2nd person of interest in double murder

KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) - Police executed a search warrant Thursday in connection to the Saturday homicides of a Kentwood couple.

The warrant was executed on person of interest Javonte Jerome Higgins, according to a Thursday evening release.

He is wanted for home invasion, auto theft and other felony charges, according to Kentwood Police Chief Tom Hillen.

David Bouwman, 81, and his 80-year-old wife Vivian were shot to death in their home on Stowevalley Drive in the early hours of Jan. 5. Their 2001 Cadillac DeVille was stolen, driven four miles to an apartment complex in the 3800 block of Madison SW in Wyoming, then set on fire.

The search warrant executed Thursday was at a residence at 2389 Vicksburg Court SE. The address is inside Princeton Estates, the same neighborhood where the Bouwmans lived, and is less than a mile from their home -- something that surprised residents.

"I just didn't think it was going to be inside this development, you know, inside Princeton," said neighbor Todd Hunter.

Higgins, 22, was charged in September 2012 with felony second-degree home invasion and felony possession of burglary tools. That case has not yet been adjudicated.

Hillen said the charges against Higgins combined with the close proximity to the Bouwmans' home made it "proper to execute" the search warrant.

"It's really a combination of tips and other factors -- like the subject currently being wanted, currently living in the are, all those things -- that make it a credible event," Hillen said.

The homeowners, who Hillen said he believes are Higgins' relatives, said Higgins had been there recently. His family is cooperating with police.

Higgins was not in the residence as of Thursday evening.

"The next step is to locate him and to obtain any evidence that might be here at this location," Hillen said. "And we don't know where the next lead or tip is going to take us."

As of about 7:15 p.m., the special response team had made sure the home was safe and detectives were searching it. They were expected to be at the house for about an hour.

"We're looking for anything that may attribute them to the crime, whether that's a handgun or any other type of evidence," said Hillen. "Anything that may tie them to this incident. ... It's going to take some time."

But Hillen stressed Higgins is still only a person of interest.

"We need the community to identify this person and to give us a call so that we can track him down," Hillen said.

Hillen said the execution of the warrant is only one of many steps in the investigation.

"If there's evidence of crime there, we need to get it," Hillen said.

Hillen said those tips have been coming in as police have asked for residents' help.

"You have been very diligent in getting the word out, which is getting the tips to us so that we can do our job," Hillen told reporters. "We're trying to move and move quickly on evidence or statements that we have, and that's what you see taking place right now."

Vicksburg Court was shut down by police around 4:30 p.m., neighbors told 24 Hour News 8. As of about 7 p.m., residents were being allowed back into Vicksburg Court.

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In 2007, Higgins was arrested after a break-in at the Crystal Springs subdivision in Gaines Township.

In October 2007, Higgins pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana. In March 2007, when he was still a juvenile, he was convicted of misdemeanor possession of tobacco by a minor. In 2006, he was convicted of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer.

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Chief Hillen said police believe it's likely more than one person was involved in the Bouwmans' case. The chief said he does not believe Higgins is the same person of interest of whom a sketch was released earlier Thursday.

"We are still looking for other people in addition to this person," Hillen said.

That sketch was of a person of interest wanted for questioning. He is described as a light-skinned black man in his 30s, about 6-feet tall, with a beard that has a bit of gray in it. He is believed to have a tan hat and a red scarf.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Kentwood Police Department at 616.698.6580 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.

A $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect has been offered from Silent Observer, which received a donation from Lacks Enterprises. 

Anyone wanting to add to that fund can mail a tax-deductible donation to:

The David and Vivian Bouwman Reward Fund
Silent Observer
PO Box 230321
Grand Rapids, MI  49523