True Crime Vault: Murderer in the Minivan

Step into the 2020 true crime vault. where each story is unforgettable. Three young women, one missing, one. murdered, one kidnapped. >> Now, the hidden secrets that crack this. case and all new 2020 starts right now. [music]. >> I get a call from our sergeant. Something suspicious happened at Exxon. gas station. We're going to get right to. that Michigan mom who vanished. A.

massive hunt for her right now. >> Everybody was asking, "Where is Jessica? What happened to Jessica? Have you seen. Jessica? Can you find Jessica?". >> And she's just a hardworking girl. [music] She just needs to come home. >> You start to piece together that. something violent happened in this. location. >> She saw this silver minivan. She thought. it was kind of weird. What these two. individuals were witnessing in that. parking lot was the abduction of Jessica. Herringa. >> But that wasn't their only mystery to.

solve when a different crime comes into. play. >> Oh my gosh, who can do this? But who can. hit a woman and just leave her? >> To this young mother on a run being. [music] shot and killed. >> This was at close range. This was. certainly execution style. Here we. [music] have two females. One's missing, one's deceased, >> and one other who lived to tell. >> And he's just staring [music] at me the. entire time. And I'm like, "Let me out. Let me out. Let me out." At what point.

do you realize [music] you're in real. trouble and that you could die? This is Moskegan in West Michigan. Just. south is the small community of Norton. Shores, beach towns [music] on the. sunset coast of Lake Michigan. >> I describe Moskegan as sort of a. microcosm of the state of Michigan. Uh.

we have our urban areas, our suburban. [music] areas, and then the eastern part. and northern part of our county is more. rural. Norton Shores is a nice community. on the southern edge of [music] our. county. >> It's one of the most beautiful areas of. West Michigan because it's right near. Lake Michigan. So, that's the big draw. is our lake shore. Just absolutely. gorgeous. >> I have a lot of pride of coming from. Moss County. I think it's just a really. great place to live and and grow up in. But a series of apparently unconnected.

crimes began to seow fear into this. quiet community. It all begins in the. final hour of an April night when a. young woman named Jessica Herringa. simply vanished, swallowed up, or so it. seemed in a mystery as vast and deep as. the big [music] lake itself. It's April 26th, 2013 in Norton Shores, Michigan at the Exxon station on East.

Sternberg Road. 25-year-old Jessica. Heringa is supposed to be inside closing. up. >> That night, I needed gas, so I stopped. right here. It's the closest [music]. place from my employment. >> He pulled up to the gas station, noticed. the door was open, and looked inside, and there was no Jessica Herringa. It's. very strange that there's no one here. >> That's what alerted the police as a. customer came in and realized that there. was nobody in the store.

>> Mkegan 911. Where's your emergency? >> Um I don't know if it's emergency. I. just got alert. I'm at the Exxon gas. station on Sternberg Road and there's. nobody here. It just very suspicious why. there's nobody here. >> There was nobody that would answer. So I. looked around the store. And what did. you see when you looked around the. store? >> I went into the bathroom. I looked. around. There was really no disturbance. Just nobody there.

>> Okay. So, did you yell or anything or? >> Yeah, I hollered, "Hey, I you know, walked around the building, >> but I don't see anybody." [music] Hun. >> I walked inside and hey, hey, is anybody. here? Um, I even went inside the cooler. and looked inside there and um seen. nothing abnormal, but in my gut said. something's not right. I just, you know,

I'm just concerned that nobody heard. her. Why? She has a young son that she's raising. and um she was working hard trying to. get extra hours at the gas station um. because of financial problems and. [music] so she was covering anybody who. needed time off, she covered their. shifts and. um that that was her only job. [snorts]. and she was there by herself. [music]. >> The ironic thing is that she really. wasn't scheduled to work the day that.

she disappeared. She actually had taken. over a shift from somebody. >> [music]. >> Did Jessica ever express concerns about. feeling unsafe at work? >> Never. Never. Not a once. She likes. working there. >> So, Norton Shores Police Department. responded. >> At the time, uh, the head of detectives. was a gentleman by the name of Mike. Casher.

[music]. I get a call from our sergeant. Something suspicious happened at the um. Exxon gas station. It was about a mile. mile and a half away from my house. From the crime scene photographs, when. you take a first glance, the inside of. the store didn't look as though it had. been disturbed. [music]. Uh there didn't look like there had been. a big struggle. There was no real crime. scene. >> They find nothing. In fact, that's.

what's so weird. It's so undisturbed. >> All the cleaning supplies and things. were out. So, it appeared that she had. been cleaning and finishing up for the. night. >> And they go back into the store room and. they they find uh a cash register drawer. with all the money, all the cash, all. the change still intact. >> It didn't appear that she had just. grabbed her stuff and left. Her purse. was still there with her her jacket, cigarettes, lighter still there. Inside.

that purse uh was a wallet uh and. [music] it contained the identifying. information for Jessica Herringa. Within that wallet, there was about $400. in cash, seemingly undisturbed. Her car. was still parked out front. Whatever happened in [music] this store, robbery was not the intent. There was really no explanation as to. what happened to her. It was almost like.

she just left, disappeared, >> and now is beginning the investigation. into Jessica's disappearance. >> Police tonight say they have evidence. that backs up their theory that a Norton. Shores woman was abducted from the gas. station where she worked. I'm Juliet. Dragus. The news starts in 1 minute. >> It sounded very odd, you know, that she. just disappeared. So, we all wondered. what is going on here. >> At the time, that location did not have. a camera system or anything.

>> No security cameras and I don't think. she should have been working by herself. and I used to talk to her about it and. you know and ask her about it and of. course you know 25 years old you think. you're invincible. My goal was right at. the beginning is to establish a timeline. because I I figured it would help us at. some point. >> So about 10:52, we had a woman who had. went in and purchased a cigarette. lighter and that was the last person to. see Jessica alive. >> The last sale that was recorded here was.

at 10:52. You were here at the gas. station like 11:07 11. >> 11:07 11:08. >> 11:07 he pulls up. He doesn't see. anybody. So sometime between 11:52 and. 11:07, we have her missing. >> And that was the the start, if you will, of what turned into be a a very public. and national cold case. [music] Police. continue to search for a missing woman. from Norton Shores. >> The biggest story in all of West.

Michigan for months and months and. months. >> The first big break is a page out of. Agatha Christie. As they look and they. keep looking, they see a drop of blood. >> Then a woman who worked another shift at. the gas station approaches detectives. >> She and her husband saw this silver. minivan back behind the Exxon gas. station. She thought that was strange. >> Played an extremely important role. helping to move the initial. investigation forward. >> A drop of blood, a silver minivan, and.

one more small caliber clue. The search. for Jessica Heringer ricochets in a. totally different and dire. >> We are now prepared to reclassify this. case as an abduction. >> We're going to get right to that. Michigan mom who vanished. >> Search for a young mom who vanished. >> while working the late shift. >> Vanished without her trace. >> Jessica Herringa disappeared. It was a. very big deal in her area.

Everybody was asking, "Where is Jessica? What happened to Jessica? >> Have you seen Jessica? Can you find. Jessica? How can we help?". >> The media was very involved in in this. case. >> This expands beyond the borders of. Moskegan County and becomes national. news. The nation is looking for Jessica. Hering. >> A massive hunt for her right now. ABC's. Alex Perez is in Norton Shores, Michigan. with the latest. Good morning, Alex. >> Good morning, Robin. Overnight,

Jessica's family desperately waited for. any word from police, but no luck. >> She was going to get out in 15 minutes. In 15 minutes, that store would have. been closed and she would have been on. her way home. >> Flyers were presented to the community. They were everywhere. >> Somebody seen some and doesn't even know. how important it is yet. Is there any. more flyers that I can get?

