Cass County man confessed to killing 64-year-old Kalamazoo man out of jealousy, police say
KALAMAZOO, MI – Cass County man charged with murder in the death of Michael Vines, 64, from Kalamazoo, said he shot Vines out of jealousy, police said.
Jordan Pierre Johnson, 30, of Vandalia, told police he shot the older man from Kalamazoo on February 25, because his child and the mother of his child had just moved in with Vines earlier during the day, according to court documents.
Related: Cass County man charged with murder in death of 64-year-old Kalamazoo resident
Johnson was arrested on February 26 and indicted on Monday March 1 on one count of open murder and one count of firearms, according to court records. He is due back in court on March 9 for a probable causes conference.
Johnson is being held without bail in the Kalamazoo County Jail.
Police were dispatched to a parking lot in the 4500 block of West Main Street, just east of North Drake Road, shortly after 8:10 p.m. on the night of the shooting.
Upon his arrival, offices found Vines lying face down on the concrete near his truck, according to court documents. Officers turned Vines over and noticed an apparent gunshot wound on the left side of the head. After he began removing some of his clothes so they could apply an AED, officers discovered that Vines had been shot several times in the chest.
The man was pronounced dead at 8:28 p.m. on February 25.
A nearby surveillance camera captured most of the shooting, Johnson’s probable cause affidavit says. Johnson could be seen in the video leaving the scene in his grandfather’s vehicle, then exiting the vehicle and firing several more shots at the victim lying on the sidewalk, the affidavit reads.
Police were able to identify Johnson and the vehicle in the video, then went to Johnson’s grandfather in Vandalia, where they located the vehicle and found human blood outside, the affidavit states. Officers also found evidence showing someone fired a gun from inside the vehicle, which Johnson could also see in the video.
In a subsequent interview with police, Johnson confessed to the shooting and told them he “was jealous and angry” that the mother of his child was in a relationship with Vines.
The homicide is the city’s second in 2021. The first murder took place Jan. 1 at Fox Ridge Apartments at the age of 21. Tracy Myckal Evans was shot dead. No one was arrested in this incident.
Also on MLive:
Long-time Gospelettes bassist dies of COVID-19 complications at 64
Muskegon teenager who helped cover up murder of former classmate sentenced to prison
