Michigan

Michigan shooter’s mom told police ‘he’s going to have to suffer’ after school slayings

Published

2 years ago

January 31, 2024

Michigan shooter’s mom told police ‘he’s going to have to suffer’ after school slayings

Jennifer Crumbley was “irritated” and “kind of frustrated” when police took her into custody in the aftermath of a shooting at her son’s Michigan high school, a detective testified at her trial Wednesday.

Days before, her son Ethan Crumbley, then 15, killed four people and wounded seven others at Oxford High School, about 45 miles north of Detroit. She and her husband had gone into hiding after being charged in connection with the massacre but authorities found them sleeping at a Detroit art gallery five days after the Nov. 30, 2021 shootings.

“I could tell she was kind of frustrated,” Det. Lt. Sam Marzban of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department told jurors. “I told her there were several dead kids … and that this was a significant incident, that it was on the national news and that the president had addressed it.”

“Was Jennifer Crumbley crying?” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald asked.

She was not, he answered, but Marzban said he recalled Crumbley saying, “‘Lives were lost today, and he’s going to have to suffer.’

“The choice of words was odd for me,” he said.

In the days before the shooting, prosecutors have said, Ethan Crumbley was depressed, lonely and hallucinating. The teen texted his mom that he was seeing demons throw bowls around the house, and hearing toilets flush when no one was home.

His parents were called to the school when Ethan drew a picture of a gun on a math worksheet with a bleeding body and the words, “The thoughts won’t stop, help me.” A day before, a teacher saw Ethan searching for ammunition on his phone, and when the school contacted Jennifer Crumbley, she texted her son, “Lol. I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught,” according to the prosecutor’s office.

The Crumbleys, prosecutors said, promised to get help for Ethan, but declined to take him home and then returned to work without telling the school their son had access to a gun. Ethan went back to class; two hours later, at about 1 p.m., he came out of a bathroom and opened fire on the school with the gun, which was in his backpack.

Marzban was the first person to testify Wednesday in the ongoing trial of Jennifer Crumbley, who’s charged with involuntary manslaughter linked to the Nov. 30, 2021 shooting spree at Oxford High School. Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. His father, Jennifer’s husband James Crumbley, will be tried separately beginning March 5.

A day earlier, a teacher saw Ethan searching for ammunition on his phone. The school contacted his mother, Jennifer Crumbley, who then told her son in a text message: “Lol. I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught,” the prosecutor’s office said.

The detective told the jury and Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews his job included identifying the shooting victims; he provided graphic details about a scene he called “kind of surreal,” including one victim who was still wearing her backpack when he found her in the hallway.

Jennifer Crumbley, the first parent in the U.S. to stand trial on charges stemming from a child’s mass shooting, went on the run with her husband after the shooting. The prosecution is arguing that the Crumbleys were selfish and uncaring, ignoring their son’s spiraling mental illness and buying him the gun that he used in the shootings rather than seeking help for him.

The Crumbleys’ lawyers say they had no way of knowing or predicting that their son might go on a murderous spree, that the gun was secured and the charges are overreaching.

When the Crumbleys were discovered at a Detroit art gallery days after the shooting, Marzban testified, Jennifer Crumbley “did not want to give me her phone. She seemed irritated.” He said her husband told her the police would eventually get the phone, so she turned it over and gave him the password.

On trial: Jennifer Crumbley, charged in son’s school shooting, sobs at ‘horrific’ footage of rampage

The arguments: Jury selection begins for Oxford school shooter’s mother in unprecedented trial

Marzban also helped secure a search warrant of the Crumbleys’ house after identifying Ethan through items found in his backpack, including his cellphone.

The phone had texts from Jennifer Crumbley that said, “Ethan don’t do it,” about an hour after the shooting had been reported. Another text from James Crumbley read, “Ethan, call me now.”

The jury Wednesday also saw video footage of the Crumbleys’ arrest and heard from the person who called 911 to report where the couple was sleeping, a business owner nearby who recognized the description of the Crumbleys’ car from posters circulating after the shooting.

The prosecution has said it expects to rest its case by Friday and it still had nine witnesses to put on the stand.

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Michigan

Your votes: Who is the top forward in Division 2 Michigan high school girls basketball?

Published

4 hours ago

January 16, 2026

Press Room

Your votes: Who is the top forward in Division 2 Michigan high school girls basketball?

With the 2025-26 Michigan high school girls basketball season well underway, we’re featuring some of the best players in the state.

Earlier this week we featured the best forwards in Division 2.

Now we’re turning to readers to decide which forward will be the best of the best in Michigan Division 2 girls basketball in 2025-26.

Check out the write-ups on the top forwards in Division 2 and vote in the poll below the list of candidates.

The voting will conclude Friday, Jan. 30, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

We contacted basketball coaches across the state and asked them to fill out a survey requesting information about their team. These lists were compiled primarily based on the information provided by the coaches who chose to respond.

If you are a Michigan high school girls basketball coach who did not receive the survey, email mswanson@advancelocal.com. We will continue to add to these lists throughout the season.

