Bernita Sims White Murder Case Posts:
06232001 - MSP Trooper Artis White - Estranged Wife Bernita Sims White Murdered - Newspaper Articles
ZOO SNIPER COLD CASE
Detective says he knows who shot this mother in front of her little girl - Part 1
CrimeCasters Network
Reporters Alysia Sofios and Ronnie Dahl
February 02, 2022
Detective Larner: "...somebody brought Artis White into the room to view his wife. And I'll never forget as long as I live and everybody in the said the same thing, 'the look on his face was just like he did it. Yeah, I can't even explain it...it was almost like he walked in there just to make sure that the job was done - that's the sense I got..."
ZOO SNIPER TRUE CRIME BEHIND THE SCENES
What we found inside the $42,000 case file - Part 2
CrimeCasters Network
Reporters Alysia Sofios and Ronnie Dahl
February 02, 2022
On a warm summer day, Bernita White was walking into Potter Park Zoo with her young daughter when a loud band rang out -- and a single bullet pierced through her heart killing her. Detectives believe the sniper targeted her and their prime suspect is one of their own. CrimeCaster Alysia Sofios reveals new details about the case and talks to a lead investigator who says it's time for justice.
ZOO SNIPER SIDEBAR
True Crime Genius Ryan Kester takes on this week's topic: SECONDARY CHARGES - Part 3
CrimeCasters Network
Reporters Alysia Sofios and Ronnie Dahl
February 02, 2022
20 years later, the murder of Bernita White at Potter Park Zoo remains unsolved
Kara Berg
Lansing State Journal
June 23, 2021
LANSING — It's been 20 years since Bernita White was gunned down as she walked with her daughter outside Potter Park Zoo.
Her death remains unsolved.
Police have spoken openly about the murder investigation since 41-year-old White 's death on June 23, 2001. Their longtime suspect, White's husband and former Michigan State Police Trooper Artis White, has been adamant he did not kill his wife.
Michigan State Police and the Attorney General's office are handling the investigation. Both declined to comment.
Bernita White and her then-5-year-old daughter were walking toward the entrance of the zoo when she was shot with a high-powered rifle from about 100 yards away, police have said. Witnesses told police they heard one or two shots that might have come from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance, but no one saw a shooter.
According to a profile of the shooter completed by state police, the suspect is a man about the same age as Bernita White, and is intelligent, articulate and educated, then-Michigan State Police Lt. Kyle Bowman said in June 2013, when the profile was first released to the public. He was "emotionally connected to Bernita" and familiar with the Potter Park area. He is also described as "manipulative," task-oriented and methodical.
In the 10 months after Bernita White's death, detectives spent more than 9,000 hours investigating, interviewing and combing practically every square foot of Potter Park andthe zoo, police said in 2002.
Then-Lansing police Chief Mark Alley said in 2002 that police invested more time and resources into Bernita White's death than for any city homicide in memory.
The day of the shooting, Bernita White had been attending a birthday party with family members. Artis White told investigators he had attended the party with his wife, then left to pick up their other daughter. He returned to the zoo about an hour after the shooting, he told investigators.
The Whites were in the middle of a divorce; Bernita White filed for it about a month before her death, but the two were still living together. Police have said marital problems and a custody dispute over couple's two young daughters were possible motives.
White told the Lansing State Journal in 2009 that investigators wrongly focused on him. He said GPS evidence and witnesses can prove he wasn't near the zoo at the time of the killing.
In 2003, Artis White self-published a book called "Who Killed My Wife?" He also released a documentary in 2009 called "Living Accused" that focused on four people who had been wrongfully convicted of murder or rape and later exonerated. He said it showed how police and prosecutors can make mistakes.
Anyone with information on Bernita White's murder can contact Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Jeff Frasier at 810-227-1051.
Bernita Kay Sims White
Lansing State Journal
June 23, 2021
Twenty years ago, you were murdered outside of Potter Park Zoo. No arrests. No justice! No words to describe our 20-year-old raw emotions. No way we're going to stop asking for your JUSTICE Day! Anonymous tips: 517-483-STOP (7867)
Detroit Crime Commission Teaming Up With Lansing Cold Case Team
East Lansing Crime Warp Ep 4: Woman shot at Potter Park Zoo
The State News Podcast Network and Case Dekoning
Maddie Monroe, Hannah Brock
November 13, 2020
This week, Hannah Brock and Maddie Monroe discuss game day gathering violations and a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump's campaign. Then, Brock and Monroe dissect the murder of Bernita White, who was shot by a sniper as she entered Potter Park Zoo.
Bernita Sims White murder case: 07:13 - 27:41
Sunday, June 30, 2013
The New Citizens Press http://www.tncp.net/Articles/tabid/1800/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/3910/Default.aspx
LANSING, MI -- One of Lansing’s most intriguing cold cases is the murder of Bernita White. It is being reviewed again by a new team of cold case experts. According to Lansing Police Department’s (LPD) Captain Daryl Green, unsolved cases are not re-opened because they are never closed.
On Saturday, June 23, 2001, Ms. White was murdered while attending a birthday party at Potter Park Zoo. Ms. White and her 5-year-old daughter were walking from the pavilion to the zoo’s west entrance when one loud crack of a gunshot was heard. The bullet struck her in the left arm and pierced her heart. The bullet has not been found. On the day of the murder it was sunny and there were over 300 visitors at the zoo. There were also other people visiting the picnic areas and the playgrounds around the zoo. The zoo is located in the 1000 block of S. Pennsylvania Avenue near Potter Park Road. To date there has been no real movement toward solving the case.
According to Captain Green, there have been no other murders in the park and it appears as though Ms. White was specifically targeted. It was determined that the shot came from a high-powered rifle. Captain Green lamented that the case has meant so much to a lot of people. He indicated as one the department’s infamous unsolved murders that even 12 years later they continued to get feedback.
Ms. White was only 41 years old at the time of her death and she also had a 7-year-old daughter. She had filed for divorce a month before the shooting took place and was working at Electronic Data Systems Corporation in Lansing, which is no longer in business. She was described as being a very loving person who was devoted to her children.
“People are still actively talking about this case. Ms. White was well known. For the LPD, it was the decision that this was a case that could be solved. When resources made themselves available to us we began to go over the file,” said Captain Green.
Green added that when it was decided to take an another look at the case, LPD contacted the Michigan State Police (MSP) for assistance. Both law enforcement agencies are involved with the White cold case. There are 14 individuals currently working on this case. The initial press release was in the Detroit area to widen the circle of media and to get the information out to the entire state. Ms. White was born in Detroit and moved to Lansing after she married her husband, Artis White.
At the time of the murder, Mr. White was a MSP trooper. He was an early suspect in the case. Mr. White stated that he did not have any comments about the case at this time and said that since he is still employed by MSP that he is not at liberty to make comments about open investigations.
However, Mr. White commented, “I am happy that MSP is taking over the case because they have a better chance of solving it. They have told me they plan to start fresh and nobody is considered a suspect later that’s fair. That’s all I ever wanted in the first place so I'm going to let them do their job.”
This case has been tragic for many. The pressure on law enforcement is overwhelming and the strain on the family is very evident. When Ms. White’s mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, was told that her daughter was murdered, she had a heart attack and died the same day as her daughter.
Captain Green said, “I very clearly remember when this happened, children were asking if it was safe to go to the zoo, we feel that Ms. White was specifically targeted and we have an obligation to do our best to solve this case. Ms. White also has family that needs some type of closure, our goal is for the right person to come forward with that critical piece of information.”
In plenty of unsolved murders, there are reluctant witnesses who are fearful of talking or someone may have information that was overlooked at the time.
Lieutenant Kyle Bowman, Assistant Post Commander at MSP’s Lansing Post could not agree more with Captain Green’s assessment.
“We are still looking for information from the public, tips have come in but nothing that would really move the case to the prosecutor’s office. We are just hoping with the highest regard that people will do the right thing. If you have information we are asking you to reach out to us,” said Lieutenant Bowman.
Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone who has information regarding Ms. White’s murder should call Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or 1-800-773-2587 . All calls and cash rewards are completely anonymous. Also you can call 517-290-9950 or email tips to whitecoldcase@michigan.gov.
Police Shine Light On 12-Year-Old Murder
By Shelby Miller
June 30, 2013 - 6:20pm
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/story/22665821/police-shine-light-on-12-year-old-murder
Lansing, Mich. (WLNS) -- On June 23, 2001, Bernita White was shot to death at Potter Park Zoo.
Twelve years later, police continue searching for the suspect.
Sunday, Michigan State and Lansing Police Departments brought further attention to the case by going door-to-door, asking neighbors around Potter Park Zoo if they had any information.
"Have you heard anything? Have you seen anything? We know it's been awhile," said Lansing Police Department Public Information Officer Robert Merritt. "However, it is the anniversary and we're hoping to stir up a little bit of information to help the investigation move along."
While talking to neighbors, police handed out a fliers, hoping to stir conversation and bring focus back to the cold case.
Police hope this information can help lead to the ultimate goal-finding the suspect and solving the case.
"It's very important, especially for the community, and for the White family, to bring a closure to this and find the bad guy."
Family, including White's husband, Artis, he told 6 News in a statement, "It has been hard, but me and the girls got through it. We still take it one day at a time... I'm sure MSP is doing everything they can to solve this case."
If you have any information on this case call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-773-2587 , text your tip to CRIMES (274637) or visit the website.
Police are not giving up on Bernita White murder case
June 24, 2013
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/category/232735/video-landing-page?clipId=9022509&autostart=true
Transcript-
Today marks the 12th anniversary on one of Lansing's most infamous murders and police are not giving up. The murder of Bernita White is our top story this evening.
On this day in 2001, someone shot and killed a 41-year-old mother just outside Potter Park Zoo.
6 News reporter Shelby Miller taked with police this morning who are trying to bring attention back to this case. And Shelby, what did police say?
Emerald, police want to get the focus back on this murder, and today they did just that. All morning and afternoon, police handed out this flyer to houses surrounding Potter Park Zoo, asking questions and hoping for any information that can help close this case.
Today police walked door to door passing out this flyer, talking to neighbors.
"Have you heard anything? Have you seen anything? We know it's been awhile, however it is the anniversary and we're hoping to stir up a little bit of information." Officer Robert Merritt - Lansing PD
Asking questions. They say even the smallest tip helps.
"Just a little peice of information could be quite large." Officer Robert Merritt - Lansing PD
At the very least, it is bringing the focus back to this 12-year-old cold case.
"You want to create some conversation," Officer Robert Merritt - Lansing PD
Conversation that construct new information about the day a bullet from a high-powered rifle took the life of this 41-year-old mother as she walked toward Potter Park Zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
"We're trying to gain some information that maybe the people may have been hanging onto or maybe they heard in passing." Officer Robert Merritt - Lansing PD
Information leading to the ultimate goal - finding a suspect, closing this case.
"It's very important, especially to the community, as well as for the White family to bring closure to this and find the bad guy." Officer Robert Merritt - Lansing PD
Family, including White's husband, Artist. He told 6 News in a statement: "It has been hard. But me and the girls got through it, but we still take it a day at a time...I'm sure the MSP is doing everything they can to solve this case."
And police assure me they continue working hard to solve this case. They believe it's heading in a positive direction and they remain hopeful information from both today and from past weeks will help solve this tragic murder and finally bring closure to this 12-year-old case.
Thanks Shelby. There is a $2,500 reward for anyone who's information helps crack this case.
If you know anything, call 1-800-SPEAK-UP or log onto 1800speakup.org.
We've got this information on the screen and on our website. That's WLNS.com
Cops try to crack cold case
June 24, 2013 - 12:37pm
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/category/232735/video-landing-page?clipId=9022514&autostart=true
Transcript-
Today marks the 12 year anniversary of Lansing's infamous unsolved murder: the shooting death of 41-year-old Bernita White.
On this day in 2001, White was walking toward Potter Park Zoo with her 5-year-old daughter when a shot rang out.
Today police came together to shine new light on this cold case. Going door to door they asked neighbors around Potter Park Zoo if they know anything about the case, asking questions, looking for information and hoping someone remembers something about this murder as they continue to search for a suspect.
"Flyers and 'hey have you heard anything? Did you see anything? And we know it's been awhile, however it's the anniversary and we're hoping to stir up a little bit of information'. Just a little peice of information could be quite large with investigation." Officer Robert Merritt - Lansing PD.
There's a $2,500 reward for anyone who has information that helps crack this case.
If you know anything, call 1-800-SPEAK-UP or log onto 1800speakup.org.
We've got this information on the screen and on our website on WLNS.com
Police Shine Light On 12-Year-Old Murder
WLNS-10
By Shelby Miller
June 23, 2013
http://www.wlns.com/story/22665821/police-shine-light-on-12-year-old-murder
Lansing, Mich. (WLNS) -- On June 23, 2001, Bernita White was shot to death at Potter Park Zoo.
Twelve years later, police continue searching for the suspect.
Sunday, Michigan State and Lansing Police Departments brought further attention to the case by going door-to-door, asking neighbors around Potter Park Zoo if they had any information.
"Have you heard anything? Have you seen anything? We know it's been awhile," said Lansing Police Department Public Information Officer Robert Merritt. "However, it is the anniversary and we're hoping to stir up a little bit of information to help the investigation move along."
While talking to neighbors, police handed out a fliers, hoping to stir conversation and bring focus back to the cold case.
Police hope this information can help lead to the ultimate goal-finding the suspect and solving the case.
"It's very important, especially for the community, and for the White family, to bring a closure to this and find the bad guy."
Family, including White's husband, Artis, he told 6 News in a statement, "It has been hard, but me and the girls got through it. We still take it one day at a time... I'm sure MSP is doing everything they can to solve this case."
If you have any information on this case call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-773-2587, text your tip to CRIMES (274637) or visit the website: http://www.1800speakup.org/
Police release suspect profile in 12-year-old Lansing homicide
Jun. 14, 2013
Lansing State Journal http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20130614/NEWS01/306140039/Police-release-suspect-profile-12-year-old-Lansing-homicide
Police on Friday released a profile of the suspect who 12 years ago shot and killed a woman as she walked toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance with her young daughter.
Investigators believe they are close to solving the June 23, 2001 killing of Bernita White. But they still need the public’s help.
"We know there is critical information out there that someone is holding on dearly to, for some unknown reason," said Lansing police Capt. Daryl Green. "This case is well alive... We’re optimistic, at this juncture."
The 41-year-old Delta Township woman was gunned down by a single shot from a high-powered rifle. Investigators have previously said the shot was fired from about 100 yards away, along Potter Park’s northern border.
White’s husband, Artis, then a state police detective, was initially named as a suspect and in recent years has been considered a person of interest. The couple at the time was divorcing. He is still a sergeant with the agency.
Michigan State Police Lt. Kyle Bowman said investigators are taking a "fresh look" at the case and are not focusing on anyone. The cold case team is made up of state police and Lansing police detectives.
According to the profile, completed by state police, the suspect is a man, about the same age as White.
He is intelligent, articulate and educated. He was "emotionally connected to Bernita" and familiar with the Potter Park area.
He is also described as "manipulative" as well as task-oriented and methodical.
"We had an offender assessment done to help us identify what type of person would have committed this type of crime," said Bowman.
Anyone who knows someone who fits the profile and who might have been in the area at the time or knew Bernita White is asked to come forward with any information, Bowman said, even if the information seems insignificant or doesn’t seem new.
On June 23, officers from both agencies will be in the area where White was killed, knocking on doors and handing out fliers.
12th Anniversary of Bernita White murder
June 14, 2013 - 6:00pm
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/category/232735/video-landing-page?clipId=8993835&autostart=true
Police continue to work to crack the case about a Lansing woman murdered a dozen years ago. That is our top story this evening.
Good evening. Thanks for joining us. I'm Jane Aldridge. Greg is off tonight.
As the 12th anniversary of the Lansing unsolved murder approaches, a renewed effort to find her killer continues now.
Police now focus on what type of person could have been behind the shooting death of 41-year-old Bernita White.
Shelby Miller spoke to police today to find out what the've discovered.
Investigators met this week, intent on making progress. Lansing's most notorious murder June 23rd, 2001. Bernita White, a loving mother of two killed in broad daylight as she and her daughter walked toward Potter Park Zoo. A single bullet fired from a high-powered rifle hit White's left arm pierced her heart, took her life.
"A crime that really haunts the city of Lansing." Captain Daryl Green- Lansing PD.
That bullet was never found and her killer still walks free. Now, nearly 12 years later, police continue looking for answers.
"This cases is well alive." Captain Daryl Green- Lansing PD
Taking a fresh look and coming up with new information to present to the public.
"We as police officers are out there doing what we can to investigate cases. But ultimately we need the citizens and the public to step up." Lt. Kyle Bowman -MSP
That's why next Saturday police plan on going door to door around Potter Park and handing out this flyer, asking anyone if they have any information on this case or they know someone who matches this description.
Police say they believe the suspsect is a man around the same age as White, who's smark with strong communication skills. Someone who's organized, manipulative, and comfortable with the area, and emotionally connected to White.
"We know there's some critical information out there someone has." Captain Daryl Green- Lansing PD.
And police plan on keeping this homicide in the minds of the community until the case is solved.
In Lansing, Shelby Miller 6 News.
Shelby, thank you. If you have any information about this case you are asked to contact your local police department and we have all the information on how to submit a tip right on our website: WLNS.com
Police Look for Answers in Notorious Lansing Murder
Posted: Jun 14, 2013 - 4:08 PM CDT
By Shelby Miller
http://www.wlns.com/story/22596249/police-look-for-answers-in-notorious-lansing-murder
Transcript-
Police continue to work to crack the case about a Lansing woman murdered a dozen years ago. That is our top story this evening.
Good evening. Thanks for joining us. I'm Jane Aldridge. Greg is off tonight.
As the 12th anniversary of the Lansing unsolved murder approaches, a renewed effort to find her killer continues now.
Police now focus on what type of person could have been behind the shooting death of 41-year-old Bernita White.
Shelby Miller spoke to police today to find out what the've discovered.
Investigators met this week, intent on making progress. Lansing's most notorious murder June 23rd, 2001. Bernita White, a loving mother of two killed in broad daylight as she and her daughter walked toward Potter Park Zoo. A single bullet fired from a high-powered rifle hit White's left arm pierced her heart, took her life.
"A crime that really haunts the city of Lansing." Captain Daryl Green- Lansing PD.
That bullet was never found and her killer still walks free. Now, nearly 12 years later, police continue looking for answers.
"This cases is well alive." Captain Daryl Green- Lansing PD
Taking a fresh look and coming up with new information to present to the public.
"We as police officers are out there doing what we can to investigate cases. But ultimately we need the citizens and the public to step up." Lt. Kyle Bowman -MSP
That's why next Saturday police plan on going door to door around Potter Park and handing out this flyer, asking anyone if they have any information on this case or they know someone who matches this description.
Police say they believe the suspsect is a man around the same age as White, who's smart with strong communication skills. Someone who's organized, manipulative, and comfortable with the area, and emotionally connected to White.
"We know there's some critical information out there someone has." Captain Daryl Green- Lansing PD.
And police plan on keeping this homicide in the minds of the community until the case is solved.
In Lansing, Shelby Miller 6 News.
Shelby, thank you. If you have any information about this case you are asked to contact your local police department and we have all the information on how to submit a tip right on our website: WLNS.com
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) - The 12th anniversary of Lansing's infamous unsolved murder, the shooting death of Bernita White, is next week. Police re-opened the case, now focusing on what type of person could have committed this crime.
Investigators met this week, intent on making progress on what's been classified as Lansing's most notorious murder.
Bernita White, a loving mother of two, killed in broad day light, as she and her daughter walked toward Potter Park Zoo. A single bullet, fired from a high powered rifle, hit White's left arm, pierced her heart and took her life on June 23, 2001.
"This is a crime that really haunts the City of Lansing," said Daryl Green, the captain of the Lansing Police Department.
That bullet was never found and her killer still walks free. Now, nearly 12 years later, police continue looking for answers. They say they're taking a fresh look and coming up with new information to present to the public.
"We as police officers are out there doing what we can to investigate cases, but ultimately we need the citizens and the public to step up and that's what we're asking in this situation," said Lt. Kyle Bowman, MSP.
Next Sunday, police plan to go door to door around Potter Park, handing out flyers, asking anyone if they have any information about the case, or know someone who matches their description.
Police believe the suspect is a man around the same age as White, who's smart and has strong communication skills. They say he was organized, manipulative, professional, comfortable with the area and emotionally connected to White.
"We know that there's some critical information out there that someone has."
If you have any information about the case, you're asked to contact police. You can call 1-800-SPEAK-UP , visit the website: www.1800speakup.org or send a text message to CRIMES (274637). There is up to a $2,500 reward for information leading to an arrest.
$2,500 Reward – MURDERED AT ZOO
Posted by Max Cannon
May 07 2013
CrimePAY$ $2,500 Reward
http://www.rewardstv.net/cold-case/2500-reward-murdered-at-zoo/#more-9730
Authorities are revamping their efforts to solve a murder case from almost 12 years ago.
Michigan State Police, Lansing police and Crime Stoppers announced a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest of a suspect in Bernita White’s shooting death.
White, 41, of Lansing, was shot at Potter Park Zoo, 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., in broad daylight on June 23, 2001. She was planning to attend a birthday party with family members.
Michigan State Police and the Lansing Police Department formed a partnership on the cold case late last year and began re-reviewing all files and evidence from the case to identify potential leads and to explore possible forensic developments.
Lansing police public information officer Robert Merritt asked anyone who knows anything about White’s death to come forward.
"MSP is taking a closer look at it," he said. "We’ve got some detectives working with them. Anytime that we get a request from our law enforcement partners to catch a potential murderer, we’re all for it."
Those with information on White’s death are asked to contact by phone, text or emails. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
Tips can be sent to 517-290-9950 or whitecoldcase@michigan.gov, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
Crime Stoppers - Bernita White murder case
May 02, 2013 - 11:58 AM
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/category/232735/video-landing-page?clipId=8835325&autostart=true
Transcript-
With your help we solve crimes. This is 6 News Crime Stoppers.
Crime Stoppers is requesting information about a murder case that's more than a decade old. It centers around the shooting death of 41-year-old Lansing resident Bernita White who was killed in Lansing's Potter Park Zoo. See if you can help solve her case.
On Saturday June 23rd, 2001, Lansing resident Bernita White was killed from a bullet from a high-powered rifle while walking from the picnic pavilion to the zoo entrance at Potter Park Zoo. It was 3:15 in the afternoon. 41-year-old Bernita and her five-year-old daughter were attending a birthday party for a family member when the shot rang out. A bullet hit her in the left arm and pierced her heart. The bullet was never found.
On the day of the murder there were more than 300 people visiting the zoo. Several others were on the playground and picnic areas around the zoo.
Shortly after 3:00, a loud shot was heard near the zoo's West entrance near South Pennsylvania Avenue.
At the time of her death she had two young daughters and had filed for divorce a month before the shooting took place.
Bernita was working at EDS Corporation in Lansing.
She was born in Detroit and moved to Lansing after she married her husband Artis.
When Bernita's mother was informed about her murder, she had a heart attack and died the same night.
Investigators want to talk to anyone who might have information about Bernita's murder.
Tips Sought In Bernita White Case
By: Brian Johnson
WILX - Channel 10 News
Updated: Thu 6:26 AM, May 02, 2013
http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/Tips-Sought-In-Bernita-White-Case-205675351.html
It was during a birthday party on a Saturday afternoon, June 23, 2001 that Bernita White was murdered.
"Our tragedy doubled that day, when our mother Barbara Sims died from the shock of losing Bernita," said Makhai Sims, Bernita's sister.
When police informed Bernita's mother what happened she went into cardiac arrest.
"That Saturday in 2001 Lansing and Detroit were dealt a tremendous loss," said Sims as tears streamed down her face.
Yet the killer remains free.
Now Crime Stoppers is offering $2,500 to the person whose tip leads to an arrest.
"If you have any information, no matter how insignificant you might feel it is we are asking that you please make an anonymous phone call to crime stoppers," said John Broad, the President of Michigan Crime Stoppers.
"Anybody that was there at the time, anyone that may have known somebody that was there at the time, or heard anything related to it--we are encouraging those people to call," said Lt. Kyle Bowman of the Michigan State Police.
Officers say there are no borders to crime and so the suspect could be anywhere in the state.
"What we are afraid of is that people may have some information and not be aware of it," said Bowman. "You can't conduct a crime like this and not have at least someone else that's not involved and not know about it. It's just the nature of what occurred."
The shooting happened at Potter Park in the middle of the afternoon, dozens of people were present. While officers have no conviction and no suspect, they say they still bring their families to the Zoo and no one should be afraid of coming to the park.
For Captain Daryl Green of the Lansing Police Department this case is personal.