>> I cuz I will put them up for you. Like. I'll stick a couple around for you. >> Let's join together in prayer. >> To call upon you for Jessica's safe. return. >> There were vigils. They passed out. flyers. [music]. They were on our air very regularly, you. know, saying, "Please Jessica, come. home. If you have her, bring her home. You know, we want you back. >> She just needs to come home. The small Norton Shores police force.

gets reinforcements. Michigan State. Police, Moskegan County Sheriff, the. FBI, and even the Secret Service. >> Helicopter searches, police kines were. involved in ground searches. >> A lot of people in our newsroom thought, did she just leave? Is she having personal problems? Could. she have just done this because she just. had to get away? It doesn't make any. sense. She wouldn't take her purse. She. wouldn't take her car. She loved her.

son. Her her son Zean meant everything. to her. >> Jessica may have vanished, but not. without a trace. >> And one of the officers said, "I think. we need to look at something back here. It's kind of weird.". >> And lo and behold, you know, they they. discover, I think, some very important. pieces of evidence. probably about three. or four feet from the back door, we saw. probably about half dollar size of a. blood spot. >> Jessica Herringa. It was Jessica. Heringga's [music] blood.

>> And then next to that was these two. little round batteries that appear to. like watch batteries. >> There was a small black piece of plastic. that had the words Carl Walther written. on it. that was later determined to be a. cover for a laser sight from a handgun. >> Detectives determined that. batterypowered Walther laser sight is. commonly attached to a specific gun, the. Walther P22 semi-automatic pistol,

>> but it also could fit a couple other. guns. It could have fit a BB gun, I was. told, too, at the same time. So, it. wasn't like, okay, it's only for this. specific gun. Then a woman named Susan. Flet, who worked a different shift at. the gas station, approaches detectives. >> She came up to me and she goes, "I think. I I think I saw something." Which I'm. like, "Okay. Uh, what'd you see?". >> She and her husband were out riding. motorcycles and she saw this silver.

minivan. She thought it was kind of. weird. >> This happens right around 11 p.m. Right. in that 15-minute window when Jessica. disappeared. The van ducks behind the gas station. Doesn't go out in front where the pumps. are. Goes behind the gas station, which. at that time of the night, it's kind of. weird. [music]. It turned off its lights and it parked. behind the store. There's no reason for. a customer to go back and park their.

car. Suspecting someone may be stealing, the. worker and her husband stop nearby, just. watching. They say they only see the. driver. He gets out of the minivan. He's. doing something. They're not sure what. >> They see the tailgate of the van go up. because they recall seeing the dome. light. >> Pushes the tailgate down. Doesn't go. Pops it up and adjust something. Shuts the tailgate. Gets in the van and. drives away. Drives right [music] by.

them. When the van was leaving, Susan gets a. look at the van driver, you know, as. good as she [music] can in the dark. It was a male, somewhat heavy set, brownish hair, beard, [music] mustache. Uh, and they described the van as being. silver in color. I I wish they would have at least gone. and. seen if Jess was okay. I'm sorry.

>> They didn't see Jessica. They didn't. think anything. Well, maybe there's. nothing to report. But for the police, what the witnesses say they saw along. with the blood and pieces of a gun are. powerful evidence. >> When you couple the witnesses described. uh what was going on behind the gas. station with laser sight cover and a. spot of blood, you start to piece. together that something violent happened. in this location.

>> I felt that the van was crucial because. it was parked right where those those. parts were found. What [music] these two. individuals were witnessing in that. parking lot was the abduction of Jessica. [music] Herring. >> Police pull surveillance video from. several businesses. Shadowy images of. that mysterious silver minivan driving. by within [music] minutes of Jessica. Heringa's disappearance. >> We're able to determine that this van is. now going northbound on [music] Grand.

Haven Road. But that's where the trail. of the silver minivan fades to black. >> Good afternoon. My name is Daniel Shaw. I'm the chief of police for the Norton. Shores Police Department. >> Two days later, police hold a news. conference. >> We are now prepared to reclassify this. case as an abduction or a kidnapping. under Michigan law. >> But police don't reveal everything they. found to the public. And we have parts of a gun that we.

didn't disclose to the public. >> So, at this point, our only uh clue is. the white male that I described to you. and the silver minivan. >> Anybody knows anything, call the. hotline. That's all I can say. >> I think [music] I'm done now, man. Who. would have a motive to take Jessica. Heringa? The investigation now turns to. secrets of her love life, including a.

married man. >> He asked her to move away and she said. [music] no. She was going to stay put. Hour later, she's missing. Jessica is described as a white [music]. female, 25 years of age, 5'1 in tall, approximately 110 lb, blonde, shoulderlength hair, and blue eyes.

>> We love her very much. We miss her. >> Is the most difficult part is just not. knowing and not having the answers and. not being able to be there for her. you. know, she's I'm sure she's scared and. doesn't know what to do or. I just hope she knows that we're all. looking for her and we're going to find. her. The police did I mean, they really did. rely on the media for help as everyone. held out hope that she could be found. So, they they released a sketch [music].

of a gentleman. This is a man that they're looking for, a man of interest. if you've seen him or. if you you recognize or the silver. minivan. That was always the prevalent. thing looking for that silver minivan. >> Due to the fact that there's no um signs. of a disturbance within the the store, uh we tend to believe [music] it is. someone either that she knows uh like an. acquaintance or someone that she knows. through the store, maybe a customer or. someone that she has met before. >> She was always trying to make people.

smile, be happy, love life. sad to think. that that great quality was probably a. downfall in this situation. You know, >> are here because we have not given up. hope for Jessica's safe return. >> We're receiving numerous tips from the. public, uh, which we truly appreciate, but we need more. >> And boy, did we get a lot of calls and a. lot of sightings to our newsroom, probably hundreds. And people thought. they saw her at a campground up north. They thought they had seen her at a. store. officer released Orange Shores.

Police Department to the Jessica Herring. case. >> People were saying they saw her in. Arizona and then they saw her in New. Jersey and uh I got somebody in Chicago. that acts suspicious. >> Every tip that [music] was brought in. was was taken seriously and. investigated. >> Yeah, there was there was quite a long. list of potential suspects when we were. looking at the [music] hearing a case. >> She was abducted. someone took her.

>> One of the first people they did talk to. was her boyfriend and you know because. he admitted to them that they did have a. rocky relationship. >> I saw her right before she went to work. and I talked to her an hour before this. happened that she was going to be out. early and home quick. So. >> I mean obviously we always think of. right off the bat maybe there is a a. problem with the relationship. Anybody knows anything, call the. hotline. That's all I can say.

