MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) — The man who authorities say helped his cousin, Jeffrey Willis, move Jessica Heeringa’s body is a free man.
Judge William Marietti sentenced Kevin Bluhm to time served Tuesday for being an accessory after the fact in Heeringa’s murder. It’s a crime he pleaded no contest toa day before his trial was set to begin.
The judge pointed out that state sentencing guidelines called for between zero to nine months behind bars for the crime, but Bluhm had already spent 476 days behind bars. Marietti also ordered Bluhm to serve five years of probation and wear a GPS tether.
Muskegon County Assistant Prosecutor Matt Roberts urged the judge to add the electronic tether as part of Bluhm’s probation restrictions “to drive home to Mr. Bluhm the point that the eyes of this court, the eyes of law enforcement and indeed the eyes of the community will be upon him as he walks through this probationary term.”
The prosecutor’s office believes Bluhm has information that could be damaging to their case against Willis and “could bring some measure of closure” to Heeringa’s family.
Bluhm’s attorney didn’t challenge the sentencing agreement, only renewing his objection to a jail credit based on the original charge filed against Bluhm, not the one he pleaded no contest to.
Bluhm’s sentencing lasted about 10 minutes, during which Roberts called the case a “very serious matter” that had a ripple effect on the community.
“In fact this case doesn’t have a ripple effect, it has a tidal wave. And Mr. Bluhm’s silence, as it related to the incidents to which he is an accessory after the fact in assisting Mr. Willis in covering up this heinous crime that was committed against Jessica Heeringa, swept up in that tidal wave the lives of Rebekah Bletsch and almost swept up the life of MJN,” Roberts said.
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