"Having a child myself, taking my child to Potter Park Zoo. This is something that haunted all of us in the community," said Green
This is one of 26 unsolved homicides in Lansing during the past ten years.
"Bernita deserves justice and it has been too long coming," said Sims. "Someone out there has information that can bring Bernita's killer to justice."
Sims hopes this mothers' day the crime can be solved.
If you have any information, or know someone who does, police want to hear from you. Call 1-800-773-2587 ( You can also go online a www.1800speakup.orgor contact the Lansing Police Department or Michigan State Police.
Lansing cold case: murder at Potter Park Zoo
May 01, 2013
WXYZ - Channel 7 News - Detroit
Transcript
A weekend trip to the zoo turns into a murder mystery that's gone unsolved for more than a decade.
Certainly police hope that you can help with this cold case that has haunted Lansing since 2001 and Glenda joins us now with the very latest in some details on how people can help.
Yeah, it's amazing the time has gone this fast Jeff and Joanne. The family of Bernita White are hoping you can help find the person who killed her and shattered their life. Bernita White was taking her daughter to a birthday party at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing. It was a Saturday afternoon in June 2001 when a shot rang out. It hit her in the heart. Bernita's mother was so shocked by the news she had a heart attack the same day and died.
And there were 300 people at the zoo that day and police and Bernita's family hope someone has that key peice of information to solve this case.
"That Saturday in 2001, Lansing and Detroit were dealt a tremendous loss and the killer still walks free." Makhia Sims
"Anybody that was there at the time. Anyone that may have known of someone that was there at the time or heard anything related to it. We're encouraging those people to call." Lt. Kyle Bowman - MSP
"Bernita deserves justice and it been too long coming." Makhia Sims
Time does not heal that wound for that family. It's still very raw to them. If you have any information that could help police solve this murder, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-tips.
And Joanne, I went out there to cover that story at Potter Park Zoo that day in June 2001, and it was so shocking to zoo officials that would happen at a child's birthday party. It was quiet. It was really still that day and for the rest of the week there.
And you never would have thought, I'm sure 12 years ago this would remain unsolved today. To see that emotion so raw, like you said, 12 years later, they need some help.
It's not unsolvable. They can certainly find the people who did this.
Three-hundred people were there that day. Hopefully someone will call.
Family of woman murdered at Potter Park Zoo in 2001 asks for public's help solving the case
Posted: 05/01/2013
WXYZ News - Detroit
http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/family-of-woman-murdered-at-potter-park-zoo-in-2001-asks-for-publics-help-solving-the-case
VIDEO Transcript -
A weekend trip to the zoo turns into a murder mystery that had gone unsolved from more than a decade.
And the police hope you can help with this cold case that has haunted Lansing since 2001. And Glenda joins us now with the latest and details on how people can help.
It is amazing the time has gone so fast.
The family of Bernita White is hoping you can find the person who killed her and shattered their life.
She was taking her daughter that day to a birthday part at Potter Park in Lansing.
It was a Saturday afternoon in June 2001 when a shot rang out and it hit her in the heart. She was killed. Her mother was so shocked by the news, she had a a heart attack the same day and died.
There were 300 people at the zoo that day and the police and the family is hoping someone has that key piece of information to solve this case.
That Saturday in 2001, Lansing and Detroit dealt me this loss. And the killer still walks free,・Bernita's sister Makhia Sims said.
Anyone that was there at the time, anyone that may have known of someone who that was there at the time or heard anything related to it, we're encouraging people to call.
"And she deserves justice and it has been too long,"Makhia said.
Time has not healed that wound for that family.
It is still very raw for them.
If you have any information that can help police solve that, call 800-SPEAK-UP.
And I went out there to cover that story at Potter Park Zoo that day, June 2001 and it was so shocking to zoo officials that it would happen at a child's birthday party, it was quiet, really still that day and for the rest of the week there.
And you would never have thought 12 years ago this would remain unsolved.
You see that emotion is so raw.
LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) - A weekend trip to the zoo turns into a murder mystery that's gone unsolved for more than a decade.
Police hope you can help with this cold case that has haunted Lansing since 2001.
The family of Bernita White hopes you can help find the person who killed her and shattered their lives.
White was taking her daughter to a birthday party at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing. It was a Saturday afternoon in June of 2001 when a shot rang out and hit her heart.
Bernita's mother was so shocked by the news she had a heart attack the same day and died.
There were 300 people at the zoo that day and police and Bernita's family hope someone has a key piece of information to solve the case.
If you have any information that could help police solve this murder, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP .
Officials take fresh look at 12-year murder mystery case
May 01, 2013 - 7:26pm
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/category/232735/video-landing-page?clipId=8832347&autostart=true
Investigators make a plea for help in solving a murder than than ten years later, is our top story this evening. Thank you for joining us.
I'm Jane Aldridge and I'm Greg Adaline. The June 2001 murder of Bernita White in front of a Potter park captured our attention.
The 41-year-old mother of two was shot with a high-powered rifle in broad daylight, and for nearly 12 years, the shooter has never been found. Today in Detroit, White's hometown Crime Stoppers announced a reward for information leading to an arrest in our Maureen LaForge who was there joins us now live in the studio, tells mourning for White's family, time hasn't dulled the pain of her murder and law enforcement officials say twelve years won't stop them from finding her killer.
White's sister Makhita Sims says her sister was targeted. And the police say there's no way to commit a crime like this without someone knowing something about it, and they're calling on the public to help bring justice for Bernita White's family.
Makhia Sims remembers how her big sister Bernita White would bake the most delicious cheese cakes and throw summertime parties but it all ended June 23rd of 2001.
That day in summer 2001, Lansing and Detroit was dealt a tremendous loss.・Makhia Sims.
Not only because White's killer walks free, but news of White's death was so devastating so shocking to their mother, she had a heart attack and died the same day.
Our family is just like torn about it. Mother's Day about killed him.・Makhia Sims
Sims' father died last year. He said he couldn't go on anymore.
He felt like he could have stopped this. He didn't take one person, he took three. He took my mother and my father, and my sister.・Makhia Sims.
In a way Sims lost her nieces White's daughters as well. Now 15 and 17, Sims hasn't seen them since shortly after her sister's funeral.
This is a case that has haunted everyone, myself includingly, I was working that day. I was a patrol officer. I still remember when this call went out.・Capt. Daryl Green
No bullet was ever found. No real break in the case, Yet, police say all this time may have given the public a fresh perspective and bring to mind something ・anything that could lead investigators on the right road.
You can't conduct a crime like this and not have at least someone else that's not involved in it know about it.・Lt. Kyle Bowman ・MSP
Now Sims believes her sister wasn't the victim of a random shooting. White's husband was questioned after her death and he was invited to today's news conference, but chose not to appear.
Police are asking anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it seems, to call 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Your call will be anonymous and if your tip leads to an arrest you could receive a $2500 reward.
Crime Stoppers - Bernita White murder
May 01, 2013 - 6:51pm
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/category/232735/video-landing-page?clipId=8832264&autostart=true
Transcript -
Investigators make a plea for help in solving a murder than than ten years later, is our top story this evening. Thank you for joining us.
I'm Jane Aldridge and I'm Greg Adaline. The June 2001 murder of Bernita White in front of a Potter park captured our attention.
The 41-year-old mother of two was shot with a high-powered rifle in broad daylight, and for nearly 12 years, the shooter has never been found. Today in Detroit, White's hometown Crime Stoppers announced a reward for information leading to an arrest in our Maureen LaForge who was there joins us now live in the studio, tells mourning for White's family, time hasn't dulled the pain of her murder and law enforcement officials say twelve years won't stop them from finding her killer.
White's sister Makhita Sims says her sister was targeted. And the police say there's no way to commit a crime like this without someone knowing something about it, and they're calling on the public to help bring justice for Bernita White's family.
Makhia Sims remembers how her big sister Bernita White would bake the most delicious cheese cakes and throw summertime parties but it all ended June 23rd of 2001.
That day in summer 2001, Lansing and Detroit was dealt a tremendous loss.・Makhia Sims.
Not only because White's killer walks free, but news of White's death was so devastating so shocking to their mother, she had a heart attack and died the same day.
Our family is just like torn about it. Mother's Day about killed him.・Makhia Sims
Sims' father died last year. He said he couldn't go on anymore.
He felt like he could have stopped this. He didn't take one person, he took three. He took my mother and my father, and my sister.・Makhia Sims.
In a way Sims lost her nieces White's daughters as well. Now 15 and 17, Sims hasn't seen them since shortly after her sister's funeral.
This is a case that has haunted everyone, myself includingly, I was working that day. I was a patrol officer. I still remember when this call went out.・Capt. Daryl Green
No bullet was ever found. No real break in the case, Yet, police say all this time may have given the public a fresh perspective and bring to mind something ・anything that could lead investigators on the right road.
You can't conduct a crime like this and not have at least someone else that's not involved in it know about it.・Lt. Kyle Bowman ・MSP
Now Sims believes her sister wasn't the victim of a random shooting. White's husband was questioned after her death and he was invited to today's news conference, but chose not to appear.
Police are asking anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it seems, to call 1-800-SPEAK-UP. Your call will be anonymous and if your tip leads to an arrest you could receive a $2500 reward.
Renewed Call For Tips In Potter Park Zoo Murder Case
May 1, 2013 - 6:48 PM
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/05/01/renewed-call-for-tips-in-potter-park-zoo-murder-case/
Why a new plea for help in a nearly 12-year-old case?
Lansing Police Captain Kyle Green said investigators needed time to evaluate what they had. Now, they want to know what, if any, further information might be out there.
"We’re taking everything, and want to stress that," Green told reporters at a news conference Wednesday. "No tip — no matter how small the person thinks it is, [is too small]. We want that information. We wanted everything.
"Technology has changed; people’s perspectives; memory has changed in people. So, we might get something different out there. This is an open investigation," he said.
Police have declined comment on whether Bernita White’s husband, a Michigan State Police trooper, remains a suspect.
White had filed for divorce about a month before she was murdered.
Police said White and her daughter were at the zoo for a friend’s birthday party on June 23, 2001. The pair was walking from a pavilion toward the west entrance at around 3:15 p.m. when a bullet from a high-powered rifle pierced White’s heart.
It is not believed to have been a random shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP . As always, tipsters may remain anonymous. A $2,500 reward is being offered for tips leading to an arrest in this case.
Crime Stoppers hopes to jump start leads in 2001 murder
Published On: May 01 2013 - 06:40:39 PM EDT
Updated On: May 01 2013 - 06:46:28 PM EDT
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/crime-stoppers-hopes-to-jump-start-leads-in-2001-murder/-/1719418/19976894/-/igyxhlz/-/index.html
Transcript -
Devin: EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CRIME WAS BIZARRE. A DETROIT WOMAN GUNNED DOWN BY A SNIPER RIFLE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE ZOO IN LANSING. IT HAPPENED BACK IN 2001 AND THE CASE QUICKLY WENT COLD. IT'S BACK ON THE INVESTIGATORS RADAR SCREENS. LAUREN PODELL EXPLAINS WHY.
Lauren: IT'S AN UNSOLVED MURDER 12 YEARS IN THE MAKING. NOW MICHIGAN STATE POLICE AND CRIMESTOPPERS ARE TEAMING UP TO HOPEFULLY SOLVE THIS LOCAL MOTHER'S MURDER ONCE AND FOR ALL. [INAUDIBLE].
Lauren: AN EMOTIONAL PLEA FOR JUSTICE. IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A DECADE SINCE HER SISTER, 41-YEAR-OLD BERNITA WHITE OF DETROIT WAS KILLED BY A SNIPER. THE KILLER STILL WALKS FREE.
Lauren: THIS WAS THE CRIME SCENE FROM 2001. SHE WAS WITH HER 5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WALKING TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE POTTER PARK ZOO WHEN SHOT AND KILLED BY A BULLET FROM A HIGH-POWERED RIFLE. AND THAT SAME DAY, AFTER LEARNING OF HER DEATH, HER MOTHER DIED OF A HEART ATTACK. THIS IS A COLD CASE IN OUR CITY THAT HAS HAUNTED THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
Lauren: HER HUSBAND, ARTIS WHITE WAS A MICHIGAN TROOPER AT THE TIME. SHE HAD FILED FOR DIVORCE AND HER HUSBAND WAS CONSIDERED A PERSON OF INTEREST, BUT NOTHING EVER STUCK. WE'RE TAKING EVERYTHING WITH A FRESH SET OF EYES.
Lauren: THE USE OF SMEED IN THE BOSTON BOMBINGS CASE INSPIRED THEM TO SEARCH FOR NEW CLUES. THEY WANT TO KEEP THE CASE ALIVE AND SPREAD THE WORD IN DIFFERENT CITIES IN THE HOPES THAT SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, WILL KNOW SOMETHING. SHE DESERVES JUSTICE AND IT'S TOO LONG COMING.
Lauren: POLICE ARE ASKING FOR ANY PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ARREST AND THERE'S A $2500 CASH REWARD INVOLVED. AND YOU CAN MAKE THE TIPS ANONYMOUSLY BY CALLING 1-800-SPEAKUP.
Bernita White murder - Investigation continues
May 01, 2013 - 6:27pm
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/search?RecordNum=1&vendor=ez&qu=bernita+white+murder
Transcript -
Well, in other news the Lansing murder that happened twelve years ago takes center stage.
Again, police and Crime Stoppers are now calling for the public's help to find Bernita White's killer. Now, she was shot and killed just outside a Potter Park in Lansing by what police believe was a high-powered rifle on June 23rd 2001. Miss White was walking with one of her daughters to a birthday party when a bullet struck her in the arm and body.
At a news conference today in Detroit, police said the case will not be closed until White's killer is found and Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for tips that lead to an arrest.
“You can't conduct a crime like this and have at least someone involved in all. That's just the nature of what occurred.” Lt. Kyle Bowman – MSP
So officials say if you know anything, call in your anonymous tip at the number that I'm about to give you: 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
And if you call in a tip that leads to an arrest by midnight tonight, they say they'll throw in an additional one thousand dollars. We'll have more on this story coming up. If you did not get that number, just call 911. Tell police what you know.
Authorities offer reward for info on unsolved 2001 Lansing murder
May 01, 2013 at 1:20 PM
Brandon Howell
MLive
http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2013/05/authorities_offer_reward_for_i_1.html
Authorities are revamping their efforts to solve a murder case 11 years old.
Michigan State Police, Lansing police and Crime Stoppers announced on Wednesday a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest of a suspect in Bernita White's shooting death. If a tip leads to an arrest and is received by 12 a.m. Thursday, the reward is increased to $3,500.
White, 41, of Lansing, was shot at Potter Park Zoo, 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., in broad daylight on June 23, 2001. She was planning to attend a birthday party with family members.
Michigan State Police and the Lansing Police Department formed a partnership on the cold case late last year and began re-reviewing all files and evidence from the case to identify potential leads and to explore possible forensic developments.
Lansing police public information officer Robert Merritt asked anyone who knows anything about White's death to come forward.
"MSP is taking a closer look at it," he said. "We've got some detectives working with them. Anytime that we get a request from our law enforcement partners to catch a potential murderer, we're all for it."
Those with information on White's death are asked to contact by phone, text or emails. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
Tips can be sent to 517-290-9950 or whitecoldcase@michigan.gov, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP .
Press conference on Bernita White murder case
May 01, 2013 - 1:09pm
WLNS TV News
http://www.wlns.com/category/232735/video-landing-page?clipId=8830986&autostart=true
Transcript-
A 12-year-old Lansing murder mystery is the focus for the press conference happening right now in Detroit. Bernita White was shot and killed while walking with her daughter in Potter Park back in 2001. Police say the bullet came from a high-powered rifle. In Detroit he joins us live over the phone. Wonder why the announcement more than eleven years later.
And we do apologize for having some technical difficulties but LPD police say is the right thing to do, they're taking a fresh look at the case and believed people from outside of Lansing may have some information so pooling resources together. Anyone with info on the matter can now call one eight hundred speak up. There is a twenty-five hundred dollar award plus another thousand dollars effective if brought in before midnight tonight.
We will have more on Bernita White's story tonight at six, including how her family is doing twelve years later. Someone shot and killed Bernita as I said, in the middle of a crowded Potter Park back in June 2001.
White and her daughter were walking from the pavilion to the entrance when she was shot. The case has never been solved. Lansing police as well as the Michigan State Police are pulling that public plea together for help and again at that reward, twenty-five hundred dollars. Hopefully someone can come forward today.
Leads still being sought in woman's murder at Lansing zoo
Bernita White shot dead in 2001 at Potter Park Zoo
Author: Halston Herrera Senior News Editor for ClickOnDetroit
WDIV News - Detroit
Published On: May 01 2013 - 08:48:51 AM EDT
Updated On: May 01 2013 - 06:46:46 PM EDT
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/leads-still-being-sought-in-womans-murder-at-lansing-zoo/-/1719418/19966038/-/rvujhk/-/index.html
Transcript -
Devin: EVERYTHING ABOUT THE CRIME WAS BIZARRE. A DETROIT WOMAN GUNNED DOWN BY A SNIPER RIFLE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE ZOO IN LANSING. IT HAPPENED BACK IN 2001 AND THE CASE QUICKLY WENT COLD. IT'S BACK ON THE INVESTIGATORS RADAR SCREENS. LAUREN PODELL EXPLAINS WHY.
Lauren: IT'S AN UNSOLVED MURDER 12 YEARS IN THE MAKING. NOW MICHIGAN STATE POLICE AND CRIMESTOPPERS ARE TEAMING UP TO HOPEFULLY SOLVE THIS LOCAL MOTHER'S MURDER ONCE AND FOR ALL. [INAUDIBLE].
Lauren: AN EMOTIONAL PLEA FOR JUSTICE. IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A DECADE SINCE HER SISTER, 41-YEAR-OLD BERNITA WHITE OF DETROIT WAS KILLED BY A SNIPER. THE KILLER STILL WALKS FREE.
Lauren: THIS WAS THE CRIME SCENE FROM 2001. SHE WAS WITH HER 5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WALKING TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE POTTER PARK ZOO WHEN SHOT AND KILLED BY A BULLET FROM A HIGH-POWERED RIFLE. AND THAT SAME DAY, AFTER LEARNING OF HER DEATH, HER MOTHER DIED OF A HEART ATTACK. THIS IS A COLD CASE IN OUR CITY THAT HAS HAUNTED THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
Lauren: HER HUSBAND, ARTIS WHITE WAS A MICHIGAN TROOPER AT THE TIME. SHE HAD FILED FOR DIVORCE AND HER HUSBAND WAS CONSIDERED A PERSON OF INTEREST, BUT NOTHING EVER STUCK. WE'RE TAKING EVERYTHING WITH A FRESH SET OF EYES.
Lauren: THE USE OF SMEED IN THE BOSTON BOMBINGS CASE INSPIRED THEM TO SEARCH FOR NEW CLUES. THEY WANT TO KEEP THE CASE ALIVE AND SPREAD THE WORD IN DIFFERENT CITIES IN THE HOPES THAT SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, WILL KNOW SOMETHING. SHE DESERVES JUSTICE AND IT'S TOO LONG COMING.
Lauren: POLICE ARE ASKING FOR ANY PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT COULD LEAD TO AN ARREST AND THERE'S A $2500 CASH REWARD INVOLVED. AND YOU CAN MAKE THE TIPS ANONYMOUSLY BY CALLING 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
DETROIT - More than 10 years after a woman was shot and killed while attending a birthday party at a Michigan zoo, investigators are again sending out a plea for tips.
On June 23, 2001, Bernita White was hit by a bullet from a high-powered rifle while walking from the picnic pavilion to the zoo entrance at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing.
The 41-year-old was killed when a bullet pierced her left arm and heart. However, the bullet has never been found.
Police have said there were more than 300 people at the zoo, in addition to the others who were at surrounding playgrounds and picnic areas around the zoo.
White had two daughters -- Michala and Alanna -- and had filed for divorce just a month before the shooting.
When Bernita’s mother was informed about her murder, she had a heart attack and died the same night.
White worked at Electronic Data Systems Corporation in Lansing.
Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest. If the tip that leads to an arrest is received by midnight Wednesday, an additional $1,000 will be added to the award.
Anyone who has information regarding the crime should call Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or 1-800-773-2587 .
All calls and cash rewards are completely anonymous.
Police Appeal to Anyone With Information on Murder to Come Forward
Posted: Apr 30, 2013 - 1:13 PM CDT
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/story/22120035/police-appeal-to-anyone-with-information-on-lansing-murder-to-come-forward
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) - A 12-year-old Lansing murder case will be the focus of a joint press conference in Detroit Wednesday morning.
The Michigan State and Lansing Police Departments are asking anyone with information in the 2001 murder at Potter Park Zoo to come forward.
State Police say there are no significant developments in the case, but are hoping to expand their reach.
41-year old Bernita White was shot and killed while walking in the zoo with her daughter.
Police are still looking for the person who pulled the trigger.
Bernita White Murder Case Re-Opened after 11 Years
By FOX 47 News
Dec. 19, 2012
http://www.fox47news.com/news/topstories/184087331.html
Cops have re-opened an 11-year-old murder case in Lansing, hoping someone has information that can help.
Bernita White was killed on June 23rd, 2001, after being shot at a birthday party at Potter Park Zoo.
You can e-mail tips to whitecoldcase@michigan,gov, or call 290-9950.
Cold case team probes 2001 Potter Park Zoo homicide
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
December 19, 2012
A cold case team has been formed to investigate the 2001 killing of a woman near Potter Park Zoo's entrance, officials said Tuesday.
On June 23, 2001, Bernita White was walking toward the zoo with one of her young daughters when police say someone with a high-powered rifle shot her from about 100 yards away.
The case has remained unsolved, although police previously identified the 41-year-old Delta Township woman's husband, Artis White, as a person of interest.
White, then a detective sergeant with Michigan State Police, is now a sergeant assigned to the Flint post, officials said. He also runs a video production company.
Investigators have reached out to him for help, and "he's been communicating with the team," said Michigan State Police Detective 1st Lt. Sean Furlong.
State police are assisting Lansing police in the investigation.
"We're taking a fresh look at this with open minds," Furlong said. "We're not eliminating anybody and we're not focusing on anybody."
A message left Tuesday on White's company's voicemail was not returned. He also did not respond to an email request for comment.
Bernita White was attending a birthday party with family members at the zoo the day of the shooting, police said.
Artis White, now 52, told investigators at the time that he attended the party with his wife in the early afternoon and left to pick up their other daughter.
He returned to the zoo about an hour after the shooting.
White told the Lansing State Journal in a 2009 interview that investigators wrongly focused on him. He said GPS evidence and witnesses can prove he wasn't near the zoo at the time of the killing.
In a statement, state police Detective Sgt. Lisa Gee-Cram said: "We believe there is someone out there who can provide critical information to help solve this case and provide closure for Bernita White's family."
In 2009, Artis White released a self-funded documentary called "Living Accused" that focused on four people who had been wrongfully convicted of murder or rape and later exonerated. He said it showed how police and prosecutors can make mistakes.
White said in the 2009 interview that his pending divorce from Bernita had made him a suspect.
He said police should have ruled him out.
White also said he is prohibited from conducting his own investigation into the homicide.
He said he was disciplined by superiors soon after his self-published book, "Who Killed My Wife? The Unsolved Murder of Bernita White," was released in 2003.
Cold case team to probe 2001 Michigan zoo killing
Published: Wednesday, December 19, 2012
The Oakland Press
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:AH0PbQfYZ8oJ:www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2012/12/19/news/cops_and_courts/doc50d1e8bf36904974825830.txt+&cd=24&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
LANSING (AP) — A cold case team has been formed to investigate the death of a woman who was shot once by a high-powered rifle from about 100 yards away as she walked with her 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance of a Michigan zoo in 2001.
Michigan State Police announced Tuesday that they are assisting Lansing police in the probe of Bernita White’s death. The 41-year-old computer engineer from Eaton County’s Delta Township was fatally shot on the afternoon of June 23, 2001, at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing.
The cold case team will review all case files and evidence, state police said in a statement.
"We are hoping that re-exposure to the news media and to social networks will generate new leads in this case," said state police Detective Sgt. Lisa Gee-Cram, who is assigned to the cold case team. "We believe there is someone out there who can provide critical information to help solve this case and provide closure for Bernita White’s family."
The case has remained unsolved, although police previously identified White’s husband, Artis White, as a person of interest.
At the time of the killing, Artis White was a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. He now is a sergeant assigned to the Flint post, the Lansing State Journal reported (http://on.lsj.com/U8vNMr).
Investigators have reached out to him for help, and "he’s been communicating with the team," state police Detective 1st Lt. Sean Furlong said.
A message seeking comment from White was left by The Associated Press on Wednesday.
"We’re taking a fresh look at this with open minds," Furlong said. "We’re not eliminating anybody, and we’re not focusing on anybody."