>> He's the one who called me to tell me. that she was missing. [music] He He's. devastated about the whole thing. This. is the mother of his child. They were in. love. He had asked her to marry him and. we think Dakota. Dakota's part of the family. [music]. Dakota is quickly excluded as a suspect. detectives turning their attention to. other men in Jessica's life. >> Jessica Heringo was pretty. She is a. pretty blonde. People even would say,

"There's a good-looking lady who works. at that gas station.". >> There were other people of interest in. her life that would frequent the gas. station. >> What we had heard is that she may have. had a boyfriend or two [music] in. addition to the father of her baby. Police say Jessica was having a. relationship with a regular at the gas. station, a married man. >> His name came up multiple times. He was. always in the gas station, always.

around. And he said that, you know, they. had some type of an intimate type of. relationship going. >> The week before Jessica's disappearance, police say the man's wife had come into. the gas station to confront Jessica. She found out about the relationship, entered in and uh tried to make contact. with Jessica, kind of talked with her. about it, and Jessica got upset and told. her to get out of the store, which she.

did. >> Police say Jessica had a tearful talk, maybe a breakup with the married man. just hours before she vanished. an hour before she went missing, just an. hour beforehand, they had an emotional, his quote is we had an emotional. discussion. He asked her to go away with. him, to move away, and she said no, she. was going to stay put. Hour later, she's. missing.

>> Is there a love triangle? Is there. jealous lovers out there that, you know, got so enraged with jealousy that they. went to the extreme to to solve that. issue? I called him a suspect for a good. probably year. [music]. We checked phone records. We got search. warrants. We brought in polygraph. twice for him and his wife, but ultimately [music] he's innocent and. he had no involvement.

Detectives crossed the married man and. his wife off their list. Another dead. end. started out as a it looks really really. good and it ends up melting right in. your hand right down to it. >> All those suspects, all those tips to. police here, but still no Jessica. Weeks, months, a full year goes by with. no word about the missing woman.

>> The tips start dwindling. So, they're. not getting as many tips, not hearing. anything more about a silver minivan. There was nothing more investigators. could do. So, we also stopped covering. it. As 2013 becomes 2014, her case colder. than a West Michigan winter. And then, some miles away in another part of. Moskegan County, another young mother.

not lost, found dead. >> 911, where is your emergency? We come up to this lady. She's laying in. the road. >> Oh my gosh. Who can do this? But who can. hit a woman? Just leave her. >> Could there be a connection?

We're going to turn on the road that uh. [music] Becky used to jog or walk on. This is Automobile Road. It was a Sunday evening, late June 2014, when a couple was driving here along. Automobile Road in Moskegan County. In. the middle of the summer, 6 o'clock in. the evening. >> Suddenly, they saw something in the. road. Maybe a deer, but soon discovered.

[music] it was worse. Much worse. >> 911, where is your emergency? >> It's on automobile road. [music]. We come up to this lady. She's laying in. the road. I think she was hit by a car. She got a head injury. >> Okay. We got to start CPR. If she's not. if she's not breathing normally, I want. you to go ahead and start. This is dash. cam video from the first Mosskegan. County Sheriff's deputy arriving on the. scene. You can see an EMS worker rushing. in to help the 911 callers.

>> The wife is a nurse and she was trying. to see what she could do. >> It started out initially a hit and run. [music] She was found on the side of the. road. She was in running gear, so she'd. been out for a run. >> Oh my gosh, we can do this. who could. hit a woman in disbeliever. >> And unfortunately, shortly after she was. discovered, she succumbed to her. injuries and [music] and was pronounced. dead at the scene. >> The woman is Rebecca Blet. She lives.

just down the road. And as they place. her in the ambulance, police are stunned. to find her death was no accident. In. the back of her head, she's got three. bullets. Rebecca Bletch's case [music] went from. a hit and run to a homicide. >> So, it was a shooting, murder. >> People were crying. [music] People. upset. People were scared. People were I. was scared. I was scared to be [music]. in my own yard.

>> Rebecca's sister Jessica sees a report. of a woman killed on Facebook. >> And then I called her and she didn't. answer. [snorts]. So then I called her again. No answers. Then I called her daughter. [snorts]. >> She called me and asked if my mom was. home. I said, "No, I don't know where. she's at." I said, "Where's your dad?". She said, "He's outside talking to the. police.". And I knew [snorts] it was her. >> Rebecca's daughter, Ellie, says her.

grandmother told her what happened. >> My dad was outside. and my grandma was inside. told me. >> she used to jog by here all the time. Very nice, [music] friendly girl. Always. would say, "Hi, how you doing?" Whatot. when she went through. >> from all [music] accounts, she was just.

a nice person. >> Everyone just loved Rebecca Bletch. Tell me about your sister. >> Becky was the oldest of the three of us. sisters. Kind of more of a mother to [music] us. in in times of need. Um, absolutely. great spirit, big laugh, great smile. Always the life of the party. [music]. You couldn't help that she was there. She walked in a room you knew. >> Yeah. >> What was she like as a mom?

>> Very involved. It was very active with. with Ally. [music]. She loved to go on runs, [music] bike. rides, walks through the woods. At the crime scene, police find. Rebecca's belongings, cell phones, sunglasses, [music]. earbuds, all in a neat pile across the. road from her body. >> Why was [music] her body on one side of. the road and these items in a nice.

little pile on the opposite [music] side. of the road? I mean, it only seems that. someone would have ordered her to take. off, [music] you know, everything that. she had had and set it down. >> Investigators speculate that after the. killer forced Rebecca to put her things. [music] down, she tried to get away. >> I think when she realized what was. happening, I think she tried to run. >> There was a trail [music] of casings. that went from the middle of the road. and then toward [music] her body. Three. different casings. I think he he hit her.

with the first shot and it knocked her. down and. she tried to crawl away. Um, and this is. where she made it until he walked over. to her and. the killer [music] shoots Rebecca three. times with a 22 caliber gun. Investigators recover CCI brand shell. [music] casings. >> This was at close range. This was. certainly execution style. There didn't. seem to be any rhyme or reason as to why. on a Sunday afternoon that she would be.

targeted and killed in such a in such a. fashion. And the only witnesses are my horses. They absolutely stood at that fence and. watched it. I can guarantee you. if they could only talk, they would have. got this solved a [music] lot quicker. Jessica Heringga's disappearance and. Rebecca Bletch's murder were never. really tied together. I mean, people. [music] speculated and wondered.

>> here we have two females that are one's. missing, one's deceased, but there were. no real strong ties. >> I made a call. I always do. Hey, what. kind of description do you have? >> He just couldn't [music] see how these. two were related. There was no mention of a silver minivan. or any minivan of that nature being. anywhere in [music] that area at the. time that she was shot and killed. >> There is one possible connection. Firearms experts say that the 22 caliber.

shell casings found near Rebecca's body. may have been fired by a Walther 22. pistol. And that's the same kind of gun. possibly involved in Jessica's case. It was explained to us that the. characteristics left by the firing pin. of the gun that was used to kill Rebecca. Blatch was very similar to what they've. seen a Walther P22 would have left. >> Unconvinced their cases are related, investigators turned their attention to.

the person closest to Rebecca. >> They were focused on her husband. They really decided that he must have. done it. >> At any [music] point did you guys think. maybe he did it? >> It never crossed my mind. You guys never. thought it was her husband. >> No. >> Cuz he would never do anything like. that. He's not like that. >> It was determined that he didn't have.

anything to do with this crime. With. Kevin Bletch cleared of any involvement. in his wife's death, her murder is. unsolved. >> I hate to call it a cold case cuz we. were still we were still actively. working on it and we didn't stop, but we. had no solid leads. We had nothing. >> Well, what happened was an incident. [music] that blew the case open, that. changed everything. This new pick and blueberry farm seems. an unlikely place to solve [music] cold.

cases. The Jessica Herringa. disappearance, the 22 caliber killing of. Rebecca Bletch. But police say an. incident that happened just down the. road from here. [music] And what these. security cameras see puts it all into. focus. >> I jumped out of the car. >> What kind of car was it? >> A van. >> What color was the van? >> Silver. >> That was the turning point. >> [music].

>> 911. Where is your emergency? >> Please come immediately. We have a man. that has picked up a girl and he has a. gun and he's outside the house. >> Stay on the line with me. Who has a gun? [music]. >> April of 2016, we received a 911 call. from a homeowner who just had a young. [music] lady come running up to her. house screaming, saying that somebody. was trying to kidnap her. the the female. the the girl is still there right now. and I'm shaking so.

>> Okay. Can I talk to her? >> Yeah, here she is. >> Hello. >> Hi. This is 911. Okay. >> Are you guys coming? Are you calling? >> Yep. We're going to get some help there. >> That phone call. That was the turning. point. [music]. >> Jessica Heringa vanished in April 2013. Rebecca Bletch shot and killed in June. 2014. Try as they might, [music].

frustrated detectives in Norton Shores. and Moskegan County cannot solve either. crime. Two cold [music] cases unsolved. for years. No arrests until a scary 911. call after a teenage girl runs for her. life on this very road. >> I had to jump out of a car. I had a. wonder. >> Who was it? >> I don't even know him. I was like, "Please let me out right now. Please let. me out.".

>> A young [music] teenager by the name of. Madison Nygard. finds herself walking home [music] in a. rural part of Moskegan County after. attending a allight party. >> Walk us through what that night was. like. What was this party? I had a big old bonfire and then. everyone left and went to a different. party. So then I started walking home. >> Oh, so you were out all night. >> All night long. [laughter]. All night.

>> It's early in the morning. She's walking. along the road. >> Did you know where you were? >> No, [music] but I figured like I'll be. able to figure it out. >> Do you have a cell phone? I did have a. phone, but it was dead. >> By now, Madison is lost and in tears. [music]. >> Instead of taking a left and going. towards town, I took a right and went. towards the lake. [music] I'm crying at. this point.

>> A silver minivan pulls up. >> Hey, do you need a ride? The man in the. minivan said to her. >> I was like, no, absolutely not. can I. please just use your phone? And he was. like, "Yeah, just come on, get in." And. I was like, "Okay.". So, I got in. >> She got in the car and he took off. >> I don't know why she decided to hop in. that car, but I think she was just.

really desperate at that point. >> So, you get in the car. >> Get in the car. He rolls up the window. and locks the doors. I'm still crying and I feel bad because. I think he's a nice guy. So, I'm like, I. am sorry. Like, I'm not trying to be. mean, but please roll my window back. down. The man in the minivan turns off the. main road onto more isolated North Green. Creek Road, not where Madison [music]. wants to go.

>> She didn't know where she was, but she. knew enough to where that was definitely. the [music] wrong direction. I asked to use his cell phone and he was. like, "It's dead." And he's just staring. at me the entire time. And I'm like, "Let me out. Let me out. Let me out.". And he's just staring at me. And then. that's when he reached under and grabbed. his gun. He's now pointing a gun at her. She has two choices really. One, just. submit and hope for the best. Or two,

run. As soon as I saw the gun, I was. out. Unlocked the door and jumped. >> You So you were in the vehicle and. jumped out. >> Okay. >> When she jumped, she jumped right out of. her shoes, rolled, got road rash. They. found broken fingernails. She was going. to get away from this man. >> You haven't been back over here.

>> No. Madison has moved on, so she has not. been back to the scene of her. deathdeying leap until [music] this. moment when she agreed to go back to. show us what happened. And. >> I remember [music] running completely. down this road. >> Did you look back? >> I did look back [music] and that's when. he was like standing there with his gun. aimed at me and I'm just [music] like, "Don't kill me. Please don't kill me.". >> Did you say that to him? >> Yeah. I was like, "Please do not." like.

I have family. And he was like, "It's. just a joke. Come back. Come back. It's. a joke." Yeah. And I was like, "Absolutely not." And I just kept. running. >> There were two unspent 22 cartridges. lying in the road. I think those two live rounds were. because the gun itself jammed. We believe he pulled the trigger, it. jammed up, and so you rack it, get that.

round out. So you get the next round. Somehow it jammed up again. >> Were you assaulted at all? >> No. >> But I need to go to the hospital. I jump. out of his car while. >> Do you want an ambulance? >> Yes. [laughter]. >> She was very lucky. She was very bold to. be able to jump out of a vehicle. I. don't know how many people would have. done that. Takes a lot of fortitude and. she had had what it took to save. herself. >> He chased me. He was chasing me.

>> Where was he? Where was he chasing you? >> To his house. >> And you don't know where he went? >> No. >> Now deputies are on a van hunt, driving. up and down country roads looking for. telltale surveillance cameras. When they. said they were looking for anyone with. video, I thought they're not going to. find anyone with video, especially in. that stretch where [music] she was. >> Police figure find the silver minivan.

solve the Madison Nygard case. But what. detectives never figured on finding that. ordinary minivan would be the key to. solving two more cold case mysteries. >> The detective asked if he could see the. video. I said, "Sure." He wasn't up. there four or five minutes and he says, "I see it. He just pulled through the. lot." [music] When Madison got away and. they were able to connect the dots, were. you [music] surprised? >> I was very shocked that one individual.

could have been responsible for three. women. He really is a monster. Who lives. with secrets that dark? Jessica Herring's disappearance [music]. and Rebecca Bletch's murder. >> Here we have two females that are once. missing, once [music] deceased. >> But how do they connect? And how do they. connect to a new victim?

>> They showed the 16-year-old girl and she. said, "That's the man who pointed. [music] a gun at me who tried to kill. me.". >> I'm trying to tell you. All right, I'm. going to go. We're not here to have a. kitchen match with you. I got a couple. more things to say. Bells and [music] whistles started going. off of, "Holy Cats, what have we. stumbled upon here?". >> That's a medical diagram on [music]. where to inject someone. >> They discovered a file folder labeled. VIX, VIC. Inside the house, we found some. recording equipment, almost like a. covert hidden type camera, a significant.

amount of bleach bottles in the basement. of this house. >> They found [music] evidence after. evidence after evidence. I mean, it did. blow the case wide open. >> Is you going to end up hurting your. family? >> He's saying he didn't kill her, but he. was there. >> Can you tell me anything? >> They questioned me so hard. >> He just [music] kept saying, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry.". >> It makes me shudder. I I get goosebumps. to think what they found.

The first questions are easy. What's. your name? >> Madison. >> And spell that for me. >> M A D I S O N. >> We have the 911 call. I want to play it. for you. >> Okay. >> 911. Where's your emergency? >> He just told me he was going to let me. use his phone. So, I got in and then he.

wouldn't give it to me. And then he said. he was dead. So, I was like, "Let me. out." and he reached for the gun and. jumped out of the car. >> It is very clear based on the evidence. that we collected at this particular. [music] crime scene that Madison through. divine intervention is alive. We. discover that there were two unspent 22. cartridges lying in the road. It's only. that the gun jammed, not once, but twice. that she's able to make it to this house. alive.

