I first wrote about the brutal murder of Jessica Fear here.
Since then, a suspect has been arrested and is finally going to trial. His name is Leonard Westervelt. He was originally arrested on an unrelated assault charge. His niece finally went to the police and told them that he had confessed to her and her fiancee that Leonard had killed Jessica Fear.
He has previously served time for larceny and armed robbery.
His story has been a bit twisted. First, he claimed he planned on robbing the place. Then, he claimed that he was having a relationship with Jessica and during those fateful early morning hours, she threatened to tell his girlfriend, they had a fight and he ended up killing her in a daze.
The whole relationship claim is pretty weak. Jessica worked a lot of hours, nights, at the gas station and went to school in Owosso, a good half hour drive from her home, during the day. She had a young daughter and a boyfriend. She was going to have a relationship with this creep when? In her spare time? Pulease.
At one court appearance, Westervelt claimed he didn't understand the charges against him. He was sent for a psychiatric exam and whoops, he was faking.
He is finally going to trial at the end of April. I have had contact with some members of Jessica's family and I hope to be able to attend at least part of the trial.
Jessica deserves justice and her voice deserves to be heard.
Oh and yeah, this is another case that makes me wish Michigan had the death penalty.
I too wish that they had the death penalty in Michigan. Why should the tax payers have to pay for their crimes the rest of their lives. Thanks for the update on the case.
Posted by: DRR | February 23, 2007 at 01:33 PM
I remember this happened when I still lived down in Milford. The Mobil station there by Kensington had a donation jar for her family and a picture with a phone number asking for witnesses to call. I never thought they'd find the jerk who killed her, but I sure am glad they did. Now if only they could find Paige...
Posted by: Shannon | February 23, 2007 at 04:36 PM
I agree. Wake up people! Where's the outrage? There will not be real justice if people don't stand up and protest in Lansing to reinstate the death penalty. It's time to get their apathetic heads out of their apathetic asses. Where's Ted Nugent when you need them?
Posted by: Victim of Injustice | March 05, 2007 at 08:13 PM