Missing Person: Jessica Heeringa
Age at the time of disappearance: age 25
Date Last Seen: April 26, 2013
Location Last Seen: Disappeared from the Exxon gas station on Sternberg Road in Norton Shores in Muskegon, Michigan where she worked.
Date Located: STILL MISSING
Circumstances: A customer walked into the gas station where he realized that there was no employee to assist him. He contacted the police when he noticed a purse and coat sat nearby untouched. The customer also noticed that outside the back of the gas station by the exit door small batteries, a battery cover from a gun sight and a drop of blood. Later, that drop of blood was confirmed to match Jessica's DNA.
later the Manager witnessed as she drove by the gas station that same night, a suspicious silver van parked behind the gas station about the same time of Jessica's disappearance. The Manager parked her bike nearby and watched as the unidentified man drove off.
Suspect: Jeffrey Willis was charged with her murder and the trial began five years after her disappearance. Willis was arrested May 2016. He had a previous murder charge for Rebekah Bletsch also of Muskegon County in 2014 and was also charged with another teenage disappearance which thankfully she got away and identified her abductor. His plan was to kidnap, rape and kill vulnerable women.
Rebeka Bletsch was murdered on June 29, 2014 jogging along Automobile Road, shot in the head and left to die.
An unnamed 16 year old teenage girl was on her way home from a party and was walking home when a man in a silver man stopped and offered her a ride and she got in. He sped off and pulled a gun on her. While the car was moving she opened the door of the van, jumped out and ran for her life, watching him point a gun at her and shooting. This brave young lady came forward and identified her abductor as the same, Jeffrey Willis.
On May 17, 2016 Willis was arrested as evidence at his residence proved he was linked to all three cases with evidence that included his computer, his van, the gun, ammunition, a toolbox filled with bondage items and sex toys, videos that violently displayed abductions, torture and rape of other women. There were belongings of other women also later identified.
Also arrested, charged and convicted for accessory after the fact was his cousin Kevin Bluhm who later became a witness against Willis who confirmed he saw Jessica after she was murdered and helped Willis get rid of Jessica's body, later recanting his statement to police. Jessica has never been found (as of the date of this article, January 2021.
Jessica's body has never been recovered.
Charge of Homicide - Felony Murder he received another life sentence on December 18, 2017
Charge of Weapons - Felony Firearms he received a 2 year sentence on December 18, 2017
Charge of Homicide - Felony Murder he received Life on June 18, 2018
Charge of Kidnapping He received 18 years and 9 months (minimum) to 40 years on June 18, 2018
Jeffrey Willis spends his days at the Saginaw Correctional Facility and will never see the outside of a prison for the rest of his days on this earth.
Crime Watch Daily sums the story up on this episode: