GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The mother of a Grand Valley State University student who was the victim of a murder-suicide in Eastown is suing five officers and the 21-year-old suspect’s father.
In the 27-page lawsuit, Pamela Reilly lists numerous times she said her 21-year-old daughter, Rosemarie Reilly, complained to authorities about her ex-boyfriend Jeremy Kelley’s stalking, harassment, threats and abuse, but was never arrested.
“The Defendants affirmative actions are outrageous and shock the conscience,” states the wrongful death lawsuit, which was filed in Grand Rapids’ federal court Friday.
Those accused of wrongful conduct and gross negligence include Officer Brandon Tubergen, Sgt. Dennis Luce and Sgt. Chris Dill of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office; Officer Collin Wallace and Capt. Brandon DeHaan of the GVSU police department; and Bloomfield Township Officer Sean Kelley, whose son shot and killed Rosemarie Reilly.
Pamela Reilly said although Jeremy Kelley repeatedly violated the personal protection order her daughter took out and authorities “put Jeremy on notice” to stay away, they refrained from arresting him on four separate occasions.
She said Sean Kelley spoke with the local officers, who in turn did not arrest or seize his son’s guns, which “boldened Jeremy’s belief that ‘nothing was going to happen’ (to) him, which in turn led to Rosemarie’s death.”
The deadly shooting happened around 3 a.m. on Nov. 6, 2016 – about six weeks after the relationship ended, and a month after Jeremy Kelley was hospitalized for attempted suicide, according to the lawsuit.
In a phone call on the eve of the murder-suicide, Jeremy Kelley told a relative of his ex-girlfriend he was with his brother in Muskegon and would not be able to come open a Grand Rapids garage so she could get her belongings, the lawsuit reads.
Pamela Reilly said either Jeremey’s father or one of the officers she named in the lawsuit told Jeremy Kelley about his arrest warrant for domestic violence at that time, “but did not effectuate his arrest.”
Hours later, Jeremy Kelley found Rosemarie at a friend’s house in the 1400 block of Lake Drive SE, dragged her from the home by her hair, shot her multiple times in the torso as she tried to run back into the house, then turned the gun on himself, according to the lawsuit.
Rosemarie died at the scene. Jeremy Kelley died at the hospital.
Pamela Reilly is seeking reimbursement for the cost of burying her daughter, legal fees, as well as for pain and suffering.