charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, and attempted assault. "They were able to track down every tip," said Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith. The shoes moved on the body, he said. VanCallis told police after leaving his home a few miles northeast of Armada, he went to Donnies house and then to the Tim Hortons in Romeo, where he believed Donnie may have been. Donald VanCallis told jurors he didn't see any blood on his brother's clothes or motorcycle or see any of his clothes torn or indisarray. Nonetheless, the revelations raised Jareds profile, with many people wanting to know what is in his biography. Donald VanCallis is the younger brother of 34-year-old James, on trial for murdering, kidnapping and trying. It was an activity she did every day at around 5:00 pm. During James VanCallis trial in early 2016, his former girlfriend Krystal Stadler testified that he said, I messed up. ET. First, he used his motorcycle helmet as a weapon to beat April. If found guilty, each charge carries a possible life-sentence. Her message read: Before sending the message, April may have thought she had run away from a man on a motorcycle who accosted her. April's mother addressed VanCallis in court in an emotional. But he said he told police he just wanted to help.. According to his Facebook page, VanCallis is a native of Royal Oak, Michigan but lives in Detroit. VanCallis brother helps show prosecutions, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), VanCallis brother helps show prosecutions time line, Waterford Township master plan under review, Student works to change lives in South America, Parents see own health spiral as their kids mental illnesses worsen, Detroiter suspected in western Oakland County crime spree facing multiple charges, Jury finds James VanCallis guilt of murder in death of 14-year-old April Millsap, Former Rudys Market in downtown Clarkston set to open as a steakhouse in 2024, Classic car owners say Woodward Dream Cruise keeps memories alive, Motorist killed after crashing into two sheriff's vehicles on M-59, Dads Against Predators confronts man in Downriver Kroger, says hes there to meet child for sex, Madison Heights man, 74, sues city police, claims use of excessive force, Motorist dead after being shot during struggle with Oakland County sheriff's deputies, Oakland County moves forward with Pontiac property purchase, Clawson Fest expands to Main Street with greater attendance, Corban Caldwell, Oakland County physician, killed in car crash, Scenes from Woodward Dream Cruise fun in Ferndale, Flash flood warnings around Tropical Storm Hilary are issued throughout Southern California, As pythons thrive by the thousands, heres how snake hunts factor into the battle. There was an empty water bottle. VanCallis Junior has a long criminal record which includes arrests for disorderly conduct, larceny and probation violations in 2012. April died from a blow to the head and suffocation from her neck being squeezed. All rights reserved. VanCallis has indicated to police that around the time of the murder he was riding his motorcycle looking for his brother, Donnie, who resides southwest of the village of Armada. Yes. James VanCallis' brother was sometimes evasive but on the witness stand Tuesday provided important timeline testimony in the prosecution's case against his sibling for April MillsapR What happened to Jamie Auld? Ex-girlfriend of James VanCallis calls him 'abusive, controlling' Prosecutors say he beat and asphyxiated Millsap while away from his home on his motorcycle for several hours. Yet, surveillance footage from a gas station in Armada had footage that appeared to be of James on his motorbike before the murder. Update April Millsap Murder: Where is James VanCallis Now? Contact Christina Hall: chall99@freepress.com. "They spent so much money trying to prove that my boy did this," she said. While police believe April was murdered around 6:30 that night, Donald VanCallis says he can't remember when his brother arrived to his Armada home to hang out. Lifetime's #TextMeWhenYouGetHome: Where is April Millsap's killer James It may be a stomping, or the foot was kind of like a bouncing up and down, he said. Attorney: "What's the first thing he said?". He is famous for marrying Catherine Nunes, a famous American car enthusiast, model, social media influencer, and reality TV star. She was the only child in her family, who lived with her mom and stepdad. She lived with her mother and stepfather in Armada, Michigan, a small town 35 miles from Detroit. