MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) — Ammunition fired from the gun authorities recovered from Jeffrey Willis’ minivan matched the rounds recovered from the Rebekah Bletsch murder scene, a ballistics expert testified Thursday.
Willis, 47, is charged with the June 2014 murder of Bletsch, who was shot and killed while jogging down a rural road in Muskegon.
Michigan State Police Lt. Jeff Crump was the last expert to take the stand Thursday. He testified that the striations from bullet fragments recovered from Bletsch’s body also matched those from at least two shells he test-fired from the Walther P22 recovered from Willis’ van.
Crump said he tested numerous weapons confiscated by authorities, but it was the one with the defaced serial number that matched. He explained how he restored the weapon’s serial number by smoothing out the metal in the area and applying an acid. He testified the resulting number matched the serial number of the missing gun purchased by Willis’ co-worker, Michelle Schnotala.
DNA DECODED
The muzzle end, grip and slide interior of that same gun tested positive for Willis’ DNA, MSP forensics laboratory expert David Hayhurst testified earlier.
Hayhurst was one of three DNA experts who jurors heard from Thursday. He tested evidence seized from Willis’ silver minivan, including sex toys, restraints and gloves.
Hayhurst said the ball of a ball-gag found in the vehicle had a partial DNA profile that matched Willis, and the defendant’s DNA also matched as the “major donor” on leather restraints.
Willis’ DNA profile also matched to a lesser extent the swabbing taken from two pairs of women’s underwear found in his shed, according to Hayhurst. Swabbings from the underwear also fit the DNA profile of Schnotala, who testified earlier in the trial that the panties were taken from her home.
In the long list of items he tested, Hayhurst couldn’t confirm any DNA matches from Bletsch, Jessica Heeringa or the teen who led investigators to Willis.
Kevin Bluhm’s DNA didn’t show up either. He is Willis’ cousin and the person defense attorney Fred Johnson is trying to pin Bletsch’s murder on.
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