Bernita White was attending a birthday party with family members at the zoo on the day of the shooting.
Cold case team to probe 2001 Michigan zoo killing
December 19, 2012 - 11:05pm
Daily Tribune
http://www.dailytribune.com/article/20121219/NEWS03/121219435/cold-case-team-to-probe-2001-michigan-zoo-killing
LANSING (AP) A cold case team has been formed to investigate the death of a woman who was shot once by a high-powered rifle from about 100 yards away as she walked with her 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance of a Michigan zoo in 2001.
Michigan State Police announced Tuesday that they are assisting Lansing police in the probe of Bernita White s death. The 41-year-old computer engineer from Eaton County s Delta Township was fatally shot on the afternoon of June 23, 2001, at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing.
The cold case team will review all case files and evidence, state police said in a statement.
"We are hoping that re-exposure to the news media and to social networks will generate new leads in this case," said state police Detective Sgt. Lisa Gee-Cram, who is assigned to the cold case team. "We believe there is someone out there who can provide critical information to help solve this case and provide closure for Bernita White s family."
The case has remained unsolved, although police previously identified White s husband, Artis White, as a person of interest.
At the time of the killing, Artis White was a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. He now is a sergeant assigned to the Flint post, the Lansing State Journal reported.
Investigators have reached out to him for help, and "he s been communicating with the team," state police Detective 1st Lt. Sean Furlong said.
Cold case team probes 2001 Potter Park Zoo homicide
Delta Twp. woman's death getting 'fresh look'
Dec. 19, 2012 - 11:34 AM
Battle Creek Enquirer
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:YjPGmR7z1XIJ:www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/A3/20121219/NEWS01/312190027/Cold-case-team-probes-2001-Potter-Park-Zoo-homicide+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
On June 23, 2001, Bernita White was walking toward the zoo with one of her young daughters when police say someone with a high-powered rifle shot her from about 100 yards away.
The case has remained unsolved, although police previously identified the 41-year-old Delta Township woman's husband, Artis White, as a person of interest. ...
Cold Case Team To Probe 2001 Lansing Zoo Killing
December 19, 2012 - 10:57 AM
CBS - Detroit
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/12/19/cold-case-team-to-probe-2001-lansing-zoo-killing/
Michigan State Police announced Tuesday that they are assisting Lansing police in the probe of Bernita White’s death. The 41-year-old computer engineer from Eaton County’s Delta Township was fatally shot on the afternoon of June 23, 2001, at Potter Park Zoo in Lansing.
The cold case team will review all case files and evidence, state police said in a statement.
"We are hoping that re-exposure to the news media and to social networks will generate new leads in this case," said state police Detective Sgt. Lisa Gee-Cram, who is assigned to the cold case team. "We believe there is someone out there who can provide critical information to help solve this case and provide closure for Bernita White’s family."
The case has remained unsolved, although police previously identified White’s husband, Artis White, as a person of interest.
At the time of the killing, Artis White was a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. He now is a sergeant assigned to the Flint post, the Lansing State Journal reported.
Investigators have reached out to him for help, and "he’s been communicating with the team," state police Detective 1st Lt. Sean Furlong said.
A message seeking comment from White was left by The Associated Press on Wednesday.
"We’re taking a fresh look at this with open minds," Furlong said. "We’re not eliminating anybody, and we’re not focusing on anybody."
Bernita White was attending a birthday party with family members at the zoo on the day of the shooting.
Artis White, 52, told investigators at the time that he attended the party with his wife in the early afternoon and left to pick up their other daughter. He returned to the zoo about an hour after the shooting.
White has maintained his innocence, saying investigators wrongly focused on him and GPS evidence and witnesses prove he wasn’t near the zoo when his wife was shot.
Michigan State Police partner with Lansing cops on cold-case homicide from 2001
MLive
December 18, 2012 at 3:42 PM
http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2012/12/michigan_state_police_partner.html
Bernita White, 41, of Lansing, was shot at Potter Park Zoo, 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., on June 23, 2001. She was planning to attend a birthday party with family members.
Michigan State Police on Tuesday announced it and the Lansing Police Department have formed a cold-case team and are re-reviewing all files and evidence from the case to identify potential leads and to explore possible forensic developments.
"We are hoping that re-exposure to the news media and to social networks will generate new leads in this case," said Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Lisa Gee-Cram, a detective assigned to the team. "We believe there is someone out there who can provide critical information to help solve this case and provide closure for Bernita White's family."
Lansing police did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment.
Those with information on White's death are asked to contact by phone, text or emails. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
Tips can be sent to 517-290-9950 or whitecoldcase@michigan.gov.
Cold Case Team Opens Homicide Investigation at Potter Park Zoo
Posted: Dec 18, 2012 1:41 PM CST
By Amy Akers
WLNS News
http://www.wlns.com/story/20374684/cold-case-team-re-opens-murder-investigation-at-potter-park-zoo
The Lansing Police Department has re-opened an 11-year-old homicide investigation from Potter Park Zoo.
On June 23, 2001, Bernia White was shot to death at the Potter Park Zoo. She was attending a birthday party with family when she was killed.
The cold case team is re-reviewing all of the files and evidence from the case to identify potential leads, as well as exploring possible forensic developments.
"We believe there is someone out there who can provide critical information to help solve this case and provide closure for Bernita White's family," said Sgt. Lisa Gee-Cram, an MSP detective, in a press release.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact police by phone, text or email to (517) 290-9950 or whitecoldcase@michigan.gov.
Cold but not forgotten
Bernita White murder case, 10 years later
Wednesday, July 6,2011
by Lawrence Cosentino
Lansing City Pulse
https://www.lansingcitypulse.com/stories/cold-but-not-forgotten,10213?
Burly, blunt Tony Medina walked into the culvert, hefting an imaginary rifle with raised cross hairs. He rested it on a low rock wall and aimed at a picnic pavilion near the entrance to Lansing’s Potter Park Zoo, about 100 yards away.
"There was less foliage in the way 10 years ago," he said.
We were standing next to a railroad viaduct north of the zoo on an early Monday evening in June. Visitors and picnickers seldom ramble this far north of the zoo, but kids love to whip their bikes up and down the slopes of the viaduct.
A little girl spotted us and slid her bike to a stop.
"Did something happen here?" she asked.
Where do you start?
On Saturday, June 23, 2001, Lansing resident Bernita White was killed by a bullet from a high-powered rifle while walking from the picnic pavilion to the zoo entrance. This hidden culvert, a football field away, could have been the shooter’s vantage point.
Or not. After 10 years, Lansing’s most notorious murder case is still wide open.
Medina, 43, is the regional sales manager for Superior Growers Supply. He is a former repo man, Michigan prison guard, Coast Guard port security officer and self-styled champion of justice. He was working on and off at zoo security around the time Bernita White was killed.
"I always had this kind of superhero thing in my head of righting wrongs," he said.
Last week, Medina’s Facebook page —"Justice for Bernita!" — marked the 10th anniversary of the murder.
As the years go by, the case cools, but Medina gets hotter.
He pointed his imaginary rifle at the spot where Bernita White fell. The park was empty, but there was a man in his sights.
"I want a revisiting, a reckoning," he said.
Bumpy ride
June 23, 2001, was a sunny, busy day at Lansing’s Potter Park Zoo. About 300 people were inside the zoo and dozens more were enjoying the trees, picnic tables and playgrounds of surrounding Potter Park. Shortly after 3 p.m., one loud shot was heard cracking across the pavilions and lawns near the zoo’s west entrance.
Bernita White was walking with her 5-year-old daughter, Michala. White, 42, fell on the sidewalk leading from the pavilion to the zoo entrance. A bullet had hit her in the left arm, pierced her heart, exited her right side, hurtled on and has not been seen since.
Fearing more shots from a hidden sniper, police evacuated the zoo for the first and only time in the park’s history. But there were no more shots or victims.
The zoo and park closed the rest of the day and Sunday, as Lansing and Michigan State Police officers, detectives and dogs combed the area for clues.
Two days later, police determined that the fatal shot came from a high-powered rifle north of the park. Attention began to focus on White’s husband, a state trooper named Artis White.
Bernita White had filed for divorce from Artis May 24, 2001, but the couple still lived together in their Lansing home with their two young daughters, Michala and Alanna, then 7. In the early afternoon on June 23, Artis White dropped Michala at Potter Park for a friend’s birthday party, with Bernita chaperoning.
"This party was an event that Michala did not want to miss," White wrote in his 2003 book, "Who Killed My Wife?" According to White’s account, Michala wanted to go inside the zoo and threw a "temper tantrum" until she got her way. He agreed to drive from Potter Park to Delta Mills Park, west of Lansing, to pick up Alanna and bring her back so they could all visit the zoo together.
"Little do I know it would be the most important trip I ever made, according to investigators," White wrote.
White has made much of the witnesses who saw him at Delta Mills close to the time of the shooting, but the file has not yet been made public and time is a slippery substance.
The Delta Mills alibi troubled Tony Medina so much he piled me into his car and took me for a bumpy ride last week.
We went through the motions of dropping Bernita White and Michala off at the zoo, drove around to the residential area north of the park, clambered out of the car, followed the railway ditch, climbed up to the culvert north of the zoo, said "bang," made our way back to the car and drove to Delta Mills Park in just under 22 minutes.
Jonathan Priebe, a Lansing Police detective in 2001, worked the Bernita White case nine years, first as assistant to lead detective Marcel Holloway, then as lead detective when Holloway retired in 2004. Priebe retired in 2010, after 26 years with the force.
Last Friday, I met with Priebe and the current lead detective on the Bernita White case, Brad St. Aubin.
Because the case is open, Priebe declined to comment on specific evidence, but he was in a reflective mood.
"I haven’t worked harder on any case," he said. "It would have been nice to see it go to trial."
Priebe didn’t name names, but made his conclusion Zamboni smooth for anyone willing to skate there.
"The evidence, the interviews, the information, was all consistent towards a certain individual," Priebe said "Even though we went to great lengths to look at all other different scenarios that could have happened — possibilities, what-ifs — they all came back to one point of interest."
In White’s book, he contended that Lansing police are bluffing, and he hasn’t changed his mind since.
"The Lansing Police Department has everything in all those files that says I’m innocent," White said. "The tracking system of my van, my cell phone records, all the people I talked to. They have everything they need to come out and say, ‘We’ve got the wrong guy.’" White said it’s easier for the police to keep stringing him along as a "person of interest."
"The hardest thing to admit is that you’ve been wrong and you don’t know who it is." White said. "I’ve come to grips with the fact that they won’t."
Priebe is familiar with the alternative theories. "Did somebody just fire a round in the air half a mile away? Was it a gang initiation, a serial sniper murder? All those were looked into seriously and disproven," he said.
White, who remarried, lives with his wife of seven years, Marcia, in their Delta Township home. His oldest daughter, Alanna, 17, will enter college this fall. His youngest daughter, Michala, is 15. A stepdaughter, Angie, is a teacher.
White has put in 23 years with the state police, 17 as sergeant, and plans to retire in two years. He now works at the State Police post in Corunna, near Flint.
If the police have nothing on White, as he contends, what is in the big plastic box under Brad St. Aubin’s desk? "There’s much more evidence than people know," Priebe said. "People with a perception there is no physical evidence, that’s an inaccurate statement, but we can’t go into that."
Priebe couldn’t resist throwing out a morsel, already alluded to in White’s book but not yet confirmed publicly by the police: the macabre sequel to Bernita White’s murder.
At 10 p.m. June 23, Michigan state troopers told Bernita White’s mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, her daughter had been murdered. She had a heart attack and died that night.
"The reason the heart attack came about was not just about losing her daughter," Priebe said. "But that she anticipated it and had an idea of who the perpetrator was."
Encyclopedia BrownIn June 2001, Tony Medina was manager of Moore’s Security Services, a private investigation, security and collection agency. Moore’s had the overnight security account for Potter Park Zoo.
Medina usually handled collections but frequently subbed for security personnel at the zoo on weekends. Kids found a way into the zoo every now and then, but it was pretty quiet work and he liked it. "I had the park to myself, talked to the monkeys," he said.
Medina said he heard about the shooting while at an airport in Phoenix, where he had gone on business.
He came back to the zoo June 24, combed through the brush and talked with park employees, on his own time, even though he didn’t know Bernita or Artis White.
Why? Medina exchanged his imaginary rifle for a shotgun and fired off a spray of reasons. "I have this Encyclopedia Brown thing," he said, referring to the fictional boy detective.
Medina said he was horrified that such a thing could happen so close to the zoo, which he came to consider "his" territory. More important, it bothered him that a state trooper was involved.
"I always wanted to be a state trooper," Medina said. "When I was a prison guard, I was just biding my time so I could jump over to the state police."
Before the security gig, Medina was a repo man and a Michigan prison guard. He served in the Coast Guard after 9/11.
He claims to have made four felony citizens’ arrests in Lansing. "Big ones, too," he said. "Knife to a lady’s throat. Robbery of a party store. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Dogged pursuance is his preferred stance.
"Even as a repo man, I’m a legend in the industry. I could find cars nobody else could find, the scary ones, the dangerous ones. I would not leave until I got my car."
A few weeks after the murder, Medina called White and offered help with the investigation. White said Medina offered to disclose what he found out for cash, and refused him.
In his book, White mentions Medina, although not by name, as a security officer who patrolled the park just after the shooting. White wrote that the guard found a "large piece of carpet" on the ground and "a dead squirrel that appeared to have been shot."
Medina and White parted ways for years. After 9/11, Medina joined the Coast Guard, became a father and went through a divorce. He said the murder was far from his mind until his mother bought him a copy of White’s book.
He found the book to be inaccurate and self-serving.
"The way he framed it was all about him, nothing to do with Bernita," Medina said.
Medina went to White’s home, asking for his money back. He accused White to his face of killing his wife. The conversation, at White’s kitchen table, degenerated into a debate over religion.
"At that point it was man to man," Medina said. "It could have gone anywhere."
White told Medina that if he knew something, he should go to the police.
Medina did meet with Priebe some time later, but Priebe didn’t comment on whether Medina had anything significant to contribute to the case. He said Medina just impressed him as "somebody that’s pretty strong about justice and truth."
That was not White’s impression of Medina.
"I don’t know what his motivation is," White said. "Maybe he did it. He had just the same opportunity and everything else as I did, on an even playing field."
Hot and cold Perversely, the most elusive figure in this saga, with its clash of oversize male egos, is Bernita White.
In contemporary press accounts of the case, neighbors described Bernita White as a warm, nice lady who made cookies and brought them over.
Priebe talked with the friends who were at the Potter Park party with Bernita. "A lovely lady, no enemies, just taking care of the children," Priebe said. "I never talked to anybody who had a bad word to say about Bernita White."
Medina is right about the self-absorption of White’s book, but there are some nuggets about Bernita white. She had a "soft voice," was "quiet and reserved."
"Nobody who knew her would want to kill her," White wrote.
According to several source, including Artis White himself, Bernita White’s sister, Belinda, has always believed Artis White is her sister’s killer. Each year, Belinda takes out an advertisement in the Lansing State Journal calling for justice to be done in the case.
Brad St. Aubin agreed to leave my number with Belinda last week and pass on an invitation to talk. The next morning, St. Aubin told she was "leaning toward not calling" me. She did not call.
Where the Bernita White case is concerned, there doesn’t seem to be much for St. Aubin to do after 10 years. The case file sits in a plastic case on his cubicle floor while he investigates several fresher unsolved murders, all of which require dozens of reports, in addition to other police duties.
Priebe suggested that by now, the ball is in another court.
"Maybe all the investigation that can be done has been done — all the documentation, reports, interviews," Priebe said. "It’s at a point where it goes from the investigation part of things to the prosecution part of things. For me, for several years, it sat at that point."
On the "Justice For Bernita" Facebook page, Medina posted a link to a recent article about Priebe’s latest venture, developing lightweight protective shields for law enforcement officers.
Medina said Priebe swore he’d bring the case to trial before he retired. "Looks like he gave up on that," he commented on the Facebook page.
That raises Priebe’s ire. Priebe said he brought the case to Ingham County Prosecutor Steward Dunnings III several times, but Dunnings never made an arrest. The first time Priebe brought the case to Dunnings was "within a year to a year and a half of the homicide," Priebe said.
According to Priebe, the assistant prosecutors, including Michael Ferency, were ready to go forward "on a couple of occasions, even though the case was not a "platter job" (detective lingo for slam dunk).
Dunnings disagreed. He said that other experts, including Ferency and an assistant state attorney general, reviewed the case and came to the same conclusion, although the call not to prosecute was ultimately his.
"There’s not enough to convict," Dunnings said.
Priebe called it "a very prosecutable case."
After conducting more interviews, Priebe brought the case to Dunnings one last time, before retiring last year.
"They said, ‘See if you can get some more,’ and I had to turn it over to Brad,"Priebe said.
That left the plastic box to St. Aubin, an officer 18 years, who was assigned to the case when Priebe retired.
Priebe and St. Aubin said they understand it’s a tough call for a prosecutor.
"Once we go down that road, you don’t stop," St. Aubin said. "If you want it to go right and it goes left, that decision’s final. He could write a book and say ‘I killed my wife’ and we can’t prosecute him again."
Dunnings knows the file is getting colder, but he said that doesn’t change his job. "You can’t go to a jury and say, ‘Well, you might have a reasonable doubt, but this case is never going to get any better, so we want you to convict,’" he said.
Dunnings also knows Priebe would have loved to get the case to trial before he retired, but that cuts no ice with juries, either.
"That’s why there’s a separation, where the police investigate and the prosecutors make an objective review of whether the case is sufficient to go forward," he said.
But Dunnings is still hopeful the case can be closed.
"You may not know who has knowledge, and for whatever reason, they might come forward," he said. "Look at the Draheim case."
In April 2001, David Draheim was convicted of second-degree murder for the 1986 stabbing of Jeanette Kirby, a lag of 16 years between crime and conviction. The initial investigative team disbanded, but two cold case teams revisited the murder and finally succeeded in bringing Draheim to trial.
Whatever happens next, Priebe is finished with the case, except for one possibility. If the prosecutor moves, he’d be called as a witness.
"You’d spend about two and a half months in court, because that’s about how long this case would take," St. Aubin told him.
"Three months," Priebe said. Meanwhile, Tony Medina is still smoldering.
"He drives right by my daughter’s house every day when he goes to his job," Medina said, careful not to name the "he."
"I want this murderer off the streets." He backed off for a crane shot of his inner detective movie.
"From the beginning of time, somebody or other has had to step up and say, ‘Bullshit.’" As Tony Medina heats up, Artis White cools down, as if the pair were obeying a law of conservation of rage. After 23 years with the Michigan State Police, White is looking forward to retiring in two years. His docket included fishing last weekend and euchre with the in-laws at a family reunion this weekend. He said he is still in touch with Benita White’s family, but it’s awkward.
"We don’t pick out drapes together," he said.
"I’m concentrating on family stuff," he mused. "I’m not as much the antagonist as I was 10 years ago, taunting the detectives by saying they have the wrong guy," he said. "I’m trying not to point blame, because it doesn’t do any good."
UNSOLVED MURDER
WLNS
Posted: May 11, 2010 - 9:17 AM PDT
http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=12463065
It's a murder that shocked the city of Lansing, one that reverberated beyond our state's borders, a murder that, nearly nine years later, remains unsolved. Listen to the facts of the Bernita White killing and see if you can help police solve the mystery.
On a sunny, summer day, Bernita White was having a party at Lansing Potter Park for one of her children. Despite some turbulence in her personal life, this was a happy day for Bernita until a lone gunshot rang out. Moments later Bernita White lay dead in front her children and dozens of others, but a member of the family remains at the center of the case. Bernita's estranged husband, Artis White, himself a member of the state police force then and to this day. Through a seemingly endless investigation, White remains the lone person of interest, but he's written a book claiming police incompetence and made a video of his side of the story as well. Artis White has always maintained his innocence.
Artis White, May 2003: "I did not kill my wife."
For the first time ever, Lansing police pull out the entire case work for us to see. Four massive binders, more than 2,000 pages of documents and boxes and boxes of evidence with one message to deliver.
Police official: "We're still working this year."
Because unlike many cold cases, this one in particular is one the LPD says it will never set aside.
Police official: "This doesn't sit well with the community."
Still, the lead detective assigned to the case admits getting this to trial will be difficult, and nearly a decade of investigating frustrates them and the public.
Police official: "People watch CSI, it doesn't work that way and yet there is hope. I'd love nothing more."
And for Bernita's sister Belinda, who each year takes out an ad in the paper to remind everyone that a killer remains on the lose.
The passing years have not diminished her desire to see justice done.
Victim's sister: "One day we'll have an answer."
If you have any information that could help police solve this cold case, call Crimestoppers at 483-stop. There's up to a 1,000 dollar reward for any tip that leads to an arrest.
'LIVING ACCUSED':
Documentary of exoneration stories debuts in Lansing
Lansing State Journal
Kevin Grasha
February 19, 2009 http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090219/NEWS01/902190337/1002/NEWS01
Artis White says tunnel vision is the reason police still consider him a person of interest in the 2001 shooting death of his wife as she walked toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance.
White, a Michigan State Police sergeant, says investigators have wrongly focused on him - despite the fact that global positioning system evidence, as well as witnesses, can prove he wasn't near the Lansing zoo when Bernita White was shot from about 100 yards away by someone wielding a high-powered rifle.
White, 48, says his self-funded documentary, "Living Accused," which premiered Wednesday night at the Lansing Mall Cinema and focuses on four wrongful convictions, illustrates how police and prosecutors can make mistakes.
"I think they realize now, if they had looked someplace else, they may have caught the real killer," White said in a recent interview. "Until (police) come forward and say they've got the wrong person - they don't know who committed the crime, they'll never solve the case. They'll never find out, because they're not looking."
Lansing police said this week that Bernita White's killing remains under investigation.
"(Artis White) is still a person of interest," Lt. Noel Garcia said. He would not comment further.
The 86-minute film, shot and edited by White on equipment he bought, is mostly interviews with four people who were wrongfully convicted of murder or rape and later exonerated. The film briefly mentions White's case.
Among those featured in the film is a one-time Warwick, R.I., police detective, Scott Hornoff, who served more than six years of a life sentence for a murder he did not commit.
Investigators focused on Hornoff because he admitted having an affair with the victim. He was convicted even though no physical evidence or witness identification linked him to the murder.
Years later, the victim's boyfriend confessed to the crime and Hornoff was freed.
Being wrongfully accused of a crime "can happen to anyone," said White, who traveled around the country conducting hundreds of hours of interviews. "That's the whole idea of the documentary - that it can happen to a normal person, and it shouldn't."
Ken Wyniemko, one of the four people featured in the film, said afterward that Hornoff's and White's cases show how the criminal justice system is flawed.
Quantcast
"If a police officer can be falsely accused and falsely imprisoned - it can happen to anybody," said Wyniemko, who was accused of a 1994 sexual assault he didn't commit and spent more than eight years in prison. He was exonerated in 2003 with the help of Thomas M. Cooley Law School's Innocence Project.
The Clinton Township man's conviction was largely based on the victim misidentifying him as the attacker. DNA testing proved he didn't commit the crime.
Misidentification, false confessions, misconduct by police and prosecutors, and jailhouse snitches who lie are common threads in wrongful conviction cases, Wyniemko said. He added that a recent U.S. Department of Justice report estimated that between 12 and 17 percent of people in prison are innocent.
"The problem is systemic," he said. "But the good news is there are ways the problems can be fixed."
Laura Sager, director of the Michigan Campaign for Justice, said ensuring adequate legal representation for anyone accused of a crime is one solution.
"Lack of effective and competent legal representation leads to errors and leads to convictions of the innocent," said Sager, whose organization launched a major effort Wednesday to reform what she called the state's failing system for providing public defense.
In the eight years since his wife was killed, White has pieced back together his life.
A detective sergeant when the shooting happened, he now works as a desk sergeant at the state police post in Corunna.
White remarried four years ago, and runs a video production company out of his Delta Township home. His daughters are now 13 and 15 years old. He also has a 26-year-old step-daughter.
The company, Artistic Expressions, films weddings and produces commercials, White said. Once a month, he said the company's Web site features a video interview with someone dealing with the issue of wrongful convictions.
White says he is prohibited from doing his own investigation into the case. He said he was disciplined by superiors soon after his self-published book, "Who Killed My Wife? The Unsolved Murder of Bernita White," came out in 2003.
White says what he has gone through has made him a better person and a better police officer.
"Things happen for a reason," he said. "If this didn't happen to me, I wouldn't be able to reveal the stories of the four people in my documentary."
Local filmmaker to debut documentary
'Living Accused'
Lansing State Journal
February 18, 2009
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090218/NEWS01/902180354
Artis White says tunnel vision is the reason police still consider him a suspect in the 2001 shooting death of his wife, as she walked toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance.
