KENTWOOD, Mich.– During a press conference, Kentwood police and prosecutors formally announced four new charges against the prime suspect in the murders of David and Vivian Bouwman. The elderly couple was found shot to death in their Kentwood home last winter.
Javonte Higgins is charged with two counts of felony murder, one count of first degree home invasion and one count of felony firearms.
“Our lives have been changed forever,” said family spokesman and Bouwman’s son-in-law, Tom Kelly. “Mother’s Day will never be the same again. Father’s Day will never be the same again.” Kelly sat with his wife, Karen, his daughter and her family.
In a rare appearance, the family took a moment to publicly thank everyone working on the case; from detectives who spent hours away from their own family, to Chief Tom Hillen and many more who attended the Bouwman’s funeral.
“We are one step closer for justice for mom and dad,” said Kelly. “Evil has visited our family but we will persevere.”
Kelly ended his public comment with one last thought.
“The individual that did this does not deserve any leniency and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” urged Kelly. ” We pray that justice will be swift and sure, and that the individual that did this will spend the rest of their life in jail, locked away from society so this will never happen to another family again.”