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. The curious April took her phone and texted her boyfriend, saying - I think I almost got kidnapped. Millsap murder:James VanCallis Sr. on drug charges: "I love my dogs, I wanna go home, I didn't do nothing." The charges against VanCallis in relation to Millsap are first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder. She said VanCallis was controlling over her and had hit her in the past. So, lets find out what happened then, shall we? Accused killer of April Millsap fears for safety behind bars Other programmes that have featured April Millsaps story include: Many podcasts and YouTube channels have also featured her story, including:: Was Keisha Morris, Tupac's wife? Where is April Millsaps Mom Jennifer Milsap Now. James Buckley, conservative senator and brother of late writer William F. Buckley, dies at 100 Buckley was the sole Conservative Party candidate to win statewide office in New York . The 'dangerous science' that helped convict a 14-year-old girl's killer His jury trial began Jan. 20 in front of Judge Mary Chrzanowski in Macomb County Circuit Court in Mount Clemens. Authorities believe April was beaten with a motorcycle helmet and stomped to death during an attempted sexual assault. Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. He alsosaid he was willing to show authorities his phone, but not give it to them. CLEMENS, MI -- A judge on Wednesday sentenced James VanCallis, Jr. to life in prison for the slaying of 14-year-old April Millsap, who was killed along a walking path in Armada on July 24, 2014. James Buckley, conservative ex-senator and brother of late writer James VanCallis was linked to the murder of April Millsap when a surveillance footage showed James VanCallis leaving the scene where Aprils body was found. ", Stadler says VanCallis was controlling and abusive. NR Daily is delivered right to you every afternoon. She admitted she didnt reveal all of the incriminating information to police until a third interview because she was scared of VanCallis and his family. A not guilty plea was entered on behalf of the 32-year-old from St . What did James VanCallis say about the case? Then, the police obtained video surveillance that caught the motorcyclist on camera around 6:49 pm. Sentenced to automatic life in prison without parole, Vancallis, who has maintained his innocence, says he was never given the chance to defend himself and demanded a new trial. Nevertheless, Millsaps murder received widespread publicity, with several documentaries explaining the details of the fateful event in July 2014. "They better keep looking because they got the wrong person," Pupi said. She said she thought that was weird. She said she thought he had done something wrong., The next day, VanCallis wanted her to clean clothes that he wore that night grey camouflage pants, a white T-shirt emblazoned with Michigan State University and Stanford University Rose Bowl graphics, a Carhartt hoodie and black-and-white Nike high-top gym shoes. The fitness app tracked April's movements and showed an increase in her speed after that last text to her boyfriend. She couldnt reach her daughter despite calling and texting her multiple times, driving her to eventually approach the police. The cell phone was eventually located in a rural residential area and became the evidence that would break the case. "He messed up and he needs me to stay by his side," she said. April Millsap murder case highlighted on streaming series (Bing Maps) VanCallis was officially arrested on drug charges in July along with his father, also named James. "I pity you, I hate you and I can never forgive you," said Jennifer Millsap. Young could be 25, right? Sheikh said. Both men were arrested at home at 8744 Marquette Road, in Goodells, Michigan, shown here above. As the defense argues, no physical evidence was found on his motorcycle or his clothing. Also Tuesday, county Sheriffs Lt. Jason Abro presented a re-creation video of, according to prosecutors, VanCallis motorcycle passing by a home on Jefferson Street in a subdivision near the crime scene. She conceded that VanCallis changed the oil of his vehicles in their driveway, bolstering the defense claim he was cleaning his shoes the night of the murder from stepping on oil in the driveway. In 2014, a teenagers leisurely walk through a trail in Armada, Michigan, turned out to be fatal. April Millsap Murder Case: Where is James VanCallis Today? He told her that he was cleaning the boots of oil. The band is 0.6 of one mile from the cell phone tower. He then dragged her into the woods, beat and stomped on her till she died before removing her clothes to assault her. He is accused of first-degree premeditated murder, felony murder, kidnapping, and assault with the intent to commit sexual penetration. Driver killed in crash during hillclimb race in Pa. Prosecutors say the murder occurred from about 6:34 to 6:44 p.m. A graphic band depicted on an aerial photograph showed a half-circle, 0.2-mile-wide arc over an area from southeast of downtown Armada arching east and north of Armada, ending northwest of Armada. Soon, a composite sketch of this man was made public. 1. MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. - The prosecution sparred with the brother of defendant James VanCallis about details of the night April Millsap was killed. Tropical Storm Franklin forms as forecasters monitor Emily, TD Six, two other disturbances, Shop owner shot, killed over rainbow flag outside clothing store, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Phone experts take focus in Millsap murder trial - The Detroit News VanCallis is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and attempted sexual assault. Who is Dave Matthews' wife? Police say that VanCallis hit Millsap with his motorcycle helmet, then dragged her into the woods and beat her to death with his feet. They then caught a break after determining that Aprils killer had taken her phone. Sometime after 8 pm, a couple of joggers found Aprils body in the woods off the trail, partially naked. Testimony is set to continue Wednesday, with closing arguments scheduled for Friday morning. How 14 year old April Millsap SOLVED HER OWN MURDER with her fitness tracker app, In episode 10 this Saturday 9/1/18, we wrap up season 1 of. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Jared Toller is an American celebrity spouse. Brother testifies VanCallis asked him to delete texts - Detroit Free Press That he told her to tell police he was wearing different shows that day and asking her to wash his clothes. Buckley spent a single term in the 1970s in the Senate, where the conservative was one of the first Republican lawmakers to call for then-President Richard Nixon to resign during the Watergate scandal. At around 6:20 pm, her pace suddenly picked up, and there were at least 15 minutes of frantic activity. All about Jennifer Ashley Harper. Crystal Stadler called him abusive, controlling and even threatening. Austin man who died in Utah national park remembered by family The six men and six women found the 34 . What was April Millsaps cause of death? As a result, her mother remarried and went to live in Armada, Michigan, United States. At the time, April had a fitness app on her phone that tracked her walk on the trail. Earlier Tuesday, surveillance video of James VanCallis traveling west on Main Street in downtown Armada and south on Church Street provided evidence he could have traveled to the trail to kill Millsap. What did James VanCallis mother say? April Millsap Murder: Where is James VanCallis Now? Earlier in the day, prosecutors also revealed Internet searches done on VanCallis computer in the weeks before the murder, including: Do girls like older men? How to have sex with a girl and How to attract younger women, to bolster the largely circumstantial case against him. Krystal Stadler, who dated VanCallis on and off for almost nine years, told a jury in Macomb County Circuit Court today that she found the hair and grass when she went to wash his clothes a few days later at his home in St. Clair County. So what happened to April? Donald said he talked with his brother several times throughout the day April's body was found along the Macomb Orchard Trail in July of 2014. James VanCallis' ex-girlfriend delivered damaging testimony to his defense Friday when she said he told her he "messed up" within hours of the April Millsap murder, and she discovered other. Was April Millsaps boyfriend a suspect? She agreed with him that she had testified previously that shed felt pressured to align her statements to accommodate police because she feared they could take her children. Stadler said that when she woke up that night, VanCallis was using hand sanitiser to clean the shoes he wore every day. The police dogs tracked her belongings while the officers obtained her phone records. After the details surfaced, authorities located the bike outside James' residence and brought him in for questioning. Inside the courtroom James Vancallis filled out a form to appeal but Smith says he isn't concerned, he says