White, a Michigan State Police sergeant, says investigators have wrongly focused on him — despite the fact that global positioning system evidence can prove he wasn’t near the Lansing zoo when Bernita White was shot from about 100 yards away by someone wielding a high-powered rifle.
White, 48, says his self-funded documentary, "Living Accused," which premiers tonight, shows that police and prosecutors make mistakes.
"I think they realize now, if they had looked someplace else, they may have caught the real killer," White said in a recent interview. "Until they come forward and say they’ve got the wrong person — they don’t know who committed the crime, they’ll never solve the case. They’ll never find out, because they’re not looking."
Lansing police said this week that Bernita White’s killing remains under investigation.
"(Artis White) is still a person of interest," Lt. Noel Garcia said. He would not comment further.
Bernita White filed for divorce about a month before her death, but the two still were living together. Authorities have said marital problems and a custody dispute over couple’s two daughters were possible motives.
The 86-minute film, shot and edited by White on equipment he bought, focuses on four people who were wrongfully convicted of murder or rape and later exonerated. The film does not address White’s own case.
Among those featured in the film is a onetime Warwick, R.I. police detective, Jeffrey Scott Hornoff, who served more than six years of a life sentence for a murder he did not commit.
Investigators focused on Hornoff because he admitted having an affair with the victim. He was convicted even though no physical evidence or witness identification linked him to the murder.
Years later, the victim’s boyfriend confessed to the crime and Hornoff was freed.
Being wrongfully accused of a crime "can happen to anyone," said White, who traveled around the country conducting hundreds of hours of interviews. "That’s the whole idea of the documentary — that it can happen to a normal person, and it shouldn’t."
In the eight years since his wife was killed, White has pieced back together his life.
"Living Accused" will be shown at 7:30 p.m. tonight and 9 p.m. Thursday at Lansing Mall Cinema, 921 Mall Drive West.
Tickets may be purchased online for $10 and include a Living Accused button.
The Web site is https://store.expressionsvideo.com.
Tickets at the door are $6.75 for adults; $4.50 for children age 3 to 11 and seniors ages 62 and older; and $4.75 for students with a valid ID. No button is included with these tickets.
All proceeds go to the Thomas M. Cooley Law School Innocence Project.
For more on this report, read Thursday’s Lansing State Journal.
Press Release on Living Accused
Local filmmaker to debut wrongfully-convicted documentary
Thu Jan 29, 2009 - 9:28 pm
http://www.whatsayyou.net/post1888.html?sid=ca1c5d8eaadec8631b06d44c9a69c29d
Artis White, a Lansing filmmaker, will debut his new documentary, LIVING ACCUSED, on February 18, 7:30 p.m. and on February 19, 9 p.m., at the Lansing Mall Cinema, 921 Mall Drive W., Lansing.
LIVING ACCUSED profiles the trials and tribulations of four very typical Americans, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and were accused and convicted of heinous crimes.
Three were convicted of first degree murder and one received a sentence of 40-60 years for rape. All have been released in the last couple of years due to DNA evidence or new physical evidence that proved they did not commit the crime.
Cynthia Sommer, was a housewife and mother of three children, when she was found guilty of administering a lethal dose of arsenic to her San Diego based marine, husband Todd Sommer. Later the case was overturned because of shoddy lab work. The subject of 20-20, 48 Hours, and Larry King interviews, Sommer now lives in Plymouth, Mi., trying to live a normal life and raise her kids.
Beverly Monroe, was a 63-year-old mother of three kids, as well, when she was convicted of shooting her rich boyfriend to death in his mansion. She was found guilty of first degree murder based on a forced confession, false testimony from a jailhouse snitch, and police misconduct. After nearly 10 years in prison, DNA evidence proved she couldn’t have been the killer.
Scott Hornoff, a detective himself, was convicted of first degree murder for killing his mistress, because she threatened to tell his wife about their affair. Bad police work and a public demand that the killer be found eventually led a jury to convict Hornoff. Several years later, another man came forward and admitted to the murder. Scott is now in Afghanistan training for a security position, because no one will hire him in the States.
Ken Wyniemko, a bowling alley assistant manager, was convicted of rape and sentenced to 40-60 years by a judge who really had it in for him. So much so, in fact, the judge changed the jury foreman, half way through deliberations. Prosecutorial misconduct and a jailhouse snitch doomed Wyniemko. DNA evidence, spearheaded by the Cooley Law School Innocence Project, found Wyniemko did not commit the crime. Later, Wyniemko sued Clinton Township, and won a 3.8 million dollar judgment.
Over the years, White has interviewed and filmed each of the four on many occasions. He has produced a compelling 90-minute film that will make the greatest cynics agree that problems with our justice system need to be addressed now.
"Between 12 and 24 percent of prisoners are actually not guilty- and this is a statistic from the U.S. Justice Department," said White. "As an enlightened society, we cannot be wrong so often."
Sommer and Wyniemko are expected to attend the premier and will be available for discussion and autographs.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://store.expressionsvideo.com.
For more information call Mike Wilcox at 517-894-1238.
Living Accused
Atris White - Artistic Expressions
http://blip.tv/artistic-expressions/living-accused-195158
Living Accused is a in the works documentary about wrongfully convicted or falsely accused victims.
Lansing's Unsolved Homicides
By: Lori Dougovito
Aug 10, 2007
WILX News
http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/9093511.html
An arrest is made a 2006 murder, at least eight others, dating back to 2001, remained unsolved.
Thursday night, Terrance Gamble was arrested for the March, 2006, Murder of Jimmy Buckley at Cheetah's strip club. That closes the books on unsolved homicides from last year, but there's others Lansing Police are still working on, including:
June 23, 2001: Bernita White was shot just outside the entrance of the Potter Park Zoo. She was with her 5-year old child. Her husband, Artis, a Michigan State Police D/Sgt. at the time, was considered a suspect. Lansing Police Lt. Bruce Ferguson says,"...there's been no one fully excluded."
July 3, 2003: Brandon Bridges, 21, was shot outside of his home on Francis Street. Neighbors say the father of two had his front door kicked in, he was tossed out and shot.
December 20, 2004: Police responding to a 911 call found Barbara Tuttle, 45, inside a Washington Ave. home. Autopsy results show she died of blunt force trauma to the head.
May 3, 2005: The body of 39-year old Teressa Mathis was found inside a home. Investigators say a fire was intentionally set and her death was most likely drug related.
June 30, 2007: Brandon Williams, 17, was gunned down outside of his apartment.
July 26, 2007: Community activist Ruth Hallman is brutally beaten in her Genesee Neighborhood home. She died two days later.
August 7, 2007: Deborah Cooke, 36, is found under a tree in Hunter Park. Police will only say she was physically assaulted.
August 9, 2007: Police responding to a 911 call find a woman in the same Washington Ave. home Barbara Tuttle died in.
Do You Have An Opinion? 6-14
Thursday, August 02, 2007
The New Citizens Press
http://www.tncp.net/Articles/tabid/1800/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/603/Do-You-Have-An-Opinion-614.aspx
Below, is Artis White's response to the July 08, 2007 The New Citizens Press news article: "MI State Trooper Accused of Murdering His Wife Shoots Film"
Rina [Rina Risper - New Citizens Press publisher],
The Alpine Navigation System was the GPS guidance system in the van I was driving. The computer keeps record of travel.
Investigators believed that I left Potter Park, drove around to a wooded area, took the shot, then drove to Delta Mills Park to pick up my other daughter. They made a public statement saying that the GPS would show my direction of travel to confirm this. Of course, it shows that I drove directly to Delta Mills Park without stopping at all. This is exculpatory evidence that proves a person innocent but police do not release it to support a false accusation.
Anderson was the the dog handler hired by LPD to find the bullet at Potter Park. Her dog was trained to sniff out and "Hit" on human flesh. LPD looked for the bullet at Potter Park for weeks but couldn't find it. Anderson found a bullet fragment within 15 minutes. The dog actually "Hit" on it. The flesh on the bullet did not match Bernita's. There are a few conclusions anyone can draw from this. 1) the lab that tested the flesh on the bullet was simply wrong in their analysis. 2) someone else was shot at Potter Park and the DNA from the bullet was different than Bernita's. 3) Anderson planted the bullet. #3 is the most likely conclusion because Anderson is currently in prison for planting evidence. There are 250 cases of her's that are under review because several people are in prison because of her findings. Several people have been wrongfully convicted because she has planted carpet fibers, hair, her own blood in some instances, and are currently in prison awaiting a retrial. Anderson was not charged for the Potter Park incident. LPD investigators used her and said she came highly recommended.
There was a birthday party at Delta Mills Park where we dropped off one daughter and I drove back to pick her up. During the time Bernita was shot, I was talking to a family of people at the party. After the shooting, they went to LPD to volunteer to be interviewed. LPD refused because they didn't believe it was important. They were interviewed latter but their information was conveniently discounted. According to the time frame, it was impossible for me to be at two places at one time, thus, LPD created the story that I hired someone. Bad investigative work by trying to mold a person to fit the crime.
From the moment I left Potter Park until I arrived at Delta Mills Park, I was on the phone with my friend. Cell phone records show my direction of travel by showing which cell phone towers I connected with. It also shows that at least there was an open connection between me and my friend during the whole time. There was no way possible for me to talk on the phone, take the shot and drive over to Delta Mills. More Exculpatory evidence that LPD will not release.
These reasons are the motivating factors as to why I'm producing the documentary LIVING ACCUSED. There are so many other people who have been falsely accused and wrongfully convicted because misguided police officers and prosecutors develop "Tunnel Vision" and will not accept the fact that they have made a mistake. It is my intention to educate police and prosecutors that when they make a mistake in an investigation, it is detrimental that they admit that mistake and focus on what the evidence proves not educated hunches that lead to someone being wrongfully convicted.
Sincerely,
Artis White
Original article printed in the July 8, 2007 - July 21, 2007 edition. The story was entitled "MI State Trooper Accused of Murdering His Wife Shoots Film".
MI State Trooper Accused of Murdering His Wife Shoots Film
The New Citizens Press
July 08, 2007
http://www.tncp.net/Articles/tabid/1800/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/666/Default.aspx
LANSING, MI -- The anniversary of one of Lansing’s most mysterious murder passed on June 23.
Bernita White, a mother and wife, was shot and killed with a high powered rifle while taking her youngest daughter to Potter Park Zoo on June 23. 2001. When Bernita’s mother heard the news she died of a heart attack on the same day.
Bernita’s husband, Artis White, said that every year someone puts a memorial message in the newspaper but it’s not him. His youngest daughter, was traumatized when a church member asked about the recent memorial message.
In 2001, Artis White who is a Michigan State Trooper and still is, was questioned about the murder of his wife. He was and still is considered a person of interest in the case but Artis says that they have the wrong person.
Although Artis has insisted on his innocence and that the police need to look for a sniper, some have concluded that White was indeed the murderer and has gotten away with it.
According to Artis there is no evidence that is clear and definitive against him. He indicated that being the husband left the police the easy option of trying to find him guilty of murder. He points out that law enforcement made many errors which hampered the progress of capturing the killer. He highlights the issues in his book, which is entitled, "Who Killed My Wife?"
It is significant to understand the Whites had been going through some domestic problems. However, Artis has a firm alibi. He was at a birthday party with his oldest daughter.
With all of the scorn and fury that most would have would are accused of any crime big or small, Artis diverted his attention to what he calls "a bigger cause". He is filming a documentary on others who have been falsely accused of crimes.
He is currently working on "Living Accused" which is produced by Artistic Expressions. It was created by Artis a year after Bernita’s death. One of its main goals is to the education of finding errors in the investigations of the wrongfully accused.
We are brought up to believe in the system but sometimes that system may be flawed by tampering as with the case of Sandra Anderson who is currently serving time for planting evidence at crime scenes. She was the director of the Great Lakes Search and Rescue of Michigan K-9 Unit and planted a bullet at Potter Park Zoo.
Not surprisingly, White still vehemently maintains his innocence. He has since remarried and still lives in the same neighborhood that he lived in with his wife Bernita. When talking about his daughters, he has a special brilliance throughout his face. He said that they are still very affected by their mother's death. Despite their missing their mother, he states that they are flourishing young ladies.
In closing, he hopes to being a searingly personal view of what it is like for people to go through the crisis that he has had to confront.
With this we must all wait until someone opens up and admits to the murder of Bernita White.
For more information about the documentary, log on to www.artisticexpressions.org.
To see a 6 minute trailer of the video log on to www.blip.tv/file/190916/.
Artis White said he wrote "Who Killed My Wife?" because he wanted to detail what happened. It is a true story based on personal interviews, surveys, police documents and his own experience.
Below is an excerpt from the book:
June 23, 2001, at Potter Park marked one of the most unusual, bizarre homicides that the state of Michigan has ever witnessed.
Immediately following the shooting, people were running every where. Elena Paizana was walking in Potter Park when she heard the shot. Shortly after the shooting, fifteen Lansing police cars whizzed past her and told every one to get out. Adam Gurski was there and heard a park official over the intercom order everyone to leave.
Potter Park's contractual security patrol locked up the gates before anyone could leave. When LPD arrived their officers opened the gates and waved everyone through. They forfeited a chance to interview hundreds of patrons as they treated the incident as a barricaded sniper.
On June 28, 2001, investigators searched for the missing bullet in a river that flowed nearby. LPD joined forces with MSP detectives to form an eleven-man task force. The task force searched the area and found a tree with a small hole consistent with a possible bullet hole. After cutting the tree down and X-raying a section of the tree, investigators concluded that the hole was a result of a drill bit, possibly from the Forestry Department. Attendance at Potter Park dropped between twenty and thirty percent even though LPD increased the bike and motorcycle patrols in the park.
On July 6, 2001, a search warrant was served on me allowing officers to search my residence. It was quite a spectacular show conducted right in front of my children. Mia " The Glue" happened to be downstairs when it happened.
"Artie, the police are here."
I yelled down stairs, "How many?"
"All of them," she said calmly.
"Its probably just the search warrant. Ask them if they want something to eat."
Detectives didn't remove much of anything during the search. I was a little more disturbed that LPD took my digital camcorder and every videotape I owned. Every birthday party and Christmas was kept in those memories. It wasn't much but it was every thing I had. A few other odds and ends were also removed. The items were never returned.
On July 11, 2001 Raymond Townshend, a MSP retired crime scene investigator and forensic expert examined the scene. Townshend concluded that the shooter was a gun expert who knew what he was doing. Neither LPD nor MSP would comment on Townshend's announcement. Nobody knew what prompted his arrival. Nobody knows if he was paid to offer his opinion or what his rational was.
On July 12,2001, Carol Webster, executive director of the Potter Park Zoological Society, admits that smaller crowds are attending the zoo this year. However Mudock Jemerson, Director of Lansing Parks and Recreation, declares that the parks are as safe as ever.
On July 19, 2001, a special dog was brought in by Sandy Anderson of the Great Lakes Canine Services. The K-9 was trained to sniff out human tissue. If a bullet were left at the scene of the crime, the dog would be able to locate it. the dog found a piece of metal that investigators claim may have been used in the shooting. The K-9 found it within 15 minutes of the search but located the metal further north than anticipated.
On August 2, 2001, Investigators announce I had a motive and say I had enough time to fire the shot, even though witnesses place me at Delta Mills Park miles away, shortly after the shooting.
On August 6, 2001, LPD had a search warrant to search the van I drove to the park on June 23, 2001. On June 23,2001, I gave consent to search the vehicle. They kept the van for a month. Investigators say it is important to receive information from the vehicle's Alpine Navigational System to disprove where I said I drove the van after I left Potter Park.
On August 8, 2001, Detective Priest announced that I might have contracted someone to kill Bernita. He further stated I am not suspected of pulling the trigger, but I may know who shot Bernita.
On August 22, 2001, Lt. Hall commented about the metal fragment found at the zoo. "It's a bullet, but we were unable to conclude if it's a bullet used in the homicide. We're simply not sure why the dog hit on the fragment, it could be the residue from another source like an animal."
On October 9, 2001, I returned to work. LPD announces I remain on a "short list of suspects."
On October 17, 2001, I turned over my department issued handguns to D/Sgt. Sam Hornberg who test fired the guns, four months after the shooting.
On October 18, 2001, I offered a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator in this case. No calls were made to the Lansing police number given for the award. In February of 2002, Detective Sergeant David Larnz, case officer in charge, called me and asked if I received any calls concerning the reward. According to Larnz, no one had called.
On October 31, 2001, an investigative subpoena is issued which ordered my two children to answer questions about the day of the murder.
On August 28, 2002, 15 detectives for 13 months have spent 9000 hours investigating, interviewed 500 people, obtained and served 20 search warrents and 12 investigative subpoenas, and the zoo shooting remained unsolved. Chief Matt Alloy said, " Authorities invested more time and resources into White's death than any city homicide in memory." Jay Seigal, Michigan State University professor of criminal justice and expert on physical evidence said, "This is a very frustrating kind of crime, and it may never get solved. That's the most likely scenario."
What went wrong?
To read more than page 83-87, the book is available on www.amazon.com and locally at Everybody Reads.
Note from the Publisher: It’s an interesting read; however, at times it doesn’t flow smoothly but the author is an average citizen and doesn’t profess to be a writer. We will be providing more information that is not in the book in our next edition. It was riveted by all of the information. I completed the book in one day. Some of the names of the individuals have also been changed.
'Who killed my wife?'
Local man pens book about spouse's murder at Potter Park Zoo in hopes of solving case
By Ryan Mccormick
Published 07/26/06 12:00am
Updated 08/28/09 6:23pm
The State News
http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2006/07/039who_killed_my_wife039
Is the murder of Bernita White going to remain an unsolved crime in the Lansing community or is the case close to being solved?
On June 23, 2001, White was shot and killed in Lansing at Potter Park Zoo, 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., while at an outing with one of her young daughters. The case still has not produced a guilty party.
White's husband, Michigan State Police Sgt. Artis L. White, loses more hope every day thinking the case will never be resolved. He is unhappy that he has been the only suspect in the case.
"As it stands right now, I was only falsely accused. I was not wrongfully convicted, not placed in jail, and I think part of that is because I have the knowledge to say, 'Hey, wait guys, you're not doing this right," Artis White said.
As it is not unusual to hear random gunfire in the area around Potter Park Zoo, Artis White has come to the conclusion that the killer may not have been aiming at Bernita.
"I feel that it wasn't a person who intended to kill Bernita. She got shot in the arm and it went all the way through her body. From my accounts — what I know — if you're intending to kill someone, you don't shoot them in the arm," Artis White said.
"Who Killed My Wife?" is the name of Artis White's autobiographical account of his spouse's untimely death. The book was published in 2003 and has not provided any sort of progress toward the capture of the killer.
In the book, Artis White points out the mistakes made by the Lansing Police Department and state police in handling the case. In Artis White's opinion, he should have been taken off the list of suspects very early in the case.
In response to his qualms with the police's handling of Bernita White's murder case, he is also working on a film documentary with the working title "Wrongfully Accused," in which he interviews other people who were falsely suspected of crimes.
Besides losing his wife on June 23, 2001, Artis White also lost his mother-in-law on the same day.
She had a heart attack when she found out her daughter had been murdered.
In the book, Artis White writes that one of the detectives working on the investigation falsely stated that Artis White's mother-in-law's dying words were "Artis killed her," referring to the shooting of Bernita White.
"Who Killed My Wife?" is available at Everybody Reads, 2019 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing.
Artis White is still in the process of conducting interviews for his documentary, "Wrongfully Accused."
Police still seek clues in '01 zoo slaying
Bernita White's husband remains person of interest
Published June 26, 2006
Lansing State Journal
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060626/NEWS01/606260332/1001/news
The gunshot that killed Bernita White five years ago this month required a marksman's expertise.
But police still are searching for clues about who fired the shot on June 23, 2001, that struck the 41-year-old Delta Township woman as she walked toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance next to her young daughter.
"We're still actively reviewing it and looking for suspects," Lansing police Capt. Teresa Szymanski said Friday.
Bernita White's husband, Michigan State Police Sgt. Artis White, still is considered a person of interest, Szymanski said.
He is now a desk sergeant at the State Police post in Corunna, a spokeswoman confirmed.
Artis White has denied involvement in the shooting. In 2003, he wrote and self-published a book called "Who Killed My Wife?"
He told investigators he attended a picnic with his wife in the early afternoon and left to pick up their other daughter. He arrived at the zoo about an hour after the shooting.
Investigators have said the shooter, wielding a high-powered rifle, was stationed along a fence, about 100 yards northwest of the zoo's ticket booth.
Bernita White filed for divorce from Artis White about a month before her death, but the two still were living together. Authorities have said marital problems and a custody dispute over couple's two young daughters were possible motives.
LEADS DROPPING OFF IN POTTER PARK SHOOTING
Published February 09, 2004
Lansing State Journal
http://www.lsj.com/news/local/040209_mondayupdate_1b-2bdtxt.html
Two and a half years after Bernita White was gunned down while walking with her daughter in Potter Park, police are investigating virtually the same leads they had a year ago. White, 41, was shot on June 23, 2001.
"There are no changes," Lansing police Lt. Bruce Ferguson said. "Leads have slowed down extremely."
Although investigators will not say much, they say White's husband, Artis, remains a suspect.
Artis White, a Michigan State Police trooper, has maintained his innocence and criticized police for focusing on him while, he said, the real killer got away. White, who lives in Delta Township with his two daughters, declined to elaborate this week.
He released a book last year titled "Who Killed My Wife?" that describes the police's investigation as slanted and sloppy.
Searcher doubted in probe of slaying near zoo
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
July 18, 2003
By Adam Emerson
A Midland woman charged with planting criminal evidence at three locations in Michigan also helped Lansing police search for evidence in the shooting of Bernita White at Potter Park.
And when Sandra Marie Anderson and her cadaver-sniffing dog, Eagle, scoured the park two years ago, Lansing police worried that the bullet fragment she found wasn't genuine evidence from the White shooting, Lansing Detective Jon Priebe said.
Anderson, the director of the Great Lakes Search and Rescue of Michigan K-9 Unit, found a bullet fragment in the park within 15 minutes in July 2001.
None of the charges against her deals with the Potter Park case.
The quickness of the discovery "was a definite concern," said Priebe, who helped investigate the case.
Also suspicious was the location of the fragment, police said.
It was found farther north from where investigators believe the bullet would have traveled after it went through White on June 23, 2001.
Anderson said this week that in the Potter Park search, she "came in and put flags down and left."
She said little about the charges against her, calling them "nonsense" and saying she was fighting them.
"I have a lot of public support on this," Anderson said.
State police forensic scientists who tested the slug Anderson found determined that it wasn't the bullet that shot through White, a 41-year-old Delta Township woman.
Detectives called Michigan State Police officials after the search to explain their
concerns.
State Police Detective Lt. Ken Daniel said this week that there was no investigation of Anderson in connection with the Potter Park case because it was just one of many tools used to investigate that homicide.
Police admit it was possible that the 2001 discovery was legitimate, Lansing Capt. Raymond Hall said. "But it certainly was improbable," he said.
In a five-page indictment issued last month, the federal government said Anderson planted human bones while searching for criminal evidence at three locations in the state and then lied to federal investigators.
Anderson conducted about 200 searches a year with Eagle, mostly in homicide investigations. And she came highly recommended by other law enforcement agencies, Priebe said.
She also helped search for remains of victims of the United Airlines jetliner that crashed in southwestern Pennsylvania after being hijacked as part of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Federal authorities say that between October 2000 and April 2002, Anderson planted human bones in the Huron National Forest near Oscoda, at the Proud Lake Recreational Center in Oakland County and at a business in Bay City. Anderson "pretended to discover it as genuine potential evidence," states the indictment.
She faces up to five years in prison if convicted of lying to federal investigators. She also is charged with witness tampering, which carries a maximum 10-year prison penalty.
No arraignment date had been set as of earlier this week, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit.
The White slaying remains unsolved. While no arrests have been made, her husband, state police trooper Artis White, remains on a "short list" of suspects, police say.
Artis White maintains his innocence and criticizes police for focusing almost exclusively on him.
Infobox
Planted evidence?
Sandra Marie Anderson, who helped Lansing police search for evidence in the shooting of Bernita White at Potter Park, is charged with planting evidence at three locations in Michigan and then lying to investigators about it. The allegations against her include:
* Planting human bone and carpet fiber at the Huron National Forest near Oscoda in April 2002
* Planting human bone in the Proud Lake Recreation Center in Oakland County in January 2002
* Planting human bone on the grounds of Stress-Con , a business in Bay City, in October 2000.
U.S. District Court in Detroit
Infobox
Potter Park slaying
* Police have made no arrests in the shooting of Bernita White, a Delta Township woman killed June 23, 2001, while walking toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo. Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Lansing police at 483-4600 .