>> Nobody knew I left [music] the party. that I was at. So, if his gun didn't jam. up, he would have just left me. I would. have known anything. >> Investigators are able to determine that. it's a .22 cartridge manufactured by the. CCI company. >> Those bullet casings [music] and. Madison's details about the van will. become more important than police in. this area [music]. realize. >> What kind of car was it? >> A van. >> What color was the van? >> Silver. Police are searching the area for.

cameras that may have caught something. that could be useful to this. investigation. >> When they said they were looking for. anyone with video, I thought they're. [music] not going to find anyone with. video, especially in that stretch where. she was. It's Madison's description of. her wouldbe captor and his silver van. that brings detectives here to the. Salini blueberry farms. Locals and. visitors come here to pick blueberries, but detectives are picking through. surveillance video, hoping security. cameras captured that mysterious man and. his silver van.

>> He asked if the cameras were real and if. he could see him. So I said, "Sure, anything you want.". >> It had two security cameras, one that. kind of pointed to the the semicircle. drive they had and the other that kind. of pointed out to the roadway. >> And he wasn't up there four or five. minutes. and he says, "I see it. >> right there on that surveillance. footage. A silver minivan.". >> What are the chances the Blueberry. [music] Farm form has surveillance video. that shows a silver minivan? >> The cameras only have a 30-day loop. If.

a week would have gone by, I think it. would have been too late. >> It gave really good closeup images of. this particular silver minivan. >> He turned in on a south drive and went. out to North Drive. He turned around in. the blueberry farm to go back and watch. me. >> What did he look like? The man that. pulled up. >> He was heavier as set and he had dark. facial hair and dark hair. >> Kind of normal. >> Yeah, it just looked normal to me. >> You didn't think anything of him when. you saw him pull up. He didn't look.

creepy. >> Madison is also able to remember some. specific details from inside the van. >> In the middle there was like this little. netted thing. So, there's a bit of stuff. in there. I remember seeing his phone in. the net thing and it was a flip phone. which I thought was really weird cuz who. has flip phones nowadays? >> While the video is pretty clear, authorities can't make out the license. plate. So, they're now searching for a. proverbial needle in a hay stack. The. first step is to identify the van's make.

and model. And for that, they turn to a. local car dealer. >> My name is Mike Kring, and I was the. owner of Rich's Autoart, [music] which. was a minivan car lot. I was able to. establish that it was a 2004 [music]. to 2007 Dodge Caravan. They call it a. soccer mom vehicle for a reason. [music]. It just was a grocery getter and they. went to soccer games, football games, and families would buy them. >> Craig notices the van has some unique. features similar to the ones he. demonstrates [music] on this Dodge.

Caravan. >> The door handles were not painted. So, these these door [music] handles are not. painted as well. So, that's very. similar. So, I knew it was an SE. package, but I knew it had stowandgo. seings. Then they would have a compartment in. the floor that you could flip these down. and then turn them into the floor. When. they're up in this position, the. compartment's completely empty to stow. whatever you'd like to stow. >> More importantly, the moldings on the. side of the van and a [music] black.

antenna. catch the minivan expert's eye. I saw. that little antenna that was on the roof. and that told me that that van was more. than likely made in Canada. Because of. that, the detectives were able to. involve the Secret [music] Service and. find some database that told them how. many minivans were in the county that. were made in Canada. They were able to. take the the VIN numbers from those. vehicles and compare them to registered. vans here in Michigan [music] and then. from that narrow the list down by.

geographic area. We were able to [music] establish that. there are roughly 33,000. vehicles in the state of Michigan that. match those attributes. That's a number. now that investigators can take [music]. and they can start ticking off vehicles. in Moskegan County. And so that's. exactly what they do. >> And they go from 33,000. silver minivans all the way down to just. one [music] and most importantly to the. man behind the wheel. and all the [music] different clips and.

pictures that we had seen the silver. minivan that was dark and shadowy and. they found it. >> Now, authorities wanted to see if. Madison could confirm this was the man. who allegedly attempted to kidnap her. So, they put together a photo lineup. >> When you saw the pictures that [music]. they showed you, the lineup, >> I picked them out like right away. >> Yep. >> They showed the 16-year-old girl and she. said, "That's the man who pointed a gun. at me who tried to kill me." And that. man was Jeffrey Willis.

>> Jeff Willis happened to [music] work at. this manufacturing plant at the time. And a detective walked through the. parking lot, discovered the vehicle, and. noticed uh through the window that this. vehicle had a cargo netting in the. center council area. This netting that. had a bunch of stuff in it that seemed. to be similar to what Madison had. described. >> And Jeffrey Willis is a name police have. heard before. Three years earlier, an Exxon gas.

station employee, Jessica Herringa, vanished. At the time, detectives got a. tip about a man named Jeffrey Willis, who owned a silver van. So, they went to. talk [music] to him. >> We asked him how long he's owned his. van, if he'd ever been to the Exon gas. station, if he knew Jessica Herringa. And witnesses in that case describe. seeing a silver minivan, the same type. of minivan detectives recognize on. surveillance images from Sodini. Blueberries. It turns out Willis was a.

regular at the Exxon. And when police. catch up to him again, this time it's. about the alleged kidnapping of. 16-year-old Madison. >> We've established that you drive a gray. van. Your side of what happened. >> And Willis is about to offer up. something jaw-dropping. Something that. takes the detectives by surprise. [music]. >> Police saying that I took her. You think. I took her?

The search for a silver minivan linked. to an alleged attempted kidnapping leads. police to 46-year-old Jeffrey Willis. After Madison picks him out of a photo. lineup, police haul him in for. questioning. >> When Mr. Willis is getting off of work. at 6:30 in the morning, he's being. pulled over by a state trooper and then. ultimately taken into custody. His van.

is then secured and taken to a location. where it can be searched. He walks in very relaxed, sort of matter. of fact. Jeffrey Willis was a worker at a [music]. furniture manufacturer in nearby Spring. Lake. He worked the overnight shift. >> He was well under the radar. He had no. criminal history. He was a middle-aged. guy, married. >> Kind of your normal ordinary person in. the community, your regular guy next. door. >> Willis grew up in Michigan, attending.

high school in Moskegan County. He has a. daughter from [music] a previous. relationship. Turns out he's also a. grandfather. He has no criminal history, but a work. history of being a janitor at two local. elementary schools back in the9s. According to school district records, Willis was eventually fired for. allegedly using a school computer to. look at adult websites. >> He appears to want to cooperate. You. know, it's like, "Oh man, what what's.

this all about?" And yet he finds the. opportunity [music] to to make small. talk or even flirt a little bit with the. female detective. >> Familiar. >> I do. >> Yeah. >> I'm trying to think. >> I think it's a movie star. >> While police are questioning him, Willis. makes a surprising admission. He tells. them he was questioned back in 2013. about the unsolved disappearance of. Jessica Herringa at the Exxon gas.

station. >> I got bugged about the other ones, too. So. >> Oh, really? >> Well, I mean, they're doing their. routines around. >> Yeah. >> As far as So, someone actually came to. your house. >> Yeah. Oh, I just come to the house and. ask you a couple questions. >> [music]. >> Back in 2013, I told him that we are. investigating silver vans and registered. owners that are in the area due to the. Jessica Herringa investigation. He said.

he had heard about that and understood. >> Receipts show that Willis was actually a. regular [music] at the Exxon and many of. his visits happened during Jessica's. shifts, including [music] on the very. night she disappeared. He had actually [music] stopped into the. gas station that night and Jessica was. working and he recalls seeing her there. He said that he didn't have a. relationship with her, didn't talk to. her a lot, just had seen her working in.

the gas station. [music]. >> Remember, police were talking to many. potential suspects. And when they. searched it, Willis's van appeared. clean. >> We asked if we could see it. It was. empty and it smelled of cleaning. products. [music]. They asked him about what he was doing. that night. >> He had an alibi. He was home with his. wife. [music] He was at the gas station. earlier in the evening, but at that time. he was home. >> They did a really good job at that. [music] point in time of following up.

and helping establish his relationship. or what he had done that [music] night. I was angry. I was emotional. I was. upset [music]. about what we might have stopped had we. brought him in, sat him down, polygraphed him, and went at him. >> They had him right there. He was right. under their noses. But if you don't have. evidence, how can you arrest him? >> They're not to be blamed for not having. arrested him initially because they. didn't have probable cause initially. It.

happens often that police speak to. suspects in these kinds of cases early. in a spree like this and only come back. to a suspect later. But Madison Nygard's alleged attempted. kidnapping puts Jeffrey Willis back on. police's radar. And now they're grilling him about his. [music] whereabouts on that morning. Whatever room [music].

>> going home. I don't know. >> We know that you were at River. [music]. >> Okay. >> That girl is taking away that. >> Okay. >> And about the same time that we were. [music]. >> So you saying that I took her? >> You think I took her? >> We want to know what happened. >> I can't tell you. I don't know. I wasn't. there. >> Then you listen, you know, I mean, I.

wasn't there with whatever happened to. her. That's what I'm telling you. I. might have been there, but I wasn't. wherever that was. >> Willis's comfortable demeanor changes. when detectives tell him they have his. minivan on surveillance video. >> Everything. >> Why were you up? >> I don't know. I thought I was up there. for I don't know. I would have been up. there. Obviously, something happened up there.

All right. When you go from I was home. >> Well, I you asked me where I went and I. said I don't know. >> I I honestly. >> I know. I got oil my I got my oil. changed. You know, now you know I might. have been out the door. >> And I'm not trying to, you know, >> if I get up and walk out, are you going. to slam me down? >> No, I just. >> Jeffrey Willis heads for the door. >> No, then I'm going to walk. >> We did. Just relax. We did a You. wrestling me? Just sit down, please. Will you please sit down? Okay, listen. I'm trying to tell you. All right, I'm.

going to go. Just We're not here to have. a pissing match with you. I got a couple. more things to say, and I want you to. hear me out. All right. Okay. It's that. simple. >> Investigators tell Willis that he is not. free to leave. And not only that, but. they are searching his home and that. silver minivan. They got the two search [music] war. ones. Oh, and boy, >> Willis seems worried about what police. will find.

>> Can I ask what you're searching for? >> And what they're about to uncover would. shock even the most seasoned. investigator. Evidence of a dark double. life. >> It makes me shudder. I I get goosebumps. [music] to think what they found. Detectives have been talking to Jeffrey. Willis for hours about the alleged. kidnapping of Madison Nygard. [music]. And now they tell him they're also.

searching his home and his van. >> The search What's the search for? Um, it. wasn't I'm just I was just pat [music]. No. Search at the house and the car. >> Evidence. Evidence. Always evidence. >> Well, obviously you're looking for. something. It turns out that that model. of minivan had hidden compartments. >> And in that they find this metal toolbox. that is padlocked. It's locked. >> And the things that were in the tool box.

are disgusting. >> We find uh things that you would use in. a bondage situation like chains and. rope. uh what they call a J hook, which. is something that you hang from the. rafters and you kind of, you know, hook. a rope [music] or chain to so you're. kind of dangling with your arm spread. They also find uh some rubber gloves. >> There were syringes. [music]. Along with the syringes were vials of. insulin. >> So on the inside cover of this toolbox. is a a laminated small laminated diagram.

of of a human body. >> That's a medical diagram on where to. inject someone with insulin. So, it's a. a diagram of a human torso showing the. injection points. >> And so, ultimately, he had this map, if. you will, of where if I wanted a low. dose, uh, where would I inject somebody? If I wanted a high dose or something to. move rapidly, where would I inject. somebody in order to make that happen? Insulin for a non-inssulin taking person. can have some very detrimental effects. It can literally render you unconscious.

It was at that point in time that light. bulbs started and bells and whistles. started going off of, "Holy cats, what. have we stumbled upon here?". >> Investigators also find a second box in. the minivan hidden under the driver's. seat. And in this one, they find a gun, a Walther P22. It's a different gun from the Bersa 380. Willis told police about during his. interrogation. >> I own a um 380. Bura 380.

Do you own any other? >> I do not. >> Also found in the secret lock box is a. box of 22 caliber CCI brand ammunition. >> We recovered the 22 casings from Rebecca. Bletch's scene. >> The lab was able to conclusively show. that the shell casings and bullet. fragments collected at the Rebecca. Bletch scene were fired from the gun. that was recovered from Jeff Willis's. van. >> So bingo. [music] That's when they. started to put everything together, when.

it all started to add up. >> Now, investigators have evidence [music]. connecting Jeffrey Willis to both. Jessica Herringa's disappearance and. Rebecca Bletch's murder. >> We get a search warrant. We go back to. his house. >> During the search of Willis's house, investigators speak to his wife. >> She had no idea about anything nefarious. that he was involved in. There was. nothing that suggested to her that there. was anything [music] creepy, weird, or.

uh evil going on in Jeff's life. >> In the second search warrant on his. house, uh we found a kind of a hard. drive that was hidden. >> We checked the duck work and [music] up. inside the the furnace cold air return. stuck to the wall was a portable hard. drive. >> In his hard drive, they discovered a. file folder labeled VIX VIC. Inside that folder, there were two. subfolders. One containing the initials. of Rebecca Bletch, the other containing. the initials of Jessica Heringa. Vicks.

we automatically assumed stand for. victims. Jessica Lynn Heringga. And then. in that folder was all these little like. um pictures of her, things from the. internet, [music] things from the news. Anything that he he found he would put. in that folder. The other one was RB. Rebecca Batch. And in there was all. these pictures, different pictures and. different articles of her. >> While we were at his home, uh, doing the.

search warrant there and talking with. his wife, we learned about the Bailey. Street address, which was his. grandfather's home that he had access. to. And his grandfather was deceased, so. he had pretty much sole access to that. property. There was. a significant amount of bleach bottles. in the basement of this house to the. point where you would really question. why somebody would have that many empty. bleach bottles in a rundown abandoned. house. [music]. >> Jeffrey Willis is accused of the.

attempted abduction of a 16-year-old. girl last month and is under. investigation in the murder of Rebecca. Bletch two years ago and the. disappearance of Jessica Herringa. Willis pleaded not guilty to the. attempted abduction of Madison Nygard. >> As they continued to investigate and. they arrested Jeffrey Willis and they. found evidence after evidence after. evidence. I mean, it did [music] blow. the case wide open. >> While Willis sits in jail, the. investigation continues. Detectives talk. to family and friends trying to figure.

out who this guy [music] is. >> You're asking who's Jeffrey Willis? Where'd this guy come from? and. interviewing friends and relatives and. all that kind [music] of stuff. One of. the names that came up was Bloom. >> Well, Kevin Bloom is his cousin. [music]. They say they were like brothers. They. were very close. >> We then went to his house, talked to him. about, you know, Jeffrey Willis and how. do you know him? >> And it was really, if anything, a fact, what we call a fact witness, somebody. that was really not uh of interest to us.

