GRAND HAVEN, Mich. - A jury found an Ottawa County man guilty of killing his neighbor while she was out snow blowing their shared driveway.
Wendell Popejoy, 63, was taken into custody on Dec. 29, 2017. Popejoy's arrest came just a day after an Ottawa County search and rescue team discovered Sheila Bonge's body in the wooded area behind their homes in Crockery Township. Popejoy and Bonge, 59, had previous disputes over their shared space.
Read more: 'There's a dead lady behind your house,' compelling audio shared in day two of Wendell Popejoy trial
Popejoy's trial began Tuesday, Oct. 9. Jurors heard from key witnesses like Popejoy's girlfriend and the detective who received a confession from Popejoy during an interview. In the audio recording of the interview, Popejoy can be heard saying he shot Bonge, then burned her clothes and dumped her body in his backyard. He called the action 'stupid,' but Popejoy said he did not regret it.
On Monday, the trial proceeded with closing arguments from the prosecutor and defense attorney.
Prosecuting Attorney Ron Frantz wrote out a list of reflection points for the jury in his closing statement. The list showed the moments that Frantz believes demonstrate when Popejoy decided he was going to shoot Bonge, when he put his clothes on, got the gun and went outside.
Frantz made a final push that the jury find Popejoy guilty of first-degree premeditated murder saying that it wasn't just a spur of the moment situation. Rather, he said it was a "crime of opportunity" that came after time and reflection by Popejoy.
The defense attorney Jeff Kortes tried to persuade the jury to convict Popejoy of a lesser sentence. "It's one of those things that happened so fast his first thought was 'What the hell did I just do?'"
Ultimately, the jury decided Popejoy was guilty of premeditated murder. It took them less than three hours to deliberate.
The decision came with very little reaction in the gallery. Popejoy sat stone-faced as the verdict was read, and his girlfriend Rhonda Clark did the same.
More than a dozen of Sheila Bonge's friends and family were in the courtroom. They hugged and cried following the end of the trial.
One of Bonge's sisters tells 13 ON YOUR SIDE while justice was served today, Sheila's life was cut too short.
"She's just now having grand babies and great grand babies. It meant the world to her to have her family," Pam Crumley, Bonge's sister, said. "He took it all away."
Popejoy's girlfriend and family members did not want to comment following the trial. With a first-degree murder charge, Popejoy faces life in prison with no possibility of parole.
"Obviously we were disappointed with the verdict and hoped based upon all the evidence and circumstances it would have come out lesser than first degree," Jeff Kortes, Popejoy's attorney, told 13 ON YOUR SIDE.
Kortes says Popejoy will likely appear the verdict. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 5.
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