PARK SHOOTING DEATH UNSOLVED 2 YEARS LATER
POLICE STILL CALL TROOPER HUSBAND A SUSPECT IN CASE
Lansing State Journal
Published 6/23/2003
http://www.lsj.com/news/local/030623monday_update_1b-3b.html
Today is the two-year anniversary of the slaying of Bernita White - a high-profile case that remains unsolved.
White, 41, was killed June 23, 2001, while walking with her daughter toward the entrance of Lansing's Potter Park Zoo.
Authorities will say little about their investigation. But they say that White's husband, state police trooper Artis White, remains a suspect.
"The case is not closed," Lansing police Lt. Bruce Ferguson said.
Ferguson said leads from the public have dwindled. "We kind of get some things from time to time, but not on a regular basis."
White, 43, of Delta Township, maintains his innocence and criticizes police for focusing almost exclusively on him.
"I know that we continue to live our lives ... and we're just taking one day at a time," White said, referring to himself and his two daughters, ages 9 and 7.
Investigators want to interview White further, Ferguson said.
But Artis White said he refuses to talk with police while they consider him a suspect.
Public spotlight on the case had slowed until Artis White released a book about the homicide and the ongoing investigation earlier this year.
White said he wrote "Who Killed My Wife?" because he believes police have had enough time to find his wife's killer - and hopes the project will help do just that.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call Lansing police at 483-4600.
May 23, 2003
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
May 23, 2003 - Michigan Court Of Appeals issued published decision to not reconsider its December 26, 2002 decision to quash Artis White's private investigator's records
STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In re Investigation of Death of Bernita White
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
ARTIS WHITE,
Respondent-Appellant.
Updated Copy
May 23, 2003
FOR PUBLICATION
March 25, 2003
9:10 a.m.
No. 236829
Ingham Circuit Court
LC No. 01-092933-AZ
"...We are of the opinion that the basis for the prosecutor's motion for reconsideration was this Court's unpublished decision in Tezak, supra. Moreover, from the language of the order granting reconsideration, it clearly formed the basis for the trial court's decision. Unlike the trial court's interpretation, we find the facts of Tezak distinguishable from the instant case, and therefore find that the circuit court's reliance on Tezak was misplaced. The trial court in Tezak was concerned with the alleged wrongdoing of the detective agency outside the scope of its assignment to the client. The agency sought to assert the client's privilege to defeat the plaintiffs' discovery request. In our view, the Tezak Court was attempting to provide a mechanism by which the Court could segregate "privileged," e.g., "information secured in connection with an assignment for a client," from "non-privileged material," information secured outside the scope of an assignment for a client. MCL 338.840. Tezak does not support petitioner's argument or the trial court's ruling allowing disclosure of otherwise privileged information.
Conclusion
The plain language of the statutory privilege, MCL 338.840(2), precluded the trial court from ordering respondent's private investigator to turn over information obtained during the course of his investigation and in accordance with the assignment for which he was retained. There is no statutory exception that permits the trial court to set aside the privilege on the prosecutor's showing of need. Accordingly, the trial court committed error requiring reversal in authorizing the issuance of an investigative subpoena directing respondent's investigator to provide all information obtained during his investigation for an in-camera review and possible disclosure to the prosecutor.
In light of our resolution of this issue we decline to review respondent's alternative argument for reversal regarding the work-product privilege. MCR 2.302(B)(3)(a). Reversed. We do not retain jurisdiction." [pages 7 and 8]
April 11, 2003
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
April 11, 2003 - Ingham County Prosecutor's request for reconsideration of the Appeal Court's December 2002 decision to quash investigative subpoena for Artis White's private investigator's records is DENIED.
March 25, 2003
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
March 25, 2003- Opinion in Artis White's appeal to have the Ingham County Prosecutor's investigative subpoena for White's private investigator's records quashed, was published.
S T A T E O F M I C H I G A N
C O U R T O F A P P E A L S
In re Investigation of Death of Bernita White
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
ARTIS WHITE,
Respondent-Appellant
FOR PUBLICATION March 25, 2003
No. 236829
Ingham Circuit Court
LC No. 01-092933-AZ
.
Updated Copy
May 23, 2003
Before: Donofrio, P.J., and Saad and Owens, JJ.
DONOFRIO, P.J.
Petitioner Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney sought an investigative subpoena to further the investigation of the murder of Bernita White, respondent's spouse. Respondent Artis White appeals as of right from an order authorizing the issuance of an investigative subpoena by the petitioner on a private investigator hired by respondent to investigate the decedent in a divorce proceeding pending at the time of her death. We reverse.
Facts and Procedural History
During a pending divorce proceeding, respondent, a Michigan State Police detective, hired a private investigator, Charles Rettstadt, to investigate his then-wife, Bernita White. The Whites and their daughter were walking together in Potter Park Zoo shortly before Bernita White's murder in the zoo. As part of the on-going investigation into Bernita White's murder, the Ingham County Prosecutor sought an investigative subpoena pursuant to MCL 767A.2(1) for the files of Rettstadt. The trial court authorized the investigative subpoena that provided Rettstadt was to produce documents pertaining to the retention of the agency by Artis White, including but not limited to, all contracts and/or retention agreements; all journals, notes or interviews produced pursuant to the agreements; all photographs, video tapes, digital images or audio tapes produced pursuant to the agreements; all records pertaining to billings for services rendered pursuant to the agreement,
check, draft, instrument, credit or promise to pay received pursuant to the agreement.
Shortly thereafter, Artis White moved to quash the investigative subpoena and invoked his statutory privilege pursuant to MCL 338.840(2). The prosecutor claimed that the divorceinvestigation files that included surveillance materials could assist in the homicide investigation, and then argued that the facts and information assembled by Rettstadt during his investigation should be divided analytically into two categories,
(1) the "raw" information itself and
(2) the analysis of the information including inferences, theorizing, and conclusions drawn. The prosecutor maintained that the information developed during the course of Rettstadt's investigation could be valuable to the prosecutor's investigation of White's homicide and that the information could be "lost" if not disclosed to the prosecutor. The prosecutor contended that the subpoena did not violate the investigator- client privilege because the subpoena did not seek to obtain any direct communications between respondent and his investigator. Given the importance of investigating a homicide and the absence of any alternative means of obtaining the information possessed by the investigator, the prosecutor argued it was necessary to abrogate the privilege.
The circuit court granted respondent's motion to quash and reasoned that while a common-law or statutory privilege could be narrowed when it was balanced against a criminal defendant's constitutional rights, the same balancing is inappropriate when a prosecutor seeks to narrow or abrogate the privilege. The court further observed that the court rules relating to discovery applied to nonprivileged material only. Specifically, the court concluded:
So the jurisprudence of the state, as I understand it, is that the courts will balance the constitutional right of a criminal defendant and that defendant's need for material in order to exercise his constitutional rights against what otherwise would be iron clad privileges. But no exception to those privileges exists in the jurisprudence of the state for a prosecutor doing an investigation of this type, and so for all of those reasons the motion is granted.
Relying upon Tezak v Huntington Research Assoc, Ltd, unpublished opinion per curiam of the Court of Appeals, issued May 15, 2001 (Docket No. 215490), the prosecutor moved for reconsideration of the order granting the motion to quash. In Tezak, the plaintiffs asserted a separate cause of action alleging intentional wrongdoing by the defendant private investigator arising from his investigation of the plaintiffs in a prior personal-injury lawsuit filed by the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs served on the defendant interrogatories, requests for production of documents, and requests to admit regarding the investigative work he had performed in connection with that prior action. The defendant moved for a protective order, contending that the discovery sought by the plaintiffs was prohibited by MCL 338.840, but the trial court denied the protective order and granted the plaintiffs' motion to compel. This Court held that the trial court abused its discretion in completely denying the defendant's request for a protective order.
Observing that the court rule governing discovery provided for the disclosure of unprivileged material only, this Court concluded that "the trial court should have determined which discovery
requests were covered by the private detective-client privilege and exempted these from discovery." Tezak, supra.
Relying on Tezak, the prosecutor requested the court to (1) rescind its order quashing the subpoena, (2) conduct an in- camera review of all the subpoenaed materials, and (3) release to the prosecutor "all factual information that does not constitute, contain or include communications from or with Artis White or [his attorneys.]" The circuit court granted the motion to reconsider, and the order provided, in relevant part: [T]his Court being convinced that the detective/client privilege in MCL 338.840(2) covers communications between the investigator and client, but does not encompass facts the investigator uncovers during his or her employment by the client; and this Court being further convinced that its August 6, 2001 order is based on a clear and palpable error,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the August 6, 2001 Order Quashing Subpoena is rescinded.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a representative of Clark, Chip & Barger, L.L.P. shall immediately deliver to this Court all documents, records and tangible objects listed in the investigative subpoena that was served on Charles Rettstadt and Research North.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Court shall review the above described materials in camera, and shall release to the Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney only documents, records or tangible objects that contain or depict factual information and that do not constitute, contain or include communications between Charles Rettstadt or Research North and Artis White or Clark, Chip & Barger, L.L.P.
This appeal followed.
Analysis
On appeal, respondent argues that the trial court committed error requiring reversal in failing to quash the investigative subpoena issued by the prosecutor to Rettstadt. We agree.
Because this issue presents a legal question of statutory interpretation, we review the trial court's ruling de novo. In re Investigation of March 1999 Riots in East Lansing, 463 Mich 378, 383; 617 NW2d 310 (2000).
A prosecuting attorney is permitted by MCL 767A.2(1) to petition the district or circuit court for authorization to issue subpoenas to investigate the commission of a felony. MCL 767A.6 (5) provides, in relevant part:
The court shall not compel the person to answer a question or produce any record, document, or physical evidence if answering that question or producing
that record, document, or physical evidence would violate a statutory privilege or a constitutional right. [Emphasis added.] The investigator-client privilege, MCL 338.840, provides:
(1) Any person who is or has been an employee of a licensee shall not divulge to anyone other than his employer or former employer, or as the employer shall direct, except as he may be required by law, any information acquired by him during his employment in respect to any of the work to which he shall have been assigned by the employer. Any employee violating the provisions of this section and any employee who wilfully makes a false report to his employer in respect to any work is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(2) Any principal, manager or employee of a licensee who wilfully furnishes false information to clients, or who wilfully sells, divulges or otherwise discloses to other than clients, except as he may be required by law, any information acquired by him or them during employment by the client is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be subjected to immediate suspension of license by the secretary of state and revocation of license upon satisfactory proof of the offense to the secretary of state. Any communications, oral or written, furnished by a professional man or client to a licensee, or any information secured in connection with an assignment for a client, shall be deemed privileged with the same authority and dignity as are other privileged communications recognized by the courts of this state. [Emphasis added.]
The rules of statutory interpretation delimit our role in the analysis of the quoted legislation. Our Supreme Court explained the court's role with regard to statutory interpretation in Massey v Mandell, 462 Mich 375, 379-380; 614 NW2d 70 (2000): In examining a statute, it is our obligation to discern the legislative intent that may reasonably be inferred from the words expressed in the statute. White v Ann Arbor, 406 Mich 554, 562; 281 NW2d 283 (1979). One fundamental principle of statutory construction is that "a clear and unambiguous statute leaves no room for judicial construction or interpretation." Coleman v Gurwin, 443 Mich 59, 65; 503 NW2d 435 (1993). Thus, when the Legislature has unambiguously conveyed its intent in a statute, the statute speaks for itself and there is no need for judicial construction; the proper role of a court is to apply the terms of the statute to the circumstances in a particular case. Turner v Auto Club Ins Ass'n, 448 Mich 22, 27; 528 NW2d 681 (1995). Concomitantly, it is our task to give the words used by the Legislature their common, ordinary meaning. MCL 8.3a; MSA 2.212 (1).
We note initially that the parties agree that the relevant statutes are unambiguous and should be enforced as written. Both parties also agree that the statutory privilege is two-fold: it protects first, "communications . . . furnished by . . . [the] client to the licensee," and second,
"information secured in connection with an assignment for a client . . . ." MCL 338.840(2).
While the prosecutor agrees that the privilege prohibits disclosure of communications made by the client (or the client's attorney) to the investigator, he makes three arguments regarding why he is entitled to the information captured by the second prong of the privilege.
The prosecutor argues: (1) the statutory language should be read narrowly, otherwise the investigator-client privilege becomes the broadest of all privileges; (2) an exception to nondisclosure should be made on a showing of need or the privilege against disclosure should be abrogated when the information advances a homicide investigation; and (3) our Court's ruling in Tezak supports the prosecutor's interpretation of the privilege. While the prosecutor's arguments are immediately drawn to the concerns of solving the instant homicide, we must conclude that they are unpersuasive.
"The creation of the . . . privilege[] . . . establishes the Legislature's assumption that any forced disclosure of the information protected will cause injury to the privilege holder." People v Stanaway, 446 Mich 643, 678; 521 NW2d 557 (1994). In Ravary v Reed, 163 Mich App 447, 451-452; 415 NW2d 240 (1987), this Court concluded that MCL 338.840(2) "reflects the Legislature's determination that broad protection is to be accorded the private detective-client relationship. Any communication by a client to a licensee and any information secured in connection with an assignment for a client is privileged."
Clearly, MCL 338.840(1) and MCL 338.840(2) penalize the unauthorized disclosure of any information "acquired" by the investigator "during his employment" regarding "any of the work to which he shall have been assigned . . . ." Accordingly, the investigator is forbidden from disclosing information to anyone but his employer, except as his employer may direct or as authorized by law. In our view, this provision would forbid the investigator from disclosing communications, facts, evidence, or other types of information that the investigator obtained during the course of his employment, even if he did not develop that information himself, but merely learned of it by overhearing discussions or reviewing documents. However, the described prohibition applies to only information obtained "in respect to any of the work to which [the investigator] shall have been assigned . . . ." MCL 338.840(1).
In contrast to the penalty provision of the initial sentence of MCL 338.840(2), we read the second sentence to establish a legal prohibition that allows a client to prevent disclosure. The operative sentence announcing the privilege states that it applies to "[a]ny communications, oral or written, furnished by a . . . client to a licensee" and also to "any information secured in connection with an assignment for a client . . . ." The first part of the privilege applies to communications from the client to the investigator. This is similar to the statutory attorneyclient privilege, MCL 767.5a(2), that applies to "[a]ny communications between attorneys and their clients . . . when those communications were necessary to enable the attorneys . . . to serve as such . . . ."
The use of the phrase "any information" is plain enough: the privilege applies to all information without regard to the nature of the information (i.e., verbal, written, documentary, photographic, and so forth). The meaning of the word "secured" is also plain. The relevant definition provided by Random House Webster's College Dictionary (2d ed, 2000) is: "to get
hold of; obtain." However, the privilege does not pertain to any evidence obtained during the course of the investigator's employment; it is restricted to evidence obtained "in connection with an assignment for a client . . . ." Thus, we find the nondisclosure privilege applies to only evidence that is related to the particular assignment on which the investigator is employed.
We also note that the prosecutor's argument is largely premised on the contention that the use of the word "acquired" in the first subsection and in the first sentence of the second subsection compels a different meaning than the use of the word "secured" in the second sentence of the second subsection. However, Random House Webster's College Dictionary (2d ed, 2000) defines "secure" to mean obtain and defines "obtain" to mean "to come into possession of; get, acquire, or procure, as through effort or request." (Emphasis added.)
Because we find that the express statutory language admits of no other conclusion, we hold that the investigator-client privilege encompasses both the communication between the investigator and his client and any information obtained in connection with or in furtherance of the assignment by the client. Arguments concerning the breadth of the privilege are better directed to the Legislature in urging legislative modification of the otherwise clear intent of the Legislature.
The prosecutor also argues that the privilege may nonetheless be abrogated or narrowed on a showing of need to advance a homicide investigation. This argument is based primarily on our Supreme Court's decision in Stanaway, supra. In Stanaway, the Court considered, in the context of the defendant's request for counseling and juvenile records in a criminal trial, the extent of the statutory privileges provided to psychologists, sexual- assault counselors, social workers, and juvenile-diversion officers. The Court first concluded that the respective privileges applied and that the defendant's need for the records did not come within any of the statutory exceptions. The Court therefore held that the records were exempt from the defendant's request by virtue of the statutory privileges. Stanaway, supra at 661-662.
However, because the request was made by a defendant in a criminal case, the Court also considered whether the defendant's right to constitutional due process superseded the statutory privileges. Id. at 662. The Court concluded that "[c]ommon-law and statutory privileges may have to be narrowed or yielded if those privileges interfere with certain constitutional rights of defendants." Id. at 668-669 (emphasis added). Our Supreme Court held that in an appropriate case there should be available the option of an in camera inspection by the trial judge of the privileged record on a showing that the defendant has a good- faith belief, grounded on some demonstrable fact, that there is a reasonable probability that the records are likely to contain material information necessary to the defense. [Id. at 677.]
The Court emphasized that the test it had fashioned "anticipates that the privilege holder would be better off if the privilege remains intact." Id. at 678. The Court concluded by stating that "[t]he state's interest in preserving the confidentiality of the social worker, diversion, and rape-counseling records must yield to a criminal defendant's due process right to a fair trial when
the defendant can show that those records are likely to contain information necessary to his defense." Id. at 679-680.
To obtain an investigative subpoena, it is only necessary for the prosecutor to show that the testimony of a person, or examination of the records, documents, or physical evidence requested, "is relevant to the investigation . . . ." MCL 767A.2 (2)(d) and MCL 767A.3(1)(c).
This standard falls far short of the standard enunciated for overcoming the statutory privilege by the Court in Stanaway. Moreover, the constitutional due-process right to a fair trial asserted by the defendant is greater than the right asserted by the prosecutor.
In our view, these considerations render the Stanaway decision inapplicable to this appeal. The issue in this appeal does not concern a criminal defendant's due process right to a fair trial. Instead, it concerns a prosecutor's right to obtain statutorily privileged information during the course of a criminal investigation. Our review of the record reveals that the prosecutor has failed to provide us with any authority holding that the prosecutor's right to conduct a far-reaching investigation into possible criminal conduct equates to a defendant's constitutional right to a fair trial. Ordinarily, this Court will not consider arguments for which a party has failed to provide authority. Mudge v Macomb Co, 458 Mich 87, 104-105; 580 NW2d 845 (1998), quoting Mitcham v Detroit, 355 Mich 182, 203; 94 NW2d 388 (1959). Although a homicide investigation is critically important, the statute does not permit exceptions based on the potential value of the material to the prosecutor. Indeed, the Legislature protected this information by granting a broad privilege, presumably because the information may have value, not because the information is trivial. Because the procedure established in Stanaway resulted from a concern that is not present in this appeal, a criminal defendant's assertion of his constitutional right to a fair trial, we reject the prosecutor's attempt to apply that decision to the facts of the instant case and thereby abrogate the legislatively created privilege.
We are of the opinion that the basis for the prosecutor's motion for reconsideration was this Court's unpublished decision in Tezak, supra. Moreover, from the language of the order granting reconsideration, it clearly formed the basis for the trial court's decision.
Unlike the trial court's interpretation, we find the facts of Tezak distinguishable from the instant case, and therefore find that the circuit court's reliance on Tezak was misplaced. The trial court in Tezak was concerned with the alleged wrongdoing of the detective agency outside the scope of its assignment to the client. The agency sought to assert the client's privilege to defeat the plaintiffs' discovery request. In our view, the Tezak Court was attempting to provide a mechanism by which the Court could segregate "privileged," e.g., "information secured in connection with an assignment for a client," from "non- privileged material," information secured outside the scope of an assignment for a client. MCL 338.840. Tezak does not support petitioner's argument or the trial court's ruling allowing disclosure of otherwise privileged information.
Conclusion
The plain language of the statutory privilege, MCL 338.840(2), precluded the trial court from ordering respondent's private investigator to turn over information obtained during the
course of his investigation and in accordance with the assignment for which he was retained.
There is no statutory exception that permits the trial court to set aside the privilege on the prosecutor's showing of need. Accordingly, the trial court committed error requiring reversal in authorizing the issuance of an investigative subpoena directing respondent's investigator to provide all information obtained during his investigation for an in-camera review and possible disclosure to the prosecutor. In light of our resolution of this issue we decline to review respondent's alternative argument for reversal regarding the work-product privilege. MCR 2.302(B)(3)(a).
Reversed. We do not retain jurisdiction.
Owens, J., concurred.
/s/ Pat M. Donofrio
/s/ Donald S. Owens
Saad, J., I concur in the result only.
/s/ Henry William Saad
Local man's book raises questions
A self-published true crime book by Lansing man
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
March 16, 2003
Ray Walsh
Artis White, is both eye-opening and mind-numbing in a variety of different ways.
It offers intriguing insights and raises numerous questions about the police investigation of the murder of his wife, Bernita, on June 23, 2001, at Lansing's crowded Potter Park Zoo.
The case is still ongoing and no one has been arrested, although the 14-year veteran Michigan State Police officer remains on the short list of suspects.
White maintains his innocence and is angry that the Lansing Police Department and the state police wasted six hours interrogating him instead of searching for other clues to the killer.
The author vents his frustration by explaining the details of his whereabouts when the murder took place and doesn't deny that his wife had filed for divorce, but he insists it was amicable.
Because of an earlier and still unresolved civil case against the state police, he feels that he's been singled out improperly, with many investigative subpoenas utilized in what he describes as "the form of a witch-hunt."
He acknowledges that police officers generally will focus on the surviving partner in the instances of the murder of a spouse but feels that not enough initial effort was made in seeking other suspects.
A former security guard and a six-year member of the National Guard, White was the owner of a private detective firm before he joined the state police. He was the Criminal Investigation Division's Trooper of the Year in 1998.
White isn't a polished author and his narrative doesn't always flow smoothly, but he hopes to generate further investigation; his love and concern for their two young daughters is highly evident.
Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing's Curious Book Shop, has reviewed mysteries and noir thrillers regularly since 1987.
To read
* "Who Killed my Wife?" by Artis White
* Artistic Expressions, $12.95
Homicide victim's husband writes book
February 26, 2003
The Argus-Press
Lansing, Mich [AP] - The state police sergeant whose wife was fatally shot in 2001 while walking in Potter Park has written a book about her slaying.
"Who Killed My Wife?" by Artis White is his account of the June 23, 2001 homicide and the ongoing investigation.
The 205 page book, set to be published March 8, is part of a project White launched, called Artisitc Expression, which is "dedicated to printing any and all information concerning the death of Bernita White," according to the project's web site.
Artis White said that he wrote the book because he believes police have had enough time to find his wife's killer, and hopes this project will do just that.
White who has been with the state police since 1988, remains on a short list of suspects in Bernita White's homicide, Lansing police say. But he maintains his innocence. In the book, he criticizes authorities for focusing almost exclusively on him.
"This may be unusual for me, being on the short list of suspects, as they say," White said of his book Monday. "But the only way that this can come to any kind of fruitation is for people to start talking about it."
The self-published book should attract local and nationwide interest, partly because of the author, said Ray Walsh, owner of the Curious Book Shop in East Lansing.
"I don't know of too many instances of suspects writing books relating to the crime," said Walsh, who has reviewed mysteries and crime novels regularly since 1987.
"I think there's still an interest in the case because it's unsolved," he said, adding that he plans to carry the book when it's published.
White said he relied on interviews with family and friends; surveys, police documents and media stories to write the book, which will sell for $12.95.
He said he hopes people who read the book can provide clues to help crack the case. He said he can no longer afford the $5,000 reward he once posted, but any proceeds - after the cost of writing the book go to help finding his wife's killer.
"A lot of people have said that this is a long shot," he said. "But you miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."
Police have spent thousands of hours investigating the sniper-style shooting, but have made no arrests.
Bernita White, 41, was killed while walking with her then 5-year-old daughter and others toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo on a sunny bustling day in the park.
Authorities have said little about their investigation and haven't disclosed the physical evidence they have. A bullet fragment found in the park can't be linked to Bernita White's death.
"We are still hoping people call in tips," Lansing police Lt. Bruce Ferguson said. "This is still an open case."
Ferguson wouldn't comment on White's book because department officials hadn't read it yet."
State police spokesman Michael Prince also wouldn't comment Monday on the book's publication. "I haven't read it, so I can't offer you any kind of response," Prince said.
White had objected to his four-month paid suspension from his job soon after his wife's slaying. The state police had joined Lansing investigators on the cause, and temporarily removed White from his responsibilities to avoid the appearance of improprioty.
Investigators believe marital problems and a custody dispute are among the possible motives White had to kill his wife.
But there was nothing unusual about the pending divorce, Artis White has contended. The couple lived together in their Delta Township home and shared custody of their two daughters pending further court hearings.
WHO KILLED MY WIFE?