he's confident Vancallis will never see the light of day. But under Daileys cross-examination, Pechman agreed a cell phone expert indicated VanCallis telephone was in Romeo earlier, at 5:55 p.m. July 24, 2014. Her backpack and cell phone were taken. Police say justice will come in the form of a murder conviction against 34-year-old James VanCallis Jr., described as an unemployed pot dealer without a driver's license who lived in a squalid . During cross-examination, defense attorney Azhar Sheikh tried to undermine her testimony by questioning why she hesitated to reveal details even after she had left VanCallis. James L. Buckley, R.I.P. | National Review Meet Elaine Starchuk: The interesting story of Tommy Lee's ex-wife. The trial will continue throughout this week. VanCallis' brother helps show prosecution's time line This was around when witnesses saw her with the man on the motorcycle. She said that after the murder, her shoes and a shoe box with essential papers went missing. Previous searches included, What does it mean when a girl tells you she has a boyfriend, on March 17, How to play a girl whos trying to play you, on March 17, What if a girl keeps looking at you, on May 15, and How to get a girl, on July 14, which is one of two searches via a pornography site, Higgason said. Two days after the murder, Donald VanCallis testified, police came to his house and he told them he"was trying to help them anyway I could." A judge sentenced James VanCallis to life in prison without the chance for parole in the murder of 14-year-old April Millsap. April Millsaps parents separated when she was still young. He was rude. According to the docuseries, he even moved her into the house he shared with his father after she graduated so that he could keep her away from people and control almost every part of her life. VanCallis guilty in murder of April Millsap of Armada - The Detroit News James VanCallis's brother, Donald, replies to question by Assistant Macomb County Prosecutor William Dailey on Tuesday during James VanCallis' murder trial in Macomb County Circuit Court for the slaying of April Millsap. The Murder of April Millsap It's Crime O Clock Somewhere Therefore, today, prison records indicate that James remains incarcerated at the Chippewa Correctional Facility in Kinross, Michigan, where hes expected to remain for the rest of his natural life. Yes. Prosecutors say the pattern on the shoe bottom matches shoe prints found on Millsaps body. The police found a fingerprint and no DNA, including blood, hair, saliva, or se*men, to connect James VanCallis to the abduction, assault, and murder of April Millsap. Sheikh also questioned him about James VanCallis live-in girlfriend at the time, Krystal Stadler, who Friday provided damaging testimony against her ex. As "How I Caught My Killer: You Can See the Panic" shows, her killer, James VanCallis Jr., and his girlfriend, Krystal Stradler, were among them, but in very different ways. On the night that she died, Millsap had texted her boyfriend to say, I think Im being kidnapped., Breaking: Police name 32-yo James VanCallis an official person of interest in murder of 14-yo April Millsap @FOX2News pic.twitter.com/w4wJs0EOMQ, Erika Erickson (@FOX2Erika) August 19, 2014. James VanCallis was passing through the popular hiking trail in Armada when he encountered April Millsap. He told circuit court jurors that his brother was coming to his house,just outside the village of Armada,to get money for dog food. Viswa Vanapalli Updated January 10, 2023 In 2014, a teenager's leisurely walk through a trail in Armada, Michigan, turned out to be fatal. James VanCallis brother was sometimes evasive but on the witness stand Tuesday provided important timeline testimony in the prosecutions case against his sibling for April Millsaps murder. But that day, she left her home around 6 pm and walked on a bike trail. Donald VanCallis says he can't remember much about what his brother was wearing or phone conversations that night. Millsap attended a local school, and her friends considered her upbeat and buddy. In February 2016, then 34, James VanCallis Jr. was convicted on the charges of first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping, and assault with intent to commit sexual penetration. It was an ordinary evening in July 2014 when 14-year-old April Millsap took her dog for a walk along the Macomb Orchard Trail. He was asked to compare 11 pairs of shoes in the case, 10 of which he testified that he eliminated. Despite lack of DNA, judge refuses to dismiss VanCallis murder trial