5 days ago
Woman charged with killing Northfield Township foster family is heading to trial
Shuvonne Vinson, who is charged in the double murder of her daughter's foster family, will go to trial in a case the judge called "sickening."
"I believe God was with me that day," said Jeffrey Bernhard, who survived the alleged home invasion. "The angle, it went through my forehead through my right eye down to the top of the inside of my mouth."
Vinson, as well as Gregory Callhan and Keith Finley, were each charged with two counts of murder in connection with the Jan. 1, 2025, deaths of 48-year-old Jennifer Lyn Bernhard and 74-year-old Stevie Ray Smith. Prosecutors allege that the suspects shot three people before taking her 4-year-old daughter and the Bernhard family's 9-year-old child.
On Tuesday, Bernhard, who was the only survivor in the shooting, told Washtenaw County Judge J. Cedric Simpson about the night Vinson, Callhan and Finley allegedly broke into his Northfield Township home and killed his wife and father-in-law.
"We were trying to, in a calm way, try to deescalate the situation and try to answer some of her accusations and explain," said Bernhard.
During her arraignment in January this year, Vinson repeatedly shouted curse words and claimed the Bernhards "deserved to die" for alleged abuse against her child. She was removed once during Tuesday's court appearance after repeatedly talking out of turn.
"Miss Vinson never mentioned anything about sexual abuse or physical abuse," Bernhard said during his testimony.
"You're lying," said Vinson from the defendant's table.
"Stop, that's twice. I warned council, and council warned you. She can step out. Take her because I'm not having it," said Judge Simpson.
After nearly three hours of testimony from Bernhard and officers who responded to the scene and arrested Vinson, Simpson ruled that Vinson will go on to trial.
"I guess in some respects what makes this case so sickening is it was about going into the house and just creating mayhem," said Simpson.
Vinson is expected back in court in October.