The unsolved murder of Bernita White
City Pulse
By LAWRENCE COSENTINO
February 26, 2003
http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/archives/030226/030226cover.html
On Sunday last, Artis White stood next to a snowbound picnic pavilion in the Potter Park Zoo, squinting into the late winter glare, uncomfortably close to the spot where his wife was shot dead with a high-powered rifle over a year and a half ago. "To think that this could happen in Lansing," he says, imagining the white expanse full of children's play-screams and the smell of barbecue, as it was on June 23, 2001. "Then you start on the questions. Why did we go to the zoo that day? Why did this have to happen? Why can't we find out who did it? It makes you frustrated, and it makes you angry."
It's hard to find the truth in a zoo. Aesop, the great black sage of ancient Greece, wrote hundreds of famous stories full of birds, fish, tortoises, hares, lions, and asses, always tricking, swindling, or eating each other. Throughout all of his fables, the figure of Truth appears only once — as a missing woman.
Anyone who has ever lived with an unsolved murder in their lives will appreciate the simple allegory. In Aesop's story, "Truth" is spotted briefly and from a distance, wandering through a desert with her eyes lowered. When a traveler recognizes her and asks why she left the city, she answers, "because lies are everywhere now." That's the last anyone sees of her. As soon as she is gone, the zoo closes back in and a chorus of arguing animals crowds the page again.
Police investigators, friends and relatives of Bernita White, and everyone else with an interest in one of Lansing's most notorious murders , are still finding out just how lost Truth can get. In the 19 months since the shooting, the case has generated enough time, expense and media noise to join the ranks of the most infamous crimes in Lansing's history. Yet to date, no indictments have been handed down and no arrests have been made. To Artis White, the trail looks frozen as the park itself, buried under late February snows.
Needless to say, the Lansing Police Department sees the matter quite differently. "I don't know where you get the idea the case is cold," says Lt. Jon Priebe, a detective who has been involved in the investigation of the Bernita White murder from the beginning. "All I can tell you is it hasn't slowed down one bit."
But Artis White wants more than that from the Lansing Police, and he is unlikely to get it as long as he remains a suspect. For this, and for other reasons, he has now assumed a new public role for himself — that of author. Just when the incident has begun to fade from public memory, the 14-year Michigan State Trooper has taken the unusual step of venturing back into the zoo, both literally and figuratively. Next month, he publishes a book that deliberately pushes the incident, along with his own suspect status, back into the media spotlight. In doing so, he escalates a high-stakes investigative duel in which one side is bluffing and the cards may never be seen.
"Who Killed My Wife?" is a home-grown, Midwestern hybrid curiosity of a book — by turns true crime story, insider police brief, gripe session, existential outcry, and nudge-and-wink charm offensive (at one point White suggests that Denzel Washington play his character in the movie). Some will no doubt sympathize with White's portrait of himself as a suddenly single dad, struggling gamely with his young daughters' hairdos, uncertainty over his job, social ostracism and the stress of being a suspect for over a year and a half.
In a strange real-world echo of the "X Files," the book's recurring catchphrase is "the truth…find it!" Against considerable odds, White firmly believes the book will help to bring out the truth about Bernita's death, but that is not its only purpose. "It's therapy too," he explains. "Putting it down on paper, having my girls involved … they're just 7 and 9 years old, but they're really curious about the book. They've seen the pictures, they've seen the cover, they want to go to book signings and take the money and give change … they're very interested. They want to know what happened too. So for them, for myself, and for anyone out there that's curious about the case, that's why I wrote it."
Skeptics, however, are likely to take issue with nearly every line of White's book — starting with his conspicuous use of the words "My Wife" rather than "Bernita White" in the title, when Bernita had already filed for divorce weeks before the murder. And the skeptics' antennae are unlikely to come to rest until the end of the last chapter, in which White concludes that "nothing can be done" to solve the case "until they stop investigating me."
Advance notices from local law enforcement are predictably cool and unlikely to warm once the cops have had a chance to actually read it. Says Lansing Police Lt. Bruce Ferguson of the book's forthcoming appearance, "It is unusual. He's certainly got the right of free speech and can say what he wants. But it doesn't behoove us to get into a shouting match with him in the press. He'll do what he has to do, and so will we." Detective Priebe's only comment on the news of White's forthcoming literary endeavor was a terse "that should tell you something right there." Lansing Police Detective Marcel Holloway, who has also worked on the Bernita White case, said, "It's too soon to be writing any book." After a moment's thought, he added, "People are always the hero of their own story."
Nevertheless, White is determined to set his shoulder against a mountain of doubt, throwing a fourth-quarter bomb in hopes of breaking up the ongoing stalemate between himself and law enforcement authorities. "You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don't take," he says. "If I do nothing, if I don't shout, nothing will happen. Members of my family have told me that writing a book isn't going to help, but I can't give up believing that we're going to find the killer. If you give up hope, you don't have anything else."
Despite a quiet winter with no major developments, the case is still a gaping lion's mouth of uncertainty, and readers of the book will have a field day speculating whether White is admirably cool-headed or incredibly rash to put his head back inside. "You always run the risk of public scrutiny by bringing something like this back in the public eye," he admits, "because it is controversial. But, candidly, I don't care. I can take the shots as long as it takes, because I'm not gonna stop trying to find out who did it."
Without any prompting at all by White, Captain Raymond Hall of the Lansing Police Department does admit to one significant failure. "Unfortunately, even though we have worked diligently to eliminate Artis White as a possible suspect in this case, we have failed to do so, despite our best efforts," he says pointedly. "We recognize the hardship that places on everyone associated with this case, and we continue to be optimistic that eventually we will solve this crime."
That, of course, is the one failure for which Artis White would rather not blame the Lansing Police. He remains doubtful that investigators have made their best efforts to clear him, maintaining that they could and should have done so within several weeks of the murder, had they talked to the right people and drawn the right conclusions.
All of the criticisms White levels against law enforcement agencies handling the case, from general charges of incompetence to specific allegations of illegal acts, flow from a single major premise. White maintains that in the absence of other meaningful leads, investigators are blindly playing the odds by fixating unreasonably on the victim's spouse, turning a criminal investigation into what he calls a "bad TV show."
The Lansing Police, the lead investigative unit in the case, bear the brunt of White's criticism. "They don't have any information," White says. "They have me going through a divorce, and the victim was a police officer's spouse. That's it." The fact that he and Bernita were still living together at the time of the murder, maintains White, demonstrates that their divorce was amicable. "The police and media over-emphasize that," White writes in the book. "They tried to make it seem as if we were going through a vicious divorce and that Bernita was in fear for her life … if this were the case, she would have packed her bags, moved out, and obtained a restraining order."
Hall says that White just doesn't have the full picture. "Any time we're investigating a homicide, and we're going through the process of ruling the spouse out as a suspect," he says, "we recognize that that is a significant emotional event. It's difficult on all parties, including the detectives, but it's a necessary part of any investigation."
White speculates that in the absence of hard evidence, LPD investigators tried to "gratify a sitcom-type perception" by focusing on the divorce motive and the Whites' underlying domestic situation. He acknowledges that Bernita had a "male companion" named Sam for about two years preceding her death, and that he and Bernita had been in therapy for about as long. But he further maintains that "everyone makes mistakes," again accusing the investigators of fixating on the sex issue. "This investigation," he writes, "from the six hours I spent in the first interview to this day, has been based upon the interaction between Bernita, Sam, me and whomever any of us has ever had sex with." He describes it as "an interesting soap opera, but not an effective way to administer justice … no person Bernita, Sam or I had sex with killed Bernita."
White is incensed that investigators harassed many of his friends and co-workers with what he calls the "sex question." He says that one Lansing Police detective even asked his niece if they had had sex. White says that his niece told him over the phone that the officer's partner called her back, in tears, to apologize.
While avoiding mention of specific investigative details, Hall offered a certain measure of official sympathy. "No one enjoys coming to the part of an investigation when you're trying to rule out a family member," he observed. "You have to ask the kinds of questions that make people feel uncomfortable. Sometimes you've got to make statements that are awkward and not very pleasant. It's very sensitive, and you're dealing with a high degree of emotions, and we recognize that, but it's the unpleasant part of the business."
White views the investigation as having gone off the rails from the very beginning, when he says Lansing Police detectives questioned him pointlessly for six hours shortly after the shooting. He describes the detectives as "stalling" by asking "standard and mundane" questions over and over. "In the very beginning, it's so important to find the person within 48 hours of the crime," says White. "After that, your chances of finding the perpetrator go down 95 percent. And here they're asking me things like, ‘What's your social security number,' ‘What's your age,' over and over… that was very disheartening."
When asked what kinds of questions should have been brought up, White paused for a moment and then repeated, "I would not necessarily have spent so much time going over those same questions." Reminded that it's a common police tactic (at least in the movies ) to ask the same thing over and over to wear down the suspect and catch him in inconsistencies, White agreed. "Yes, if you are in a position to be worn down. But me, I was ready to go catch the guy. I had no idea that they were keying in on me until five hours into the questioning, when I finally said, ‘Guys, do you think I did it, or what?'"
Again, Hall suggests that White's perspective on the investigation is limited. "This was a task force," he explains. "This wasn't like you see in the movies, two detectives with their sleeves rolled up, following leads. At one time there was well over a dozen officers investigating the crime. While two detectives turned their attention to eliminating Artis White as a suspect, others went down other trails.
"The criticism that we would accept ," continued Hall, "based on these accusations, is perhaps not explaining this clearly enough to Mr. Artis White. Clearly, he's not aware of the hundreds of hours of investigative time that went into this homicide, and much of that was not focused on Artis White."
Contrary to Hall's suggestion, White seems well aware of the vast number of hours spent investigating the murder — his estimate in the book goes a decimal to the right of Hall's — and concludes that such intense effort only makes the allocation of resources all the more misguided. Shaking his head over the length of the investigation, he bemoans "all the resources they've spent looking at no one else but me, all the 9,000 manpower hours, all the search warrants that were directed at me and my family. I'm not really privy to the entire investigation, but I don't know of other search warrants and subpeonas that were directed at anyone else."
Ferguson explains that as a suspect, White has to be kept in the dark until the prosecutor decides it's time to move. "Detectives are gatherers of information," he says. "They hand that information over to the prosecutor, and he determines what to do with it." Ferguson says that "only a handful of people" are privy to the details of the case, and they have a "legal duty" not to prejudice the investigation or taint the jury pool with leaks to the public at large, let alone a listed suspect.
That means deadlock between the police and White on the issue of further cooperation. "I'd be willing to be interviewed again," he says, "but I refuse to be interviewed as a suspect. I'm done with that."
In White's view, the initial questioning set the tone for the entire investigation, as officers went to greater and greater lengths to scrutinize their only real lead. This blind zeal, White maintains, led to serious breaches of ethics on the part of police as the case unfolded — or folded, from White's point of view. Perhaps the most serious of White's charges is that one detective falsified an affidavit for probable cause in order to obtain the first search warrant for White's work office and home. White's book says the affidavit included "what [the detective] said were Bernita's mother's dying words as, ‘Artis killed her.'" (In one of the case's strangest and most tragic turns, Bernita's mother died almost immediately upon hearing of her daughter's death.)
White further maintains that the same officer, in his zeal to obtain a second search warrant to search his vehicle, changed Bernita's mother's statement to "Artis had her killed." White claims the detective changed the statement to supply the fresh information necessary to establish sufficient probable cause for an additional warrant. He also holds the opinion that a lack of direct evidence led officers to adopt a new theory of the case — that White had hired someone else to kill Bernita — and consequently "fudged" the warrant request to move this new theory forward.
White bases his claim that the first warrant was falsified on what he considers to be the sheer impossibility that Bernita's mother would ever make such a statement. "I don't believe that when my mother-in-law was dying she used her thought processes to help the police solve the crime," writes White, recalling that days before Bernita's death, Mrs. Sims sent him a letter "sending all her love to me." Two sentences later, however, White admits that her dying words "cannot be proved or disproved. No matter what was said," he goes on, "the information should not be conveniently changed by the police to execute search warrants."
Asked how such a damning fact, if false, could have found its way into a sworn statement, White had this to say: "I don't know where he got the majority of his information, and I don't know what caused him to change the information to freshen it up and get another search warrant. That's just bad police work. It's unacceptable, and it's something that should never happen. Will he be punished for it? Probably not. He'll continue on working wherever he's working."
(Efforts by City Pulse to see the two search warrants were unsuccessful. White gave City Pulse permission to verify his account with his attorney, but he did not return calls.)
Search warrant requests also accused White of using LEIN (Law Enforcement Information Network) to check up on his wife's activities, stirring up a brief sideshow of controversy in August of 2001 and earning White the title of Villain of the Week on the National Consumer Coalition's Web site. "I don't know what they're talking about," says White of the LEIN accusations. "I don't know of any computer system, at least that we have, that you can use to track people. The LEIN is a police tool that you can use to check a person's background, driving record, and that kind of stuff, and as far as I know, I've never abused the LEIN, and I certainly haven't been punished for anything like that."
In addition to the alleged false statements made to obtain search warrants, White also maintains that Michigan investigators used illegal methods to obtain a credit report on his sister Arlyce and brother-in-law Anthony. At this stage of the investigation, White says, detectives had virtually eliminated the possibility that he had fired the shot himself, due to eyewitness testimony that he was at Delta Park only minutes after the shooting. As a result, says White, investigators were combing the bank account and those of some of his relatives for suspiciously large withdrawals — presumably payments to a hired killer. White says that since the couple lives in New Jersey, investigators circumvented the requirement of getting an out-of-state subpoena by telling the credit agency that Anthony was applying for employment as a state trooper.
White has long ago concluded that tactics like these stem from the sheer desperation of investigators pursuing a cold case. "All eyes are on me because they don't have anywhere else to go," he says. "They'd look like idiots if they said, ‘We've had the wrong person for a year and a half, he didn't do it, we don't know who did.'"
Hall rejects the implication that Lansing officers are futilely turning the same rock over and over. "In an investigation of this nature," Hall says, "the spouse is always a possible suspect until he can be definitively eliminated. Now, some agencies may call him a ‘person of interest' — that's the new term that some have adopted — but it is what it is. Artis White is still a person of interest in this investigation."
Throughout the book, White points out a recurring dimension to the case that, if it exists on the scale he describes, paints a disturbing picture of Michigan law enforcement culture. He ascribes much of the case's lack of closure to wasteful turf battles between Lansing and Michigan State Police. "It's scary," he says. "I knew nothing about it before I got involved in police work, but there are internal struggles within the police departments all the time. When it's the police against the suspect, there's a lot of camaraderie, but when it's the police against the police, they divide like a volleyball team."
In his book, White spends an entire chapter on one background episode to illustrate the point. While visiting Lansing for the 1989 Fourth of July Fireworks, White, another off-duty officer and their wives were driving through the downtown area in Bernita's 1988 Austin Sterling when their car was hit by a firecracker thrown from another car. He recalls that the two troopers took the culprit's driver's license number, after which White handed the prosecuting chores to a local officer. Weeks later, as White recalls, he was stunned to find that the Lansing officer had falsified records relating to the incident. White and the second trooper were now accused of robbing the occupants of the other car at gunpoint and sheltering a known drug dealer in their own Austin Sterling (which White says is designed to hold only four people). Ten years later, says White, the officer involved apologized to him and admitted that his superiors had put him up to it.
White has his own explanation for the incident. "I am not the kind of person the Lansing Police are used to dealing with," he writes in the book. Asked to explain the remark further, White says, "I don't think that it would have happened to a car carrying all white passengers. I feel the reason he was pressured into making the decisions that he made was because of our color. In my heart, I feel that some of that had to do with it." White is mulling over the possibility of writing another book, on the lives of black cops.
In his book, White does not suggest directly that he has been treated unfairly because of race in the Bernita White investigation. Race, he says, may be only one of several factors driving the city cop-state cop rivalry, at least in Lansing. "There has always been a longstanding temperamental struggle between the Lansing Police and the State Police," says White. "That's true all over the state, since we have complete jurisdiction anywhere in the state. We are looked upon as arrogant and pompous."
Hall brushes off the idea of internecine rivalry between city and state cops. "The Lansing Police Department is in partnership with the State Police on many different levels, and we have a close relationship with that organization and many of its members. To somehow imply that we're anti-state police is entertaining, because conspiracy theories often are, but as far as being factual, it's not."
That the state police should be involved in the case at all, says White, is a function of his own status as suspect. "Because I am an employee of the state police," White writes, the Michigan State Police offered assistance with the investigation." But White also suggests another rationale for state troopers' involvement in his book — "my civil lawsuit against the state police." Neither White nor the Michigan State Police are commenting on the pending suit, but White does make the accusation that state police were asking "civil questions" (meaning, of course, "questions related to the pending civil suit" and not "polite questions") "under the guise of the homicide investigation."
One of the stranger episodes in the book is White's account of his hostile encounter with an outside private investigator hired by the Lansing Police. According to White, the two went to Potter Park together about a year into the investigation — the only time, until this City Pulse story, that White has returned to the zoo since the murder. White says he had hoped for something constructive to come of the meeting, but instead was subjected to crude, TV-private-eye bluster. As he recalls it, the investigator abruptly announced, "before today, there was only one person who knew who did it. Now there's two." (White calls the remark a "rehearsed prom date pickup line.") The crux of the investigator's theory was that White planted a rifle with a scope just north of the zoo on the night before the murder. But the idea has led nowhere, owing to lack of evidence and a credible alibi, and the whole episode left White even more embittered and reluctant to cooperate with the police as a suspect.
In the course of his book, White details many other grievances against police investigators, all the way down to a $107 towing fee he footed to get his confiscated van back and a pair of running shoes the Lansing Police Department never returned. But what White really wants is something he knows he'll never get — an apology from the Lansing Police, withdrawal of his name as suspect, and a fresh start to the case. As a longtime law enforcement officer, he knows the psychology of the situation all too well.
"They're at that point where they can't turn back," says White. "Police departments have never admitted that they've made a mistake. That's just the way it is. How many times have I investigated a breaking and entering, and just knew the guy did it, and come to find out it was someone else? I never go back and say, ‘I'm sorry, I made a mistake.' That never happens. But they're never going to find out who did it until they stop looking at me. It may anger them, but it's the truth, and sometimes the truth stings just a little bit."
At the end of his book, White surveys a handful of theories that have been advanced to explain the case, none of which have made it very far. (White says he gleaned the theories from a survey he conducted among people who signed the guest list at Bernita's funeral, the same list he says was photocopied by the Lansing Police and used in its investigation.) The ideas run a large gamut of plausibility. One respondent to White's survey hypothesized that someone targeted in White's civil litigation did it, in fear of "a high dollar award as a result of my winning the lawsuit" (White's paraphrase). Though he does mention it in the book, White cautions that he has "no information" to support the idea.
Early in the investigation, a police task force found a bullet in a tree near the zoo, which was determined to be unrelated to the Bernita White slaying. This datum, along with citizen reports that gunshots are heard in the zoo area from time to time, forms the basis of the "random" theory. White strongly implies in the book that this theory, while plausible, has not been pursued by investigators due to a fear of adverse public reaction.
White also mentions the theory that Bernita's boyfriend, Sam, killed her, although elsewhere in the book he says he told police he didn't think anyone who knew Bernita could have done it, including Sam. White also mentions but rejects, the idea that Bernita was so depressed she arranged for her own killing. He concludes by raising the possibility that the murder was a complete accident, with the killer still unaware that his randomly fired shot hit a human being. There is another theory, which White does not mention in his book, that gained and lost currency quickly in the wake of the Washington"Beltway Sniper" killings in the fall of 2002. A tenuous link between that killing spree and Michigan was discovered when the name of Nathaniel Osbourne, a New Jersey man with a girlfriend in Flint, turned up on the registration of the 1990 Chevy Caprice used by the snipers. Although detectives working on the Beltway case were in brief contact with Michigan authorities, no concrete link between the killings was established.
This handful of nearly discredited and barely supported hypotheses amounts to a small bundle of thin reeds for White. "Not everyone agrees who the killer is," he concludes. "The fact remains that the killer walked away from Potter Park on June 23, 2001." He clings to the hope that new information will be discovered and calls repeatedly on the Lansing Police to start with a clean slate and abandon him as a suspect: "It is essential to understand we cannot progress until the remaining investigators on this case start over."
While Lansing Police continue to play the cards face down, Hall does not foreclose the possibility that White's book will be looked at with some degree of seriousness. "I think he raises legitimate issues," says Hall, "and as a police agency, we ought to be able to respond to them. We will certainly want to look at the book, to see if it has any additional value to the investigation. These are legitimate questions about the case, and people have a right to know what's going on and what our response is.
"It disturbs us," continued Hall, "to think that if he in fact is an innocent victim, he's had to endure months and years of intensive investigation and being listed as a possible suspect. That's not good for anyone. But at the same time, if it is, it is, and if it's not, it's not."
Hall's last cryptic remark loses something in gray print, but it does a good job of describing the maddening duality of the Bernita White homicide investigation. As of now, there is no resolution in sight, for Artis White or anyone else connected with the case. And yet, if only for the sake of artificial media bow-wrapping, the literary zoo of Aesop beckons one last time. Two fables, both involving fish and fishermen, seem to have a clear bearing on the author of "Who Killed My Wife?"
In the first fable, a band of overconfident fishermen is pulling up a heavy dragnet. Feeling the weight, they start to dance, figuring they've caught the biggest fish around. Of course, the weight turns out to be a useless stone.
In the second fable, the fishermen sit dejectedly, having caught nothing for weeks. Suddenly, a huge tuna, apparently swimming away from something that is chasing him, accidentally flops right into the boat.
The morals, like many noises in the zoo, tend to drown each other out. One thing remains certain: it is not easy to coax Truth out of the desert and into the city.
Care to respond? Send letters to letters@lansingcitypulse.com
Homicide victim's husband pens book on case
February 25, 2003
Lansing State Journal
January 16, 2003
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
January 16, 2003 - Ingham County Prosecutor filed a motion for reconsideration of the Appeal Court's December 26, 2002 decision to quash the investigative subpoena for Artis White's private investigator's records.
Who Killed My Wife?
The Unsolved Murder of Bernita White
January 1, 2003
By: Artis White [Author]
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Who-Killed-My-Wife-Unsolved/dp/0972248005
Editorial Reviews
"...both eye-opening and mind-numbing in a variety of different ways." -- Lansing State Journal, March 16, 2003
About the Author
Artis White, A Michigan native, draws from his years of experience as a police detective and private investigator to help people understand the emotional trauma involved with this case. Artis is dedicated and determined to uncover the truth. He currently resides in Lansing, Michigan with his two daughters.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
There she was, on that table in front of me. Motionless. Neglected. Like a balloon. A dreadful, dreadful, balloon. Swollen but wrinkled. A motionless balloon, like the kind you see the day after your kid’s birthday party, rolling around on the floor. Dejected. My heart is nothing like a balloon for it is heavy. That heavy sensation that beats in your neck and makes your underarms tingle and your nose run. Now I look back at the times we shared as husband and wife, Father and Mother, Boop and Ambros. I never knew why she called me Ambros. I think that was her favorite name, or was she ribbing on me for something from the past?
What am I going to tell my daughters? When it all boils down to it, this room, this hospital room is my safe haven. For when I walk out that door I have some explaining to do to my seven and five year-old daughters.
How do you tell your kids their mother is dead? Of course, she is dead. She has to be. I was told it was a shot from a high-powered rifle. Of course, she is dead. Nobody gets wounded from those things. What do I tell the kids?
I don't know how to handle this. Heck, when our pet rabbit died, we bought a dog. When all of our plants in the garden died, we made a new garden. You can't replace a mother like you do a dog or a garden. Who's going to do their hair? I don't know anything about little girls’ hair. I'm a "hands on" dad for sure. I bathe them when they are dirty, feed them when they are hungry, bandage them when they are hurt, and stay home with them when they are sick. I do all of the cooking, cleaning and washing clothes if only to set a good example for my daughters. The fact remains. I can't do hair. I'm handicapped, a nothing, no good father and it's going to show when they walk out of the house looking like a combination of Bozo the Clown and Pippi Longstockings.
"Mr. White, Mr. White, sir. Over here. We need you to identify the body," one of the doctors said.
You can think about dogs, gardens and how to do hair all you want. But nothing, I mean, nothing, brings you back to the present like those words. Oh sure, I've seen dead people. As a Detective Sergeant for the Michigan State Police, I have seen many things that other people have not seen.
You learn how to separate your emotions from the job, but you can't pull yourself away from this. It's no writing a report and on to the next adventure, Mr. Super Cop. No sir, Mr. Hotshot Detective. You are in the safety of this room for now, but you will soon have to face those children of yours.
"Yes. It's her. It's Bernita White. I'm her husband," I said after what seemed like a long pause.
