Person of interest named in slain Mich. teen case
ARMADA, Mich. -- Police have named a person of interest in the murder of a Michigan teen whose body was found near a nature path where she was walking her dog July 24, reports CBS Detroit.
James VanCallis, Jr., 32, was taken into custody along with his father earlier this month on marijuana charges after the FBI searched his St. Clair County home in connection with the death of April Millsap, 14.
State Police Sgt. Mike Shaw reportedly said Tuesday that the younger VanCallis is now a "person of interest" in the murder case. His defense attorney said he doesn't believe VanCallis has any connection to Millsap.
"He's a wonderful person," attorney Dean Ankouny told the station. "I don't have any indicators to think that he's capable of murder. I don't have any indicators that he's capable of any violent activity, actually."
Millsap's dog reportedly led a pair of joggers to her body around 8:30 p.m. July 24, 15 to 20 feet off the wooded nature trail where she had been walking the animal near her home in Armada, Mich., about 45 miles north of Detroit.
The recent middle school graduate sent a text message to her boyfriend the night of her murder that read, "Omg. Wtf. I think I'm being kidnapped," Armada Police Chief Howard Smith told The Macomb Daily. However, CBS Detroit said police wouldn't confirm the contents of the text message.
Millsap died of blunt head trauma and asphyxia due to neck compression, Crimesider has previously reported.
FBI agents and state police troopers have executed several search warrants at the elder VanCallis' home in Wales Township, about 20 miles northeast of Armada, most recently on Monday.
James VanCallis, 66, is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 1995 of second degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13, as well as fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person between 13 and 16, reports CBS Detroit.
Shaw said the elder VanCallis is not a person of interest in Millsap's death, reports the station.
The father and son appeared in court Tuesday on charges of delivery and manufacturing marijuana and maintaining a drug house, reports the Detroit Free Press.
"We have served two search warrants," Shaw said after the hearing, reports the paper. "It's quite obvious the public understands that we don't go to places that don't bring us to conclusions of investigations."
Defense attorney Ankouny told CBS Detroit both his clients are cooperating with police. He said that police have harassed his clients with the search warrants and questioning in the Millsap case, reports the Detroit Free Press.
"I suggest they find other persons of interest at this point," Ankouny said, reports the paper. "If he's the only person of interest, why hasn't he been charged in this crime yet? Why has it been such a long period of time before anybody has been charged?"
Anyone with information on the Millsap case is urged to call police at 877-616-4677. Tips may also be submitted online at www.michigan.gov/michtip.