MUSKEGON (WKZO AM/FM) — It only took the jury 90 minutes to return a guilty verdict on a first degree murder charge for the shooting death of Rebekah Bletsch.
Despite the claim that another man had committed the killing and suspect Jeffrey Willis taking the stand himself to proclaim his innocence, the jury was not swayed and very quickly returned the verdict.
The finding of premeditated murder means that Willis will receive mandatory life without parole when he is sentenced in December.
Jurors questioned by the media after the verdict was read said they were sure they had done the right thing and said they are sure they saved someone’s life by making sure that Willis is never a free man again.
Bletsch was killed as she was jogging near her home in Dalton Township in 2014.
Willis testified that an alleged attempt to abduct a teenager in Muskegon last year was a misunderstanding. He also said he had nothing to do with the 2013 murder of Jessica Heeringa.
He still faces charges in both those cases..