Why are there so many people in this room? Who are all these people with bad acting skills? Who are these actors who are trying to act like they are very sorry for what happened? Police officers are the worst. With a little training, you can see right past their facade. You can see they really don't care. If it doesn't provide them with any glory or overtime, Coppers don't want anything to do with it. (Been there. It's part of the game.) At least the Victim Advocates in the room have better acting skills. I trust them. They volunteer.
Now comes all the "Sorry about your loss." "We did everything we could." "You are going to be okay." What script are they reading from?
Maybe I'm bitter about the whole thing. I ask myself why did it have to be her? Out of hundreds of people at the Potter Park Zoo, why did it have to be her? Who would want to kill her? Why couldn't I have been there to fire back? I could have at least shot in the general direction so that punk ass son of a bitch would know that somebody knows who he is. He'll get his all right.
Wait. I never use foul language. What are all these people still doing in the room? We all know what complications stand outside this room - a seven year-old and a five year-old complication.
Why did they leave that tube in her mouth for me to see? It's like that tube took all the air out of the balloon. Don't they have any common decency or do they think that Mr. Tough Guy Detective can handle it? Yes, she is dead.
The credits are rolling up at the end of her movie, but I'm just starting mine. That was not the last I saw of her.
I see that image everyday.
December 26, 2002
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
December 26, 2002 - Artis White's appeal was granted.
The Circuit Court's order to reverse the August 06, 2001 order to quash the Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena for White's private investigator's records was reversed by the Court of Appeals.
Decision was published March 25, 2003.
Police link Md. shooting to suspects
Liquor store clerk was wounded on Sept. 14
Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Saturday, November 2, 2002
The Sept. 14 wounding of a Silver Spring, Md., liquor store clerk has been linked to the suspects in the Washington area sniper shootings, Montgomery County police said, marking the earliest date that authorities say the pair was in the region.
Sgt. Derek Baliles, a police spokesman, said Friday that although ballistics tests from the shooting at the Hillandale Beer and Wine store remain inconclusive, authorities made the connection through "new witness information and evidence that confirms the vehicle was in the Washington metropolitan area on the day of the shooting."
He declined to elaborate, but Arnie Zelkovitz, owner of the liquor store, said an employee of a neighboring Safeway store saw a dark-colored, older model Chevrolet Caprice leave the shopping center parking lot the day of the shooting. Zelkovitz said Friday he believes police used that evidence in part to make the link.
Baliles said sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad, 41, and John Lee Malvo, 17, have not been charged in the Silver Spring shooting. But with the linkage, authorities now say the two are responsible for 16 shootings from Sept. 14 until their arrests Oct. 24. Ten people were killed and four wounded in those attacks in Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia; in one shooting, no one was injured. The two also are charged with killing two people and wounding one in two incidents in Alabama and Louisiana. And they are suspected of two shootings, one of them fatal, in Tacoma, Wash., earlier this year while they were living there.
Although authorities have suspected since early October that the wounding of liquor store clerk Rupinder Oberoi, 22, of Linthicum, Md., might have been the first salvo in the string of sniper attacks that terrified the Washington region, the official announcement Friday adds to a growing timeline for investigators probing the movements of Muhammad and Malvo.
They are known to have been on the East Coast on Sept. 10, when the Caprice was purchased in Trenton, N.J. Authorities said the car was modified to allow the suspects to shoot people through a hole in the trunk so they would go undetected. Muhammad registered the car Sept. 11 in Camden, N.J. And with Friday's revelation, authorities placed the pair in Montgomery County on Sept. 14.
Muhammad and Malvo are charged with killing one woman and wounding a second outside a Montgomery, Ala., liquor store Sept. 21 and with killing a Baton Rouge, La., beauty shop manager Sept. 23. Federal and local authorities place them back in the D.C. area Oct. 2.
Police in states in every geographic region of the nation are looking at unsolved killings in connection with the pair's movements. One of those occurred in Lansing , Mich. on June 21, 2001. Lt. Steve Mitchell said police are looking at the fatal shooting of BernitaWhiteat a picnic area in the PotterParkZoo . Mitchell said White appeared to have been shot from 200 yards away with a high-velocity bullet. "We had no witnesses," he said.
The kind of post-arrest investigation that went into the linking of the Silver Spring shooting to the sniper suspects is going on across the region. Detectives in seven police departments and agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms are searching for new witnesses and reviewing surveillance tapes now that the focus has shifted from a white van or truck to the blue Caprice. They also are continuing to track Muhammad's and Malvo's movements and are awaiting forensic analysis being performed at the FBI lab, hoping for comparisons of evidence taken from the crime scenes and the Caprice.
Muhammad and Malvo face capital murder charges in Prince William and Spotsylvania counties in Virginia. They also have been charged with capital crimes in Montgomery County and in U.S. District Court.
Are there more sniper victims?
Police check for related cases in at least eight states, including Michigan
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Friday, November 1, 2002
Jeff Donn
Police are checking unsolved murders around the nation for ties to the Washington, D.C.-area sniper attacks -- a task that took on renewed urgency Thursday as the extraordinary crime spree's latest leg extended to Louisiana.
Law enforcement officials said they had linked the rifle used in the sniper case to a Sept. 23 killing in Baton Rouge. Authorities already have laid charges in Alabama and connected two shooting cases in Washington state, all with ballistics evidence.
In at least three other states, police have identified specific murder cases they believe could be linked, but with little real evidence so far. In Lansing, police are looking for a link between the sniper suspects and the fatal shooting of a woman outside Potter Park Zoo in 2001.
The task of determining the spree's full scope is daunting.
The two men accused in the capital-area sniper shootings, John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Beyond the Washington, D.C., Alabama and Louisiana cases, police have linked Muhammad to other seemingly disparate crimes -- an apparent rage killing at a home and an attack on a synagogue, both in Washington state. The capital-area sniper demanded $10 million -- a twist that further expands the range of possible criminal methods and motives.
"It's difficult because he could reasonably be a suspect in just about anything," said Stanton Samenow, a psychologist who evaluates violent criminals for the courts and wrote "Inside the Criminal Mind."
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Thursday that investigators were also still exploring if other people took part in the crime spree.
Spurred by a national advisory from the Maryland-based sniper task force, police in many states have reopened old files to check for elements common with the sniper case. That three-week killing field left 10 dead and three wounded and brought charges from Virginia, Maryland and federal prosecutors.
State and local police have reported checks for any related cases in at least Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan.
Lansing police are communicating with the sniper task force to check on any connection to the shooting death of BernitaWhite at the zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away. The D.C.-area sniper also fired at long range.
"It's something we're looking into, but it's nothing formal," said police Lt. John Parks in Lansing. "You can't ignore it."
There is no known evidence that Muhammad and Malvo were in Michigan. However, Nathaniel Osbourne, a friend of Muhammad who helped buy the car allegedly used in the sniper case, was arrested in Flint as a material witness.
In the Louisiana case, beauty supply worker Hong Im Ballenger was killed during a Baton Rouge robbery. There is suspicion the rifle used to shoot her in the head also might have been involved in another shooting in the city that did not kill anybody.
Muhammad grew up in Baton Rouge and also visited relatives with Malvo there in the weeks before the sniper attacks.
Baton Rouge police also are seeking DNA samples from each man to check for links to yet another case -- the serial murders of three women between fall 2001 and last summer. One woman was strangled, one stabbed and one had a slit throat.
Authorities, however, say they are still leaning more heavily toward a white man, as predicted in an FBI profile, as a more likely kind of suspect in those murders. Muhammad and Malvo are black.
In Montgomery, Ala., the Sept. 21 robbery attempt left one woman dead and another wounded outside a liquor store. Police also have linked Muhammad and Malvo to the February murder of a woman shot in the face at her door in Tacoma, Wash., possibly out of fury toward her aunt for taking sides with Muhammad's ex-wife in a custody scrap. Police suspect the pair, too, in connection with shots fired at a Tacoma synagogue in May, an incident in which no one was hurt.
At the sniper command center in Montgomery County, Md., detectives asked police agencies around the country to scan for similar cases soon after the sniper arrests.
But what is similar? Should they look at all long-range sniper shootings, crimes with the same caliber rifle, fatal shootings, all homicides or even severe assaults? Departments are taking varying approaches.
"You just kind of look at everything to check if it really fits," said Brooks Wilkins, who oversees criminal intelligence for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Knowing Muhammad lived in Monterey, Calif., for about a year while in the military, the county sheriff's department scanned for any likely matches with all unsolved murders during that time. It came up empty, Deputy Bill Cassara said.
In Oregon, where Muhammad once served in the national guard, state police glanced back at several dozen sniping cases over the last decade or so, without finding any matches, spokesman Andy Olsen said.
N.G. Berrill, who teaches about criminal behavior at John Jay College in New York City, said investigators should try to reconstruct every place the men went -- especially Muhammad.
"There's every opportunity and every possibility that if he ran out of money, there would have been a robbery. If he had become angry or disconsolate or highly agitated, he might have shot someone," Berrill said.
"You would look at unsolved crimes that you had an itch to solve. I wouldn't confine it to a certain type of crime," added Jeffrey Smalldon, a forensic psychologist in Columbus, Ohio, who worked on the serial sniper case of Thomas Lee Dillon. Dillon pleaded guilty in 1993 to killing five strangers.
However, Clint Van Zandt, a former FBI agent who examined patterns of criminal behavior, suggested police could focus their search. "I think part of what they need to look for is unsolved assaults or homicides where it appears the victim was again chosen at random," he said.
Northeastern University criminologist Jack Levin, in Boston, who writes on serial murders, cautioned against scanning too aggressively for connections, because police could waste time and resources and finger the wrong suspect.
"When you've got guys like Muhammad and Malvo who are charged with crimes in a number of jurisdictions, there's a tendency for police departments around the country to want to clear their cases. Sometimes they go overboard," he said.
About 40 percent of all murders go unsolved.
Sniper case prompts look at unsolved killings
The Daily Gazette
Friday, November 1, 2002
Jeff Donn
The Associated Press
"If [sniper suspect John Mohammad] had become angry or disconsolate or highly agitated, he might have shot someone," N.G. Berrill, John Jay College in New York City.
Police are checking unsolved murders around the nation for ties to the Washington, D.C. - area sniper attacks - a task that took on renewed urgency Thursday as the extraordinary crime spree's latest leg exdtended to Louisiana.
Law enforcement officials said that had linked the rifle used in the sniper case to a Sept. 23 killing in Baton Rouge. Authorities already have laid charges in Alabama and connected two shooting cases in Washington state, all with ballistics evidence.
In at least three other states, police have identified specific murder cases they believe could be linked, but with little real evidence so far.
The task of determining the spree's full scope is daunting.
The two men accused in the capital-area sniper shootings, John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Beyond the Washington, D.C., Alabama and Louisiana cases, police have linked Muhammad to other seemingly disparate crimes - an apparent rage killing at a home and an attack on a synagogue, both in Washington state. The captial-area sniper demanded $10 million - a twist that further explands the range of possible criminal methods and motives.
"It's difficult because he could reasonably be a suspect in just about anything," said Stanton Samenow, a psychologist who evaluates violent criminals for the courts and wrote "Inside the Criminal Mind."
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Thursday that investigators were also still exploring if other people took part in the crime spree.
Spurred by a national advisory from the Mayland-based sniper task force, police in many states have reopened old files to check for elements common with the sniper case. That three-week killing field left 10 dead and three wounded and brought charges from Virginia, Maryland and federal prosecutors.
State and local police have reported checks for any related cases in at least Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan.
In the Louisianna case, beauty supply worker Hong Im Ballenger was killed during a Baton Rouge robbery. There is suspicion the rifle used to shoot her in the head also might have been involved in another shooting in the city that did not kill anybody.
Muhammad grew up in Baton Rouge and also visited relatives with Malvo there in the weeks before the sniper attacks.
Baton Rouge police also are seeking DNA samples from each man to check for links to yet another case - the serial murders of three women between the fall of 2001 and last summer. One woman was strangled, one stabbed, and one had a slit throat.
Authorities, however, say they are still leaving more heavily toward a white man, as predicted in an FBI profile, as a more likely kind of suspect in those murders. Muhammad and Malvo are black.
In Michigan, Lansing police were following up with the snipper task force to check on any connection to the shooting death of Bernita White at a zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away. The capital-area sniper also fired at long range.
"It's something we're looking into, but it's nothing formal," said police Lt. John Parks in Lansing. "You can't ignore it."
There is no known evidence that Muhammad and Malvo were in Michigan. However, a friend of Muhammad's, who helped buy the car allegedly used in the sniper case, was arreswted in Michigan as a material witness.
In Montgomery, Ala., the Sept. 21 robbery attempt left one woman dead and another wounded outside a liquor store. Police have also linked Muhammad and Malvo to the February murder of a woman shot in the face at her door in Tacoma, Wash., possibly out of fury toward her aunt for taking sides with Muhammad's ex-wife in a custody scrap. Police suspect the pair too, in connection with shots fired at a Tacoma synagogue in May, an incident in which no one was hurt.
Cases scanned
At the sniper command center in Montgomery County, Md., detectives asked police agencies around the country to scan for similar cases soon after the sniper arrests.
But what is similar? Should they look at all long-range-sniper shootings, crimes with the same caliber rifle, fatal shootings, all homicides or even severe assaults? Departments are taking varying approaches.
"You just kind of look at everything to check if it really fits," said Brooks Wilkins, who oversees criminal intelligence for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Knowing Muhammad lived in Monterey, Calif., for about a year while in the military, the county sheriff's department scanned for any likely matches with all unsolved murders during that time. It came up empty, Deputy Bill Cassara said.
In Oregon, where Muhammad once served in the national guard, state police glanced back at several dozen sniping cases over the last decade or so, without finding any matches, spokesman Andy Olsen said.
N.G. Berrill, who teaches about criminal behavior at John Jay College in New York City, said investigators should try to reconstruct every place the men went - especially Muhammad.
"There's every opportunity and every possibility that if he ran out of money, there would have been a robbery. If he had become angry or disconsolate or highly agitated, he might have shot someone," Berrill said.
"You would look at unsolved crimes that you had an itch to solve. I wouldn't confine it to a certain type of crime," added Jeffrey Smalldon, a forensic psychologist in Columbus, Ohio, who worked on the serial sniper case of Thomas Lee Dillon. Dillon pleaded guilty in 1993 to killing five strangers.
Focusing search
However, Clint Van Zandt, a former FBI agent who examined patterns of criminal behavior, suggested police could focus their search. "I think part of what they need to look for is unsolved assaults or homicides where it appears the victim was again chosen at random," he said.
Northeastern University criminologist Jack Levin, in Boston, who writes on serial murders, cautioned against scanning too aggressively for connections, because police could waste time and resources and finger the wrong suspect.
"When you've got guys like Muhammad and Malvo who are charged with crimes in a number of jurisdictions, there's a tendency for police departments around the country to want to clear their cases. Sometimes they go overboard," he said.
About 40 percent of all murders go unsolved.
Police search for ties to sniper across U.S.
The Michigan Daily
Friday, November 1, 2002
Police are taking another look at unsolved murders around the nation for any ties to the Washington, D.C.- area sniper attacks, as they explore the full breadth of singular crime wave.
Authorities have already laid charges in Alabama and linked two shooting cases in Washington state, all with ballistics evidence. In at least three other states, police have identified specific murder cases they believe could be linked - but with little real evidence so far. The task has been daunting.
The two men accused in the capital-area sniper shootings, John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Beyond charges in the Alabama robbery - murder, police have linked Muhammad to other seemingly disparate crimes - an apparent rage killing at a home and an attack on a synagogue, both in Washington state. The capital-area sniper demanded $10 million - a twist that further expands the range of possible methods and motives.
"It's difficult because he could reasonably be a suspect in just about anything," said Staton Samenow, a psychologist who evaluates violent criminals for the courts and wrote "Inside the Criminal Mind."
Spurred by a national advisory from the Maryland-based sniper task force, police in many states have reopened old files to check for elements common with the sniper case. That three-week killing field left 10 dead and three wounded and brought charges from Virginia, Maryland and federal prosecutors. State and local police have reported checks for any related cases at least in Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Michigan and Connecticut.
In Michigan, Lansing police were following up with the sniper task force to check on any connection to the shooting death of a woman named Bernita White at a zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away.
The Sniper Attacks
Police checking for sniper ties around country
November 1, 2002
Reading Eagle Reading, PA
Investigators in Louisiana are the latest to link a killing to the two suspects accused in the Washington, D.C. - area attacks.
Police are checking unsolved murders around the nation for ties to the Washington D.C. area sniper attacks - a task that took on renewed urgency Thursday as the extraordinary crime spree's latest leg extended to Louisiana.
Law-enforcement officials said they had linked the rifle used in the sniper case to a Sept. 23 killing in Baton Rouge. Authorities already have laid charges in Alabama and connected two shooting cases in Washington state, all with ballistics evidence.
In at least three other states, police have identified specifice murder cases they believe could be linked, but with little real evidence so far.
The task of determining the spree's full scope is daunting.
The two men accused in the capital-area sniper shootings, John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Beyond the Washington, D.C., Alabama and Louisianna cases, police have linked Mohammad to other seemingly disparate crimes - an apparent rage killing at a home and an attack on a synagogue, both in Washington state. The capital-area sniper demanded $10 million - a twist that further expands the range of possible criminal methods and motives.
"It's difficult because he could reasonably be a suspect in just about anything," said Stanton Samenow, a psychologist who evaluates violent criminals for the courts and wrote "Inside the Criminal Mind."
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Thursday that investigators were also still exploring if other people took part in the crime spree.
Spurred by a national advisory from the Maryland-based sniper task force, police in many states have reopened old files to check for elements common with the sniper case. That three-week killing field left 10 dead and three wounded and brought charges from Virginia, Maryland and federal prosecutors.
State and local police have reported checks for any related cases in at least Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and Michigan.
- In the Louisiana case, beauty supply worker Hong Im Ballenger was killed during a Baton Rouge robbery. There is suspicion the rifle used to shoot her in the head also might have been involved in another shooting in the city that did not kill anybody.
Muhammad grew up in Baton Rouge and also visited relatives with Malvo there in the weeks before the sniper attacks.
Baton Rouge police are seeking DNA samples from each man to check for links to yet another case - the serial murders of three women between fall 2001 and last summer. One woman was strangled, one stabbed and one had a slit throat.
Authorities, however, say they are still leaning more heavily toward a white man, as predicted in an FBI profile, as a more likely kind of suspect in those murders. Muhammad and Malvo are black.
- In Michigan, Lansing police were following up with the sniper task force to check on any connection to the shooting death of Bernita White at a zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away. The capital-area sniper also fired at a long range.
"It's something we're looking into, but it's nothing formal," said police Lt. John Parks in Lansing. "You can't ignore it."
There is no evidence that Muhammad and Malvo were in Michigan. However, a friend of Muhammad's, who helped buy the car allegedly used in the sniper case, was arrested in Michigan as a material witness.
In Montgomery, Ala,. the Sept. 21 robbery left one woman dead and another wounded outside a liquor store. Police also have linked Muhammad and Malvo to the February murder of a woman shot in the face at her door in Tacoma, Wash., possibly out of a fry toward her aunt for taking sides with Muhammad's ex-wife in a custody scrap. Police suspect the pair, too, in connection with shots fired at a Tacoma synagogue in May, an incident in which no one was hurt.
At the snuper command center in Montgomery County, Md., detectives asked police agencies around the country to scan for similar cases soon after the sniper arrests.
Shootings linked to suspects in sniper attacks - The Associated Press
Shootings authorities say are linked by ballistics or other evidence to John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, charged with the Washington area sniper attacks:
-Feb. 16: Keenya Cook, 21, killed as she opened door to her home in Tacoma, Wash.
-May 1 - 4: Shots fired at Temple Beth El synagogue in Tacoma. no one hurt.
-Sept. 21: Claudine Parker, 52, killed outside liquor store in Montgomery, Ala. Co-worker Kellie Adams, 24, injured.
-Sept. 23: Hong Im Ballenger, 45, beauty supply worker killed during a robbery in Baton Rouge, La.
-Oct. 2: Window shot out at craft store in Aspen Hill, Md. No one hurt.
-Oct. 2: James D. Martin, 55, killed in grocery store parking lot in Wheaton, Md.
-Oct 3: James L. "Sonny" Buchanan, 39, killed while cutting grass at an auto dealership in White Flint, Md.
-Oct 3: Taxi driver Prem Kumar Walekar, 54, killed at gas station in Rockville, Md.
-Oct 3: Sarah Ramos, 34, killed outside post office in Silver Spring, Md.
-Oct. 3: Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera, 25, slain as she vacumed her van at gas station in Kensington, Md.
-Oct 3: Pascal Charlot, 72, killed while standing on Washington D.C. street.
-Oct 4: 43-year-old woman wounded in craft store parking lot in Fredricksburg, Va.
-Oct 7: 13 year-old boy wounded as he is dropped off at school in Bowie, Md.
-Oct 9: Dean Harold Meyers, 53, killed at gas station in Manassas, Va.
-Oct 11: Kenneth H. Bridges, 53, killed at gas station in Fredricksburg, Va.
-Oct 14: Linda Franklin, 47, killed at home improvement store in Falls Church, Va.
-Oct 19: 37 year-old man wounded outside steakhouse in Ashland, Va.
-Oct 22: Conrad Johnson, 35, killed on bus in Aspen Hill, Md.
Other sniper links sought
At least 8 states take a new look at unsolved deaths
Deseret News Jeff Donn, Associated Press writer
Friday, Nov. 1, 2002
Authorities in at least eight states have checked for links between unsolved crimes and the suspects in the sniper shootings - a daunting task that has already led Louisianna and Alabama officials to file charges in recent local shootings.
State and local police have checked crimes from shootings to stabbings to see if ballistics or other evidence can link them to John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, who have already been charged with 10 killings in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Spurred by a national advisory from the Maryland-based sniper task force, police have reopened old filed to check for elements common with the sniper case.
Officals in Baton Rouge, La., said Thursday that ballistic tests had linked the two to the Sept. 23 slaying of a beauty shop worker. Last week, Muhammad and Malvo were charged in a Sept. 21 slaying in Montgomery, Ala.
In Washington state, authorities say Muhammad and Malvo are supsected in a fatal shooting of a woman at her door in Tacoma in February and a shooting that hurt no one at a Tacoma synagogue in May.
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Thursday that investigators were still exploring if other people helped Muhammad and Malvo.
Investigating what other crimes the men may have been involved in could be difficult because they have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Police have reported checks for any related cases in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan.
Police in Baton Rouge, where Muhammad grew up, are seeking DNA samples from each man to check for any links to the serial murders of three women between fall 2001 and last summer. One woman was strangled and one had her throat slit.
However, authorities say they still suspect the killer was a white man. Muhammad and Malvo are black.
In Michigan, Lansing police were following up with the District of Columbia-area sniper task force looking for any connection to the shooting death of Bernita White at a zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away.
It was unknown whether Muhammad and Malvo were ever in Michigan. But a friend of Muhammad's who helped buy the car allegedly used in the sniper killings, was arrested in Michigan as a material witness.
At the sniper command center in Montgomery County, MD., detectives asked police agencies around the country to scan for similar cases soon after the sniper arrests.
"You just kind of look at everything to check if it really fits," said Brooks Williams, who oversees criminal intelligence for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Knowing Muhammad lived in Monterey, Calif., for about a year while in the military, the county sheriff's department scanned for any likely matches with all unsolved slayings during that time. It came up empty deputy Bill Cassara said.
In Oregon, where Muhammad once served in the National Guard, state police glanced back at several dozen sniping over the past decade or so without finding any matches, spokesman Andy Olson said.
N.G. Berrill, who teaches about criminal behavior at John Jay College in New York City, said investigators should check every place the men went.
"There's every opportunity and every possibility that if he ran out of money, there would have been a robbery," Berrill said.
"You would look at unsolved crimes that you had an itch to solve. I wouldn't confine it to a certain type of crime," added Jeffrey Smalldon, a forensic psychologist at Columbus, Ohio who worked on the serial sniper case of Thomas Lee Dillon, who pleaded guilty in 1993 to killing five strangers.
D.C. Sniper Link in Lansing?
By: Jeremy Ross
Updated: Fri 6:31 PM, Nov 01, 2002
WILX New
http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/130147.html
Lansing Police are working with other local and federal authorities to see if a local unsolved murder is linked to the beltway sniper killings.
The murder of Bernita white that occurred last June is presumed to be from a sniper bullet according to Lansing police.
The shooting was apparently a random act and police estimate it was from about 200 feet.
While there are similarities between the Beltway Sniper, Lansing police say there are also differences making the link a weak one at best.
Because the bullet went through the body of the victim and could not be recovered, they believe it was a heavier bullet than the killings in Washington, D.C.
