Three people charged in the New Year's Day killing of a Washtenaw County foster mother and her father-in-law are due in court today for what is expected to be their final pretrial hearing. Prosecutors say the defendants, Shuvonne Vinson, Gregory Callhan and Keith Finley, are accused in a Jan. 1, 2025 home invasion that left two people dead, a third wounded and two children briefly taken.
As reported by ClickOnDetroit, the three are scheduled to appear in court today, with a joint trial for all three defendants currently set for May 18. They are facing a slate of serious felonies, including two counts of open murder, first-degree home invasion, kidnapping, conspiracy and a felony-firearm count.
What Prosecutors Say Happened
Authorities say the violence unfolded around 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2025, when the suspects arrived at the Bernhard family home on Nollar Bend Road and forced their way inside. The attack left foster mother Jennifer Lyn Bernhard, 48, and her father-in-law, Stevie Ray Smith, 74, dead, and wounded Jennifer's husband, 52-year-old Jeffrey Bernhard, according to reporting from WXYZ. Two children, the Bernhards' 10-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old foster child who was the biological daughter of one defendant, were taken from the home and later recovered by police, WXYZ has reported.
Disruptions In Court And Extra Charges
Vinson has repeatedly disrupted court proceedings, at times cutting off judges with profanity-laced outbursts during virtual arraignments and preliminary exams, according to coverage of the hearings. Those confrontations, along with other alleged conduct, were detailed by Law & Crime. Court records show Vinson now faces additional counts tied to allegedly assaulting or resisting officers and to weapons offenses, while Finley faces an extra firearms-eligibility charge.
Community Grieves A Foster Family
Neighbors and fellow church members have described the Bernhards as deeply involved in their congregation and committed to fostering. The couple had been caring for the young child at the center of the dispute and had hoped to adopt her, according to local coverage. The community has organized memorials and fundraisers while the surviving husband continues to recover from his injuries, according to coverage by WXYZ.
What Comes Next In The Case
Pretrial motions and hearings are expected to keep rolling as attorneys on both sides gear up for the May 18 trial date that was set following preliminary proceedings in district court, according to ClickOnDetroit. If the defendants are convicted on the most serious charges, they face the possibility of life in prison, according to CBS Detroit.