other than that. Well, then the. information came out, I believe in the. news that we were we located the gun. Shortly after that, one of the. detectives gets a phone call from Mr. Bloom. Mr. Bloom tells this detective, "Hey, you know, um I I I just wanted to. tell you something. I I had this really. [music] weird dream about uh handling. the this particular weapon.". >> You probably touched it or you had a. dream that you thought you touched it.

you know exactly what happened. >> So, police are now wondering, is it. possible their prime suspect, Jeffrey. Willis, had a partner in crime. While Willis sits in jail awaiting. trial, investigators wanting to learn. more about his past track down his. cousin and close confidant, a man named. Kevin Bloom. Kevin Bloom at the time.

that this was all happening uh worked. for the Department of Corrections. He. was a corrections officer at one of our. local prisons here in town. He was. talked to just as a a witness that might. be familiar with Jeff Willis. We then. went to his house, [music] talked to him about, you know, Jeffrey Willis and how do you know him? Well, I haven't seen him in a long time. And we didn't think much about it. It's. like, okay. What's really interesting. about this is that shortly after that. interview, one of the detectives gets a.

phone call from Mr. Bloom. Mr. Bloom tells this detective, "Hey, you know, I I just wanted to tell you. something. I had this really weird dream. about handling the this particular. weapon and Jeff being there.". >> I think I might have touched that gun. You think you might have touched the. gun? Yeah. I I'm not sure if I touched. it or it was in a dream, but I think I. touched it. So, I I'm not sure. And she. was played it cool. She goes, "Oh, okay.

Well, we'll come over and talk to you. about it." This detective been around. for a while, and the red flags just went. screaming off in her head. Basically, the two detectives go, "We're not buying. this. Would you do a polygraph?". >> He was interviewed for a long period of. time. He had taken a polygraph. He had. failed. But Kevin Bloom continues to. talk to police and eventually tells them. that his cousin Jeffrey Willis told him. [music] that he was the person who. abducted and killed Jessica Heringa.

>> I get a call at about 2:00 in the. morning at home from from the detectives. and they said, "You need to get here. He's starting to talk about Heringga and. what they did with the body." I was. like, [music] "This can't be happening. Do I finally have somebody talking Let's. go back to that gun. Okay. As far as. that was the only time I've ever seen. him have [snorts]. >> he had told them that he was around. Saturday night when he saw Jessica or he.

saw a body. at the grandpa's house and he believes. that he might have seen that she was. dead and helped him move the body. And. he says, "If you don't do this," and she. says, "I'm going to end up hurting your. family." And then I come down and helped. him wrap her up and he carried her into. his van. >> He's crying. He's emotionally upset. He's saying he didn't kill her, but he.

was there. >> And he states that he was with Jeffrey. Willis when he [music] buried her body. and that he knew where that where her. body was buried. >> I felt confident. I didn't think anybody. would be lying about this. >> So, he talks about getting rid of the. body and how they carried her out in a. in a gray sheet out to the van. >> I opened the van. and I followed him and then we went here.

and we put her somewhere in there. >> I felt like I finally have a witness to. this. I said, "Well, can you bring her. me to the body?" He said, "Absolutely, I. can do that." I thought, "Okay, finally. we're going to have really good closure. all the way around.". So, we go out there. We [music] brought. out cadaabver dogs from the state police. and everybody's got a shovel and, you. know, looking and we're [music] walking. up and down and up and down. He goes, "I. I just can't remember.". So, I went in there and I confronted.

him. >> I thought you you would have found her. >> No, I did not find her. >> Oh my god. No. If I was, okay, if I found her, I'd be. bringing you home right now. That's what I'd be doing. >> And he stopped. He looks and he goes, [music] "I'm lying." I go, "I yeah, I. know you're lying." I go, "Well, let's. get to the truth.". >> So, you weren't [music] there at all. At. all, you know, that all this was a lie. >> And he goes, "No, I'm lying about.

everything. [music] I wasn't at Jeffrey. I didn't see the body. I didn't move the. everything." He retracted. He just said. he made it up. >> That doesn't happen very much. It's not. that common that somebody makes up a. story with puts themselves directly. involved in it. >> He was charged with lying [music]. and then accessory after the fact and he. was convicted of both. >> In those interviews he did with police, he also mentioned Rebecca Bletch. He. didn't implicate himself in her murder, and he was never charged in relation to. the case. But it did leave Rebecca's.

sister, Jessica, wondering if maybe he. knew more about what happened to her. than he'd said. [music] So, I went to. the jail to talk to him. >> Who's this? >> I'm Rebecca Bletch's sister. >> Hi. >> He just kept saying, "I'm sorry. I'm. sorry. >> Can you tell me anything?". Um, all I'm going to say is the police. were wrong when they investigated me.

And when they questioned me that day, they questioned me so hard. >> I lied. I I made it up. I'm not that. kind of person. I didn't know anything. about it. >> All made up. >> What were you hoping to get from [music]. him talking to him in jail? >> You You know more than you're telling. us. I don't know what I wanted. I just felt. I needed to go see him and see what. information he would give me. >> It's time for Jeffrey Willis's day in.

court. And at the Rebecca Bledge trial, he surprises [music] everybody by taking. the stand to testify. >> We're never told whether a defendant's. going to testify. >> Mr. Willis, you're charged with this. case uh killing Miss Blanch. Did you in. fact do that? >> Nobody does that. That's not normal. what he thought was funny. Nobody was. buying [music] that line.

Jeffrey Willis has now been charged with. the murders of both Jessica Herringa and. Rebecca Bletch. [music] He pleads not. guilty to both. And his first trial up. is the Bletch case. >> It's not just another murder and it's. not just another trial. It was a big. stage. There were a lot of people paying. attention. [music]. >> The physical evidence was better in the. Rebecca Bletch case. Part of the. forensic examination of the handgun and.

athletic type gloves, we were able to. find blood [music] in various locations. and that blood matched the DNA profile. of Rebecca Bletch. Prosecutors made a. very smart strategic decision to try. Rebecca Bletch's murder case first. There they had a body and they could. prove up the facts very clearly for. first-degree murder. They called it a stand Kevin Bloom. At the time, the defense was I I didn't.

do it. I being Jeff Willis, but my. cousin did. We knew going into this that. because Kevin had his own case going at. the time that he was not [music] going. to testify in in fear of incriminating. himself and so he took the fifth. >> Kevin Bloom had an alibi for the Bletch. murder and was never charged in. connection with that crime in [music]. any way. >> He was a non-player in this. He wasn't a. person who was going to impact the. outcome for my client one way or the. other.

When Willis appears in court, he looks. like a different man than the one who. sat in the interrogation room a year. earlier. >> He looked different. He had lost a lot. of weight and now he was trimmed and. fit. >> You may call your next witness, Mr. J. We call Jeffrey Willis to the stand. >> In the Bletch case, we put my client on. the stand. >> The defendant almost never takes the. witness stand in a criminal case. To see. Jeff Willis get up on the witness stand. and try and talk his way out of a. conviction is pretty astounding.

