Heeringa was abducted from the Exxon station where she worked in Norton Shores in 2013. Willis has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for her kidnapping and murder.
Police have confirmed that Jeffrey Willis was forced to listen to a recording of Rebekah Bletsch's family giving statements to the court at Willis' sentencing.
Brian Hosticka, Willis' attorney, requested that the trial in the Bletsch case be put on hold so that he could focus on a different case involving Willis - the kidnapping and murder of Jessica Heeringa.
Willis' attorney asked Judge Raymond Kostrzewa to recuse himself from the case because he worked in the Muskegon County prosecutor's office during the Jessica Heeringa murder investigation.
The biggest news story around West Michigan this week is the charges brought against Jeffrey Willis for the kidnapping and murder of Jessica Heeringa. This has sadly been something haunting the area for the last few years, but hopefully there will be some resolution soon, now.
Muskegon County Prosecutor DJ Hilson held press conference Tuesday morning, announcing that Jeffrey Willis is being charged with the kidnapping and murder of Jessica Heeringa.
Heeringa went missing in April of 2013 from the gas station where she worked in Norton Shores...
Norton Shores Police are searching a property linked to Jeffrey Willis, the man accused of attempting to abduct a teenage girl and murdering Rebekah Bletsch, and who is a person of interest in the disappearance of Jessica Heeringa.
Norton Shores Lt. Michael Kasher told a Muskegon County magistrate that Bluhm told investigators "Jeffrey Willis did do it," referring to the abduction of Jessica Heeringa.