WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. – The woman charged in the double murder of a Washtenaw County foster family in January is expected to appear in court on Thursday.
Shuvonne Vinson, as well as Gregory Callhan and Keith Finley, were charged for their alleged involvement in the murder of Jennifer Bernhard, 42, and Stevie Smith, 74, and the attempted murder of Jeffrey Bernhard, 53, on Nollar Bend Road in Northfield Township on Jan. 1, 2025. They are also accused of kidnapping Bernhard’s 10-year-old daughter and their 4-year-old foster daughter.
Related: How 3 suspects in Washtenaw County foster family murder allegedly knew each other
Callhan and Finley were bound over for trial on April 16. Their pretrial date was set for June 25.
Vinson, Callhan, and Finley all face the following charges and face the possibility of life in prison.
- 2 counts of open murder.
- 1 count of assault with intent to murder.
- 1 count of home invasion in the first degree.
- 2 counts of kidnapping -- child enticement.
- 1 count of conspiracy to commit murder.
- 1 count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping -- child enticement.
- 1 count of conspiracy to commit home invasion in the first degree.
- 1 count of carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent.
- 1 count of stolen property -- receiving and concealing a motor vehicle.
- 1 count of felony firearm.
Vinson is facing an additional seven charges:
- 4 counts of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer.
- 1 count of carrying a concealed weapon.
- 1 count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
- 1 count of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
Vinson is expected to appear in court on May 22 for a competency hearing. This comes after Vinson interrupted her arraignment hearing in January and went on a rant.
Related: Video creates clearer timeline of what happened after foster family murder in Washtenaw County
What happened during her arraignment
When Vinson was arraigned with the two other suspects on Jan. 3, 2025, she interrupted the prosecutor and began yelling profanity in the Zoom call.
Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Amy Reiser was explaining to the judge via Zoom why Vinson should not have bond, calling the case, “one of the most horrific crimes I’ve seen in my career.”
Vinson, who was also on Zoom, interrupted Reiser in the beginning, saying “No, I did not,” in response to the murder charges.
Vinson’s lawyer then asked her to stop talking.
However, once Reiser started talking about Vinson allegedly assaulting police officers during her arrest after the murder, Vinson started talking profanely. We transcribed most of what we could hear in the courtroom:
“I don’t care,” Vinson began. “The m----------- f--- with my kids, f--- them and ya’ll.”
“I’m telling you, I’m telling you right now. They f---- with my baby. They lying saying I f------ had my child ‘round a (inaudible). (Inaudible) kids see s----, stop lying b----.”
“These m----------- deserved to die, f------ with my kids, f---- them all.“
“Let me up out of here, I’m done, bro. Like I said, f---- ‘em all. F--- with my baby, I’m not the m----------- that need to be in jail, b----.”
“They need to be in—m----------- who f---- with me, you’ll see. ‘Cause you all on the recording.“
“F---- them dead, m-----------, b----. F--- ‘em.“
“I’m telling ya, f---- ‘em.”
“They assaulted my m-------------- child, b----, and anybody else who would do that s---? (inaudible)“
“Do you hear me? (Inaudible) The f---- you talkin’ ‘bout. Let me out.”
She then left the Zoom call.