>> The penalty for first-degree murder in. this state is you spend the rest of your. life in prison with no possibility of. getting out. >> Please have a seat. Say state your name. for the record. >> Jeffrey Thomas Willis. >> When you have that much on the line, ultimately you leave that call to him. >> Mr. Willis, you're charged with [music]. this case uh killing Miss Fletch. Did. you in fact do that? >> I did not I did not kill Miss Bledge. I. wasn't even there. [clears throat] I was. home. >> You have any other recollections about.

that day in general? >> Well, I cut the grass that day um. between 4 and I want to say 6:30 [music]. I was cutting the grass. >> The problem with it is once you take the. stand, you got to answer questions, too. [music]. And if you have a highly skilled. prosecutor, as they did, he's going to. have some questions that you may not. want to have asked. And there's nobody. else that can verify that but you. >> Well, my wife, she [music] was home. >> By this time, Willis and his wife had.

divorced. >> Over 3 years have passed. His wife. doesn't remember. She doesn't remember. whether he was home or not. She has no. real independent memory about that. particular evening. >> So, what I'm saying is if your wife has. no recollection of that, the only one. that can verify that is you. >> Yeah. I guess. >> I remember when he got on the stand, he. said when [music] they asked him about. the toolbox in his van, he chuckles. Oh, it's kind of a funny. story. >> My grand.

my grandson would come over on. Wednesdays. >> That [music] toolbox is full of adult. toys. Um, and he he laughs it off. [music] like, "Oh, my grandson got into. there.". >> So, I put it in the van. That's how that's how it ended in the. van. Nobody does [music] that. That's. That's not normal. To laugh it off like he's so innocent to. [music] that jury. Nobody was buying. that line. >> Do you think he was trying to be. charming? >> Yeah. Mhm. >> A complete debacle on the witness stand.

Not charming, not convincing, [music]. and not telling the truth. >> Ultimately, the jury deliberates for. about 90 minutes. You have given the. signal that you've arrived at a verd. >> and they find him guilty of first-degree. murder in the death of Rebecca Blech. >> With one trial finished, Willis's. defense now prepares for the next, the. murder of Jessica Heringa. >> If you read those two trials, the.

evidence coming in is almost identical. in both cases. You try again and see if you can't. figure out a different argument that. might be more effective this time. I believe you will have information that. paints him as an evil person and then. that may be your judgment, but you will. not have evidence that he killed or. kidnapped this area. >> The victim's body is never discovered. So under those circumstances, we're able. to pursue the argument that the person. is not deceased. But prosecutors have.

some powerful evidence and they tell. jurors about those pieces of plastic and. batteries from a laser site found at the. Exxon station where Jessica vanished. They explain that the gun recovered from. Jeffrey Willis's van was originally sold. with a laser sight on it, but when the. gun was recovered, that laser sight was. missing. Usually, you can't talk about a. defendant's prior alleged bad acts to. prove that he did the bad act in this.

case, but there are exceptions. In this. case, the judge allows prosecutors to. call Madison Nygard, the 16-year-old. police say Willis attempted to abduct. Not only does she help establish a. pattern of behavior on Willis's. [clears throat] part, but she is also. able to link him to that silver minivan. because she was a minor at the time. She. was not shown on camera. >> Jeffrey [music] Wills pulled up. >> Did you know Mr. Willis? >> No.

>> The first [snorts] time I had to. testify, I sat outside and like cried. and cried and I was like, I do not want. to do this. I don't want to. I had to do. it. >> Were you scared? >> I was still scared. Yeah. What did you do? >> I unlocked the door and jumped out. >> This child being traumatized. That was the bit of evidence I think. which locked them into a course that we. couldn't turn the ship around. >> Jeffrey Thomas Willis count one of.

murder guilty of firstdegree murder. >> It almost [music] seems unreal. We're. looking at a guy that's a potential. serial killer that at a minimum has. killed two people was probably in line. to kill a third. >> They never did a trial for your case. >> Nope. The prosecutor says it's a waste. of their time. He's already going away. for life. >> What would you have liked to have seen. happen? >> I think I would have just liked to have.

the option of things. Yeah, that was. kind of like a huge slap in my face. Madison had played a key role up to this. point, but he had been convicted of two. separate counts of first-degree murder. So, he's essentially going to die in. prison. Ultimately made the decision. that there [music] wasn't a need to move. forward with the criminal prosecution. At the sentencing, the victim or her. family is allowed to look the the. defendant in the eye and tell him, "This. is what you did to my loved one. This is. what you did to me.".

I was looking forward to [music] him. being there to hear what I had to say. But Jeffrey Willis had one last. sickening surprise in store. About 6 weeks after Willis is found. guilty of murdering Rebecca Bletch, he's. sentenced. A standard part of any trial. But this time it's different. Usually at. the sentencing, the victim comes in or. her family is allowed to look the the.

defendant in the eye and you get to tell. him, "This is what you did to my loved. one. This is what you've done to her. children. This is what you did to me.". Mr. Willis knew that was coming. [music]. >> I get approached by his lawyer who. basically says, "Hey, my client doesn't. want to be present.". >> Approach. Your honor, it is uh um the. position of defense that uh we were we. are hereby requesting that my client uh. be allowed to leave these proceedings at. this juncture. >> in my you know 24 years of doing this.

This was a first for me. >> I desire to be relieved. after. >> that was a moment I had waited 2 years. for [music] you know to have my chance. to look him in the eyes and talk to him. and say what I wanted to say. >> [music]. >> Not only is it my time, but I was. looking forward to him being there to. hear what I had to say. >> The victim's family is is sitting there. and uh he looks over at them and he.

blows a kiss to them. >> Oh, you blow a kiss. Blow a kiss. Hold. Hold it. You got to quiet now. >> When he blew the kiss in your direction, shock. I couldn't I couldn't believe it. again. He got his way and got to walk. out and not listen to us. >> It's one of the lowest points in my. career. It was just a horrible thing to. do. It was just a horrible thing to do.

>> Shortly after the sentence, the sheriff. came to me and said, "Hey, look, um, do. you think there would be an issue if. when we transport uh Mr. Willis that on. that trip if my guys just played [music]. the victim impact statement the entire. trip?" I said, "I see no issue with. that. Go for it. and he claims that he's. not a monster, but his actions speak. louder than words. >> They played it loud. >> She was amazing inside and out. >> She was easy to love and people wanted. to be around her. >> and they played it for him [music] over.

and over again. He didn't stand up there. and take it, but he heard it. [music]. >> Your three names are always connected. you were the reason that they figured. all this out. >> For a long time, I know everyone would. be like, you're like a hero. You put the. you solved [music] it. And I was like, I. didn't want to be the one to solve it. I. didn't like want to go through that. I.

mean, it feels good that I'm the one. that got away, but. I wish it didn't happen. For their part, Jessica Herringa's. [music] family didn't support Willis's. prosecution and have never believed he's. the person responsible for her abduction. and murder. The family still they still. have their Facebook page. They still, you know, help us find Jessica. They. still have not acknowledged that Jeffrey. Willis had anything to do with her. disappearance or her death. They're. still holding out hope that she might.

come home. [music]. So, this is a memorial that was set up. for Becky after she [music] passed. A friend of the family made the cross. So, the plaque [music] says um Becky. Bletch 1977 to 2014. And then it says. sister next to it with a heart and an. [music] infinity sign on it. When I'm in. the area, I try to stop,

share a little moment with her, and. let her [snorts] know I'm thinking of. [music] her, that we haven't forgotten her. [snorts]. And we should point out tonight that. she's now remembered in a new Michigan. law, the Rebecca Bletch law, which. ensures that a defendant is present in. the courtroom when a victim impact.

statement is read. >> And as for that silver minivan, which. played such a big role in the case, a. judge ruled that it could be sent to a. scrapyard where it's now been destroyed. >> [music]. >> And you can find all new broadcast. episodes of 2020 Friday nights at 9 on. ABC. [music].