Judge: Case against codefendants in Northfield Twp. killings can proceed to trial
The case against Gregory Callhan and Keith Finley, accused in the Northfield Township foster mother killing and child abduction, can proceed to trial, ruled a Washtenaw County district judge, who also added another charge of armed robbery against both codefendants.
The codefendants had their preliminary hearing in court on April 16 while the main suspect, Shuvonne Vinson, awaits a psychological evaluation in late May. Although the prosecutor on the case, Amy Reiser, acknowledged in court that it was Vinson who pulled the trigger, Reiser described Callhan and Finley as aiders and abettors who knew of Vinson's plans for the killing and to abduct the girl from the home but helped her anyway.
Defense attorney Rita Young disagreed, emphasizing blame on Vinson in court.
"She shot those people. She made the decisions," Young said.
Vinson and the two men are accused of breaking into her 4-year-old daughter's foster parents' home on New Year's Day, killing the foster mother, 48-year-old Jennifer Bernhard, and Bernhard's father, Stevie Ray Smith, 74. The foster father, Jeffery Bernhard, also was shot and severely injured but survived the attack. Vinson's daughter and the Bernhards' biological daughter, then 9, were abducted but were quickly recovered.
Washtenaw County 14A District Court Judge Cedric Simpson ultimately sided with the prosecution and ruled there was enough evidence for their cases to proceed to trial, citing admissions made by Callhan and Finley that they were well aware of Vinson's plans.
More: Authorities investigate how foster home was found before Northfield Twp. tragedy
More: Brother of mom accused in Northfield Twp. killings says he knows why she may have snapped
Simpson heard testimony from detectives on the case who said Callhan and Finley both admitted that Vinson told them of her plans to kill and to take her daughter. Callhan allegedly told authorities that Vinson provided him with a shotgun to help control the victims. Police said Finley allegedly told authorities he was asked to help Vinson while they were smoking weed prior to the tragedy, then she had a gun and went "crazy."
Callhan and Finley didn't shoot anyone, but they took part in the theft of jewelry, credit cards, and money from the Bernhards, police testified.
Detectives also testified that Callhan said he knew Vinson from childhood, and Finley had allegedly met Vinson at a "crack house." The day before the killings, a video found on Vinson's phone shows the three driving together.
Callhan and Finley were each charged with several crimes, including two counts of homicide, two counts of child kidnapping, home invasion, assault with intent to murder, conspiracy, and felony weapons charges.
Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her at asahouri@freepress.com or on X: @andreamsahouri.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Judge: Case against codefendants in Northfield Twp. killings can proceed to trial
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