THE CANDIDATES

Alexis Asekomeh, Grand Rapids West Catholic, Junior

Brynna Barnhart, Fremont, Senior

Tessa Bordogna, Notre Dame Prep, Junior

Jaya Chandler, Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Senior

Paris Davis, Detroit Southeastern, Senior

Christina Dixon, Haslett, Senior

Sadie Dykstra, Yale, Senior

Nuray Fricke, Big Rapids, Sophomore

Samantha Fuhs, Dearborn Divine Child, Junior

Peyton Hein, Spring Lake, Junior

Maddie Heverly, Brandon, Sophomore

Emma Highfield, Lake Fenton, Senior

Ruby Hughes, Newaygo, Junior

Kaitlyn Johnson, Haslett, Senior

Lillie Johnson, Gladstone, Senior

Maddy Lockard, Northpointe Christian, Senior

Elle Lorente, Eaton Rapids, Junior

Lillian Masters, Bay City John Glenn, Sophomore

Addison McDonald, Gaylord, Senior

Clare O’Donnell, Negaunee, Senior

Abby Prins, Grand Rapids South Christian, Sophomore

Peyton Rhoades, Pennfield, Senior

Aleigha Roberson, Portland, Junior

Emilee Robinson, Kingsley, Senior

Lauren Seeley, Alma, Senior

MaKayla Sykes, Detroit Country Day, Freshman

Caroline Torre, Warren Regina, Senior

Clare Westerlund, Whitehall, Junior

Amarah Zamora-Ledesma, Godfrey Lee, Senior

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Michigan

Where to watch Michigan basketball vs. Illinois in Top 25 clash tonight

Published

16 hours ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch Michigan basketball vs. Illinois in Top 25 clash tonight

If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

The No. 8 Michigan Wolverines will host the No. 25 Illinois Fighting Illini for a Top 25 Big Ten matchup tonight.

Fans can catch the conference action exclusively on Peacock at 7 p.m. ET. Live sports plans start at $10.99 per month and include access to NBC’s live broadcast as well as hundreds of hit TV shows and movies.

The Wolverines are 14-2 overall, 5-1 against conference opponents and they’re also 9-0 at home so far this season. They’re riding a three-game winning streak, which includes an 86-60 victory over Wisconsin on Sunday. Olivia Olson had a team-high 21 points in the win, and Mila Holloway and Te’Yala Delfosse each added 18 points.

The Fighting Illini are 14-3 and 4-2 in Big Ten play. They’re looking to build on the momentum from their 92-76 victory over Penn State on Sunday. Berry Wallace led the team with 28 points and eight rebounds in the win.

NCAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

No. 8 Michigan (14-2) vs. No. 25 Illinois (14-3)

When: Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026

Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, MI

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Streaming: Peacock

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Michigan

Southeast Michigan communities invoke snow emergency parking rules

Published

1 day ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

Southeast Michigan communities invoke snow emergency parking rules

If you normally use street parking for your vehicle, you may be asked or instructed to move it on Thursday.

The reason is that several Metro Detroit communities have invoked snow emergency rules in response to the wintry mix of weather that started Wednesday afternoon and continued into Thursday morning. Some areas are reporting several inches of snow.

A snow emergency in Michigan’s cities and villages is a local rule invoking street parking restrictions on designated roads and at designated times so that snowplows can clear the area. In some communities, tickets and fines are issued for violations.

The following communities are among those that have issued snow emergency notices:

Belleville

The City of Belleville has declared a snow emergency until Saturday.

“All vehicles should be removed from City streets so that snow plows can clear the snow,” city officials said.

Dearborn

The City of Dearborn declared a snow emergency at 7 p.m. Wednesday. All vehicles are ordered off the city streets so that snowplows can work. Any vehicles that remained on the streets after 4 a.m. Thursday could face a ticket or be towed.

Additional details are on the city’s website.

Dearborn Heights

Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun issued a snow emergency effective 7:30 p.m. Wednesday until 5 p.m. Thursday. All vehicles are asked to be move from the streets, as street parking is prohibited during this time.

“Cars left on the street will be ticketed,” the mayor said.

Flat Rock

The City of Flat Rock has declared a snow emergency, to remain in effect until 12 a.m. Friday.

“Please remove all vehicles from the street so that our Public Service crews can effectively plow and salt our streets,” the police department said.

Novi

The City of Novi asked residents Wednesday night to move any vehicles that are parked on the streets “so crews can plow curb to curb.”

Pontiac

Pontiac Mayor Mike McGuinness declared a snow emergency starting 8 p.m. Wednesday through 8 a.m. Sunday. Public work crews have been making the rounds to clear the streets.

A snow emergency in Pontiac includes no parking on downtown streets between 3 and 6 a.m. There also is no parking on any streets marked “snow emergency route,” and no parking on designated sides of streets on designated days. Updates are posted on the city’s website.

Taylor

The city of Taylor invoked snow emergency procedures effective 8 a.m. Thursday.

An emergency alert sent by the city Wednesday night appears to have been broadcast throughout Wayne County, which means residents of other communities may have received it on their cell phones.

The above video originally aired Jan. 14.

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