I think I said, Absolutely not,' Donald VanCallis said of his response to his brother. Video from a Marathon gas station and a building on Church shows a motorcycle believed to be operated by VanCallis going west on Main Street at 6:17 p.m. July 24, 2014, about 15 minutes before prosecutors say Millsap was attacked on the trail, and south on Church Street. New York. Phone records indicate calls were made about 9 and 9:15 p.m., Dailey said. However, around 8 pm, a husband and wife jogging around the trail heard Penny, Aprils dog, bark. As of today, James remains in prison at Carson City Correctional Facility in Montcalm County, Michigan. James VanCallis, 32, is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder and assault with intent to commit sexual penetration. He testified that he later told police he lost his phone, which wasn't true. Aug. 18, 2023 Updated 1:49 p.m. James Vancallis mother, Brenda Pupi, told news reporters she believed from her heart that the police officers involved in her sons case framed him because they had to nail somebody for Aprils murder. Also testifying Friday was FBI agent Christopher Hess, a cell phone expert, who provided records that show VanCallis cell phone was in the area of the murder scene at 6:14 and 6:16 p.m. Powered by. Rescuers found he had passed away, sitting upright, with a grand view of Utah's Arches National . Moments earlier, he agreed with Assistant Macomb Prosecutor William Dailey that he told police two different times of James arrival. When the police searched Aprils phone, they found a fitness app. They know they got the wrong one.WATCH:You can watch a replay of the hearing on our YouTube page. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Attorney: "Do you remember what it was you told them about your phone? Crystal Stadler called him abusive, controlling and even threatening.. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Sad news came down to us this morning: James L. Buckley, statesman, judge, writer, and brother of William F., has died at age 100. Vancallis' mother, Brena Pupi, watched her son walk away for the final time and insists police and prosecutors framed her son. Buckley was the fourth of 10 children of a . I need you to stand by me. She further added that James was cleaning the shoes he wore on the day of the murder they were never found before explaining she had also found hair and grass in his hoodie. However, Donnie VanCallis often testified. Donald VanCallis initially told police his brother arrived at about 6:25 to 6:30 p.m. then in a second interview said James arrived at 7 or a little later.. April Millsap was not sexually assaulted. Maria Menounos Secret Battle with Pancreatic Cancer While Pregnant, Exploring the Life of Ash Ruscoe, the Ex-Girlfriend of Australian Boxer Harry Garside, Aleeza Ben Shalom, Empowering Jewish Singles to Find Lasting Love, Linda Lewis, British Musician and Backing Singer, Passes Away at 72. (Ray Skowronek - For The Voice), FBI cell phone expert Christopher Hess testifies Friday. Security footage from a house in Armada showed James traveling on his motorcycle around the same time the phone was changing locations. 2023 FOX Television Stations, You can watch a replay of the hearing on our YouTube page, Light rain and cloudy conditions can't dampen Detroit Fireworks fun, Hart Plaza 2023 Detroit Fireworks fans enjoyed the show, Four people shot in Ypsilanti, two of them teens, Elderly Detroit woman stuck inside home from large driveway sinkhole, Belle Isle fans weather the rain and clouds, and take in the 2023 Detroit Fireworks, Bad pool builder dives in, hits rock bottom, MSP: 14-year-old with autism killed in hit-and-run walking on 696 ramp, Thunder Over Michigan jet crash Ohio woman shocked by $2,800 grocery bill Pregnant woman killed in crash, Vigil held for 7-year-old killed in car crash on Van Dyke in Detroit, Baby boys abducted Detroit Federation of Teachers, DPSCD reach agreement Vigil held after fatal crash. He said his brother didnt appear to be perspiring, cleaning up and did not go into the bathroom. Furthermore, phone records showed he was near the trail around the time of the murder. What injuries did April Millsap sustain before her death? She was the daughter of Jennifer Millsap (mother) and Bobby Millsap (father). But the defense argued there's no proof it was VanCallis, also accusing Stadler of changing her story. She was stomped and beaten to death near a popular trail in Armada, Michigan.
How Far Is Palm Beach Gardens From Me, Solita Tacos And Margaritas Photos, Articles J