Police examine possible connection to Potter Park shooting
Midland Daily News (MI)
Saturday, October 26, 2002
LANSING (AP) – Lansing police plan to contact the Washington, D.C.-area sniper investigation squad to see if there’s any connection to an unsolved 2001 long-range shooting fatality at Potter Park Zoo, a police officer said Friday.
But, he said, there is no apparent connection now between the Potter Park killing and the rash of long-range slayings in the Washington area.
"It’s something we’re looking into, but it’s nothing formal," said Lt. John Parks of the Lansing Police. "You can’t ignore it."
He noted the bullets used in Potter Park and the Washington-area killings were of different size.
The Lansing police’s interest in the sniper shootings was first reported by The State News, the student newspaper at Michigan State University.
"In our line of work you always ask questions," Lansing Capt. Ray Hall told the newspaper. "There are no facts to lead us to believe it is connected, but it would be negligent not to report it."
In the Potter Park killing, BernitaWhite of suburban Delta Township was shot June 23, 2001, while walking with her 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance of the park. Hall said a shooter hid behind a fence about 200 yards away. Hall said police have spent thousands of hours investigating the case, but no charges have been filed.
One year later, Lansing woman's murder remains unsolved
Midland Daily News (MI)
Monday, June 24, 2002
LANSING (AP) – One year after Bernita White was shot to death while walking with her young daughter in the city zoo, police have made no arrests, haven’t found the murder weapon and haven’t established a motive.
‘‘In a case like this, you always start at the center and work your way out,’’ said Lansing police Detective Sgt. Darin Larner, who heads the investigation. ‘‘We have never been able to get out of the center of the circle.’’
Larner and three other investigators meet weekly in search of the person who killed the 41-year-old computer engineer as she and her 5-year-old daughter, Michala, walked in the Potter Park Zoo on June 23, 2001.
‘‘A mother getting killed in front of her daughter in the park. It’s going to stick in your memory,’’ Larner told the Detroit Free Press in a report published today. ‘‘I will never forget that day as long as I live.’’
The bullet that killed White was fired through a stand of oak trees from at least 120 yards away. It has not been found.
White had filed for divorce a month earlier from her husband, Detective Sgt. Artis White of the Michigan State Police. He said they continued living together amicably, although he did not deny evidence that he was having an affair.
Larner stopped short of calling Artis White a suspect. But he said the state police detective has refused to be interviewed since the day of the shooting, and investigators think he knows his wife’s killer.
‘‘We do have a suspect in mind,’’ Larner said without elaborating.
White maintains he is innocent and has fully cooperated with police. He has offered $5,000 for information leading to a suspect, and says investigators may have let other leads slip away by focusing on him.
‘‘It’s been really traumatic,’’ White said. ‘‘I can’t have any closure until they find out who killed her. I can’t clear my name as a suspect because they don’t have anyone else.’’
White told investigators that on the afternoon of the shooting he, his wife and Michala attended a birthday party at Potter Park for one of their daughter’s friends. He left early to pick up their daughter, Alanna, then 7, at another birthday party several miles away.
BernitaWhite was shot dead at 3:15 p.m. Artis White learned she had been shot when he returned to the zoo at 4:30 p.m.
It was only the beginning of what BernitaWhite’s father, Bennie Sims, called ‘‘a real bad, tough year.’’
State police called Barbara Sims that night to tell her of her daughter’s death. The 67-year-old Detroit woman suffered a fatal heart attack.
‘‘Bernita was a very smart girl. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to murder my daughter,’’ said Bennie Sims, 68. ‘‘I’ve asked myself that a million times.’’
One year later, Lansing woman's murder at zoo remains a mystery to police
The Argus Press
Owosso, Michigan
June 24, 2002
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - One year after Bernita White was shot to death while walking with her young daughter in the city zoo, police have made no arrests, haven't found the murder weapon and haven't established a motive.
"In a case like this, you always start at the center and work your way out," said Lansing police Detective Sgt. Darlin Larner, who heads the investigation. "We have never been able to get out of the center of the circle."
Larner and three other investigators meet weekly in search of whoecver killed the 41-year-old computer engineer as she and her 5-year-old daughter, Michala, walked in the Potter Park Zoo on June 23, 2001.
"A mother getting killed in front of her daughter in the park. It's going to stick in your memory," Larner told the Detroit Free Press in a report published Monday. "I will never forget that day as long as I live."
The bullet that killed White was fired through a stand of oak trees from at least 120 yards away. It has not been found.
White had filed for divorce a month earlier from her husband, Detective Sgt. Artis White of the Michigan State Police. Artis White said they continued living together amicably, although he did not deny evidence that he was having an affair.
Larner stopped short of calling Artis White a suspect. But he said the state police detective refused to be interviewed since the day of the shooting, and investigators think he knows his wife's killer.
"We do have a suspect in mind," Larner said without elaborating.
White maintains he is innocent and has fully cooperated with police. He has offered $5,000 for information leading to a suspect, and says investigators may have let other leads slip away by focusing on him.
"It's been really traumatic," White said. "I can't have any closure until they find out who killed her. I can't clear my name as a suspect because they don't have anyone else."
White told investigators that on the afternoon of the shooting, he, his wife and Michala attended a birthday party at Potter Park for one of their daughter's friends. He left early to pick up their daughter, Alanna then 7, at another birthday party several miles away.
Bernita White was shot dead at 3:15 p.m. Artis White learned she had been shot when he returned to the zoo at 4:30 p.m.
It was only the beginning of what Bernita White's father, Bennie Sims, called "a real bad, tough year."
State police called Barbara Sims that night to tell her of her daughter's death. The 67-year-old Detroit woman suffered a fatal heart attack.
"Bernita was a very smart girl. I can't imagine any one wanting to murder my daughter," said Bennie Sims, 68. "I've asked myself that a million times."
Police Continue Bernita White Investigation
By: Lori Jane Gliha
Updated: Fri 5:59 PM, Jun 21, 2002
WILX News
http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/30831.html
One year ago Sunday, someone shot Bernita White when she was visiting the Potter Park Zoo with her five-year-old daughter.
One bullet ripped through her arm and pierced her heart. Investigators never found the bullet or the weapon responsible for her death, but they say the search for her killer is still going strong.
Lansing Police Department spokesperson, Steve Mitchell, said the Lansing Police Department and the Michigan State Police have meetings every week to investigate various leads and tips related to White's murder.
Police investigated White's husband, Artis White, just after Bernita White died. He and Bernita White were dealing with divorce and a custody battle before someone shot her. The Lansing Police Department wasn't able to say whether he is still a suspect, but Artis White maintains his innocence.
This weekend also commemorates the death of Bernita's mother. When officials told Bernita's mother of Bernita's death, she suffered a heart attack and died.
June zoo shooting remains unsolved
No arrests made after 9,000 hours of investigation
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
April 28, 2002
By Adam Emerson
Police have interviewed more than 500 people, served nearly 20 search warrants and subpoenas, and combed practically every square foot of Potter Park during the 10-month investigation into the slaying of Bernita White.
Up to 15 detectives spent more than 9,000 hours investigating the sniper-style shooting of the Delta Township woman, killed in front of her 5-year-old daughter while walking into Potter Park Zoo.
Authorities invested more time and resources into White's death than for any city homicide in memory, Lansing police Chief Mark Alley said.
And they've made no arrests.
"This is a very cold crime scene at this point," said Jay Siegel, Michigan State University professor of criminal justice and an expert on physical evidence. " It's a most frustrating kind of crime, and it may never get solved.
"That's the most likely scenario."
Police will discuss few details of the investigation and won't disclose what physical evidence they have. They'll only say that a bullet fragment found in the zoo cannot be linked to White's death, and that her husband, Artis White, a state police detective, remains on a short list of suspects.
Artis White denies involvement, and is angry that police appear to be focused on him. He plans to start his own investigation after June 23, figuring one year is enough for police to have done their own work.
"They can't clear me because they have no one else," White said at his home Saturday. "They would have to explain why they have spent 10 months on this investigation and they have absolutely no one."
Evidence such as the bullet is crucial to link the shooter to the crime, Siegel said. No witnesses have come forward and no one has supplied information linking a killer to the scene.
"It would've happened by now if it was going to happen," Siegel said.
So the investigation is scaling back. A task force of at least 11 Lansing and state police detectives formed within days of the shooting. At first, they met every day, working for three months on nothing but White's killing, Alley said. Then, they met three days a week.
Now, six detectives - three from Lansing, three from the Michigan State Police - meet twice a week.
"This is clearly one of the most time-consuming investigations in my 16 years here," Alley said. The department hasn't tallied the cost, he said.
"The investigators working this case have done everything in their power.
"And we are committed as an organization to getting this solved."
Looking back
June 23 was a sunny Saturday that attracted at least 300 people to the zoo and surrounding park. Bernita White, an EDS systems analyst, walked alongside her daughter, then 5, and some friends toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo.
It was about 3:15 p.m. when the shooter took position behind a fence just east of the old Dakin Street overpass and about 100 yards away from where White, 41, was walking. The shot likely came from a high-powered rifle.
Its single report echoed so loudly that people in the park thought they heard two.
White fell immediately - the bullet struck her in the left arm, pierced her heart and came out her right side. Everyone in the park scattered; zoo employees hustled people out; families scurried hand-in-hand to waiting cars parked along Pennsylvania Avenue.
White died about an hour later at Sparrow Hospital.
The investigation started: 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team immediately canvassed nearby neighborhoods while a state police helicopter hovered overhead.
Police interviewed Artis White for about six hours that night. He told police he had taken the couple's other daughter to a park in Delta Township that afternoon.
Police said he arrived at the zoo about an hour after the shooting, expecting to pick up his wife and child.
Investigators believe marital problems and a custody dispute are among the possible motives White had to kill his wife. But there was nothing unusual about the pending divorce, Artis White contends. The couple lived together in their Delta Township home and shared custody of their two daughters pending further court hearings.
Because of the divorce, he understands why police may have initially suspected him, but not now. He was on paid leave for four months; he has talked to an independent investigator twice; old friends in Las Vegas and Washington state have called to say they have been interviewed by Michigan detectives; and police and prosecutors have interviewed his 8- and 6-year-old children.
"If they had not keyed in on me, they would have found someone else, or at least had a lead," White said. "There's no bullet, no eyewitnesses, no gun to convict the person who did do it."
Investigators had filed about 12 investigative subpoenas to interview people who may have had information. The records are closed to the public, so their names aren't known. And police executed at least seven search warrants, some allowing them to search the Whites' home, offices and computers for notes, letters, diaries and videos.
By the end of 2001, police had spent about 8,000 personnel hours investigating the case. They've clocked at least 1,000 this year.
A cold trail
The slug that killed Bernita White - with its angles and grooves - can tell police the make and model of the gun that fired it, Siegel said. And it's likely the only physical evidence police can still collect this late.
"My own feeling is that it's still around there," he said. "It could have lanced off a rock, and you wouldn't see the mark on that rock. It could have ricocheted anyplace."
A dive team searched the Red Cedar River for the bullet. A crew cut down a tree in the park a week after the shooting, hoping it might contain the slug that killed White. It held only metal drill-bit shavings.
About a month after the shooting, a dog trained to sniff out human tissue found a bullet fragment on the park grounds. Forensic scientists at the state police crime lab in Lansing couldn't match the jagged piece of metal to White's death.
Siegel believes police have done everything they can. They've searched for the bullet, they've talked to people who were at the park, they've interviewed anyone who knew Bernita White.
"I can't think of anything that ought to be done now," Siegel said. "They can keep somebody on it, somebody to take tips from anyone who has information to shed light on it. But memories are starting to fade.
"The trail is getting colder and colder."
Victim's husband offers reward
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
Oct 18, 2001
Trooper back at work; he's still a suspect
South Bend Tribune [South Bend, Ind]
Oct 10 2001
Michigan briefs
LANSING
A state police trooper is back at work, but investigators say they still consider him a suspect in the fatal shooting of his wife near Lansing's zoo.
Detective Sgt. Artis White returned to work Monday after being placed on paid leave June 29 while Lansing and state police detectives investigated the June 23 shooting death of his wife, 41- year-old Bernita White, The Lansing State Journal reported Tuesday.
No one has been charged.
Credit: Wire Reports
Suspect in zoo killing returns to police job
Investigators still seeking information on June 23 shooting
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
October 09, 2001
By Adam Emerson
A state police trooper returned to work Monday, even though investigators consider him a suspect in the shooting death of his wife.
Detective Sgt. Artis White was placed on paid leave June 29 while Lansing and state police detectives investigated the June 23 shooting death of Bernita White at Potter Park.
Artis White remains on a short list of suspects who police believe had a motive to kill the 41-year-old Delta Township woman. No one has been charged with her death. Police won't reveal the other suspects.
State police officials wouldn't say why White was allowed to return to work. They would only release a written statement showing that the director of the state police, Col. Michael Robinson , ordered White to return to regular duty and full pay.
"My client is happy to be back at work," said David Clark , an Okemos attorney who has represented White in divorce proceedings and has spoken for him since the shooting. "Hopefully, he can put this investigative part of the case behind him and people can move forward and find the true killer."
Bernita White was shot once at about 3:15 p.m. while walking with her 5-year-old daughter toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance.
Police listed marital problems and a custody dispute involving the couple's children among the reasons why they believe Artis White had a motive to kill his wife.
After the shooting, investigators received several search warrants for the White's Delta Township home.
Artis White was at a northwest Delta Township park 15 minutes after the Lansing park shooting, Clark said.
He said White was with his wife just minutes before the shooting, and it would have been impossible for him to have fired the shot and be seen at the Delta Township park so soon after.
The Whites were married for 11 years.
Artis White is a detective in the private security and investigation unit. He's been with the state police since August 1988.
Lansing police officials, who have assigned six detectives to the Bernita White homicide, say Artis White is still a suspect and his return to work has little impact on the investigation.
"His employment status is not a concern to us," Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said. "That's the business of the state police. They have to make those types of decisions."
Appeal Filed by Artis White to quash subpoena for private investigator's records
September 24, 2001
Artis White appealed right from an order authorizing the issuance of an investigating subpoena by the Ingham County Prosecutor on a private investigator hired by Artis White to investigate the decedent - Bernita White - in a divorce proceeding pending at the time of Bernita's death.
In court papters filed the day before her death, Bernita White accused her husband of hiring a private investigator to follow her after she filed for divorce.
Bernita White also said her husband told her he had videotape of her at a motel with another man, and told her he would release the videotape unless she agreed to joint physical custody of the couple's two children.
FC: Woman stalked by Michigan cop via police databases is murdered
Seclists.org
From: Declan McCullagh
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 10:35:36 -0400
http://seclists.org/politech/2001/Aug/40
http://www.freep.com/news/mich/lein8_20010808.htm
Police say suspended cop abused database
Detective says he checked on wife before her fatal shooting
August 8, 2001
BY M. L. ELRICK
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A State Police detective whose estranged wife was shot dead at the Potter Park Zoo admitted using police databases such as the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) to check on his wife and her acquaintances, according to Lansing police search warrant requests.
State Police Detective Sgt. Artis White is not suspected of shooting Bernita White, 41, on June 23 as she walked with the couple's 5-year-old daughter. But Lansing Police Detective Jon Priebe, who is investigating the case, alleged the requests that "Artis White had a motive and may have contracted someone to kill his wife."
Artis White said he did not tell police he abused the LEIN and referred all other questions to his attorney, David Clark. Clark did not return calls Tuesday.
The warrant requests, unsealed last week, portray White as obsessive.
Priebe wrote that White admitted hiring a private investigator to follow his wife and "that he had been inappropriately using police facilities such as Law Enforcement Information Network records to check on his wife and persons she was seeing."
Police say suspended cop abused database
Detective says he checked on wife before her fatal shooting
August 8, 2001
By M. L. Elrick
Free Press
http://www.freep.com/news/mich/lein8_20010808.htm
A State Police detective whose estranged wife was shot dead at the Potter Park Zoo admitted using police databases such as the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) to check on his wife and her acquaintances, according to Lansing police search warrant requests.
State Police Detective Sgt. Artis White is not suspected of shooting Bernita White, 41, on June 23 as she walked with the couple's 5-year-old daughter. But Lansing Police Detective Jon Priebe, who is investigating the case, alleged the requests that "Artis White had a motive and may have contracted someone to kill his wife."
Artis White said he did not tell police he abused the LEIN and referred all other questions to his attorney, David Clark. Clark did not return calls Tuesday.
The warrant requests, unsealed last week, portray White as obsessive.
Priebe wrote that White admitted hiring a private investigator to follow his wife and "that he had been inappropriately using police facilities such as Law Enforcement Information Network records to check on his wife and persons she was seeing."
The Free Press reported last week that more than 90 Michigan police officers, dispatchers, federal agents and security guards have abused the LEIN over the past five years to stalk women, threaten motorists and settle scores.
With as little as a name or license plate number, the LEIN allows users to see vehicle registrations, driving histories and confidential information such as whether a person applied for a concealed weapon permit or has a suppressed juvenile record.
State lawmakers and the LEIN policy council, which oversees the network, are trying to make police more accountable for improper use.
"Unfortunately, abuse of the system is taking place," said state Sen. Loren Bennett, R-Canton Township, who authored legislation that passed the Senate this year allowing regulators to lock out police who misuse the LEIN. The bill will go to the House in the fall.
"This is extremely private and delicate information that must be protected," he said.
State Police Lt. Dave Peltomaa said troopers have not determined whether White abused the LEIN. He said investigators' first priority is finding his wife's killer.
White, a 13-year veteran of the State Police, has been on a paid leave since June 29.
Peltomaa said the leave is not disciplinary, but meant to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. State police are assisting Lansing police in their investigation.
Although White is not suspected of pulling the trigger, Lansing police said, they believe he may know who shot his wife a month after she filed for divorce.
Priebe's search warrant requests seek permission to check White's computer and the computer of a Holt woman with whom he was allegedly having an affair.
"Evidence pertaining to the homicide of Bernita White may reasonably be present in the computer to be searched and/ or same may lead to other information identifying the person who shot Bernita White," Priebe wrote.
The warrants paint an unflattering picture of the Whites' crumbling marriage.
The warrants quote Bernita White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims of Detroit, as saying "Artis had her killed," when a trooper informed her of her daughter's death.
Sims died after getting the news. Mother and daughter were buried in the same week last month.
Lawyer says husband was miles away
Witnesses put man at Delta Twp. Park after zoo shooting
Published 8/8/01
By Adam Emerson
Lansing State Journal
http://www.lsj.com/news/local/010808ZOO.html
Witnesses place Artis White at a Delta Township park less than 20 minutes after his wife was killed on June 23, White's attorney said Tuesday.
Okemos lawyer David Clark said at least two witnesses told him the state police detective was at Delta Mills Park between 3:33 p.m. and 3:35 p.m.
Artis White left Potter Park just minutes before Bernita White was shot in front of her 5-year-old daughter at about 3:15 p.m. outside the zoo's entrance, Clark said.
"He'd have to leave the park, set himself up, wait for her to do something, shoot, get in the car, and leave and look calm and cool to everybody,'' he said. "And I-496 was closed."
Artis White went to the park at Old River Trail and Armstrong Road in northwest Delta Township to pick up the couple's 7- year-old daughter from a birthday party, said Clark, who represented Artis White in divorce proceedings before the shooting.
Clark was responding to police accusations in a search warrant that White might have killed his wife. The warrants, which had been sealed by a district court judge, were opened July 28.
The warrants allowed police to search the Whites' Delta Township home, computer files and Bernita White's office at EDS in Lansing.
Police wouldn't talk Tuesday about the time that elapsed between the shooting and Artis White's arrival at the Delta Township park.
"It's important to safeguard certain aspects of the investigation," Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Police believe that Artis White had enough time to fire the shot, the search warrants said.
Hall said investigators still consider Artis White a suspect in the shooting. No one has been charged in the killing.
The search warrant lists a pending divorce and a private investigator hired by White as possible motives in the killing.
But Clark said there was nothing unusual about the divorce - the Whites lived in the same house, a personal protection order was never filed and there were no allegations of physical abuse.
White did admit that he hired a private investigator to follow his wife. At a custody hearing for the couple's children, Artis threatened to show a videotape of his wife with another man.
"He said to her, if custody is an issue and adultery is an issue, we'll demonstrate you were having an affair, too," Clark said. Artis White told police he was having an affair with a Michigan State Police employee, search warrants showed.
White has cooperated with police, Clark said. He was interviewed for six hours after the shooting, and offered many items from his home and cars for police to look at even before search warrants were filed, he said.
In all, police have taken White's shoes, shirt, phone, video camera and cassettes, the family computer, compact discs and Bernita White's day calender, he said.
According to search warrants, Artis White admitted using the Law Enforcement Information Network to check on his wife's whereabouts. Clark wouldn't comment on that.
White is a state police detective in the private security and investigation unit. He's been with state police since August 1988.
He remains on indefinite paid leave from the state police while detectives from that agency assist Lansing police in their investigation.
State police involvement in the investigation angers White, Clark said. White filed a lawsuit against the state police on Feb. 8 alleging racial discrimination. The lawsuit claims White was refused a promotion because he's black.
State police Lt. Dave Peltomaa said the lawsuit, pending in Ingham County Circuit Court, has no bearing on the investigation into Bernita White's death.
"Our investigators are of the highest integrity and professionalism," Peltomaa said. "They're not going to let anything cloud the way they assist in this investigation."
Clark said White is frustrated by the police investigation.
"He knows the investigation has to go this way," he said. "He knows he would have been a logical suspect.
"But he knows he didn't do it. It hurts him a lot."
August 2001 -
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
The Circuit Court granted the Ingham County prosecutor's motion and reversed the August 06, 2001 order to quash the investigative subpoena for Artis White's private investigator's records. Charles Rettstadt was served with the subpoena to produce all records.
August 2001 -
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
The Ingham County Prosecutor moved for reconsideration of the Circuit Court's August 06, 2001 order granting the motion to quash the subpoena for Artis White's private investigator's records.
August 06, 2001
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
August 06, 2001 - Artis White's motion to quash the Ingham County Prosecutor's investigative subpoena for his private investigator's records was granted.
Warrant: Husband had motive
Police list reasons detective is suspect in wife's shooting at zoo
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
August 02, 2001
By Adam Emerson
Police have shortened a list of suspects in the June 23 shooting death of Bernita White - and her husband is still on it.
Newly released search warrants list reasons investigators believe Artis White, a state police detective, might have killed his wife in Potter Park or hired someone to kill her.
"Artis White has not been eliminated as a suspect," Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Hall wouldn't discuss details of several warrants that allowed police to search the couple's Delta Township home, computers and Bernita White's office at EDS in Lansing. Lansing District Judge Patrick Cherry sealed the warrants for 30 days on June 28 to keep the sensitive investigation from public scrutiny.
Police wouldn't say when they searched or what they found. No one has been charged in the killing.
Okemos attorney David Clark, who represented Artis White in divorce proceedings and has spoken for him since the shooting, declined to comment on the search warrants Wednesday. His client - whom Clark says is innocent - has been out of town.
"I need to discuss this matter with my client first," Clark said. "I'll talk about this tomorrow."
In the warrants, detectives list reasons they believe Artis White had a motive to kill his wife:
* White didn't want the divorce his wife filed for on May 24 and hired a private investigator to follow her.
* Friends of Bernita White told police her husband might have eavesdropped on his wife's telephone calls and she was afraid her husband might kill her.
* At a custody hearing for the couple's children, Artis White threatened to show a videotape of his wife with another man.
* White initially told police he never had an extramarital affair. But he later admitted to police he'd been having an affair with a Michigan State Police employee, the warrants said.
* White admitted using the Law Enforcement Information Network to check on his wife's whereabouts, the warrants said.
Clark has said White didn't kill his wife of 11 years. He has said that the divorce and custody battle doesn't implicate his client. Eaton County Circuit Judge Thomas Eveland ruled on June 15 that the Whites would have joint custody of their two daughters.
Clark has pointed out that the couple were living in the same house, a personal protection order was never filed and there were no allegations of physical abuse.
White was shot once about 3:30 p.m. June 23 while walking next to the couple's 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo.
Artis White was with his wife and others for a party at the park but left to pick up the couple's 8-year-old daughter about 3:05 p.m. from a park in Delta Township, the warrants said.
He returned to Potter Park about 4:30 p.m. - one hour after White was shot. Detectives believe he had enough time to fire the shot, the warrant said. Police interviewed him for six hours the night of the shooting.
White is a state police detective in the private security and investigation unit.
White remains on indefinite paid leave from the state police while detectives from that agency assist Lansing police in their investigation.
State police Lt. Dave Peltomaa wouldn't discuss whether Artis White used the Law Enforcement Information Network to track his wife.
"We don't know if (Lansing police) found anything that could prove those allegations," Peltomaa said. "That's all they are - allegations."
Investigators still aren't sure whether a bullet fragment found in Potter Park on July 18 is the slug that killed Bernita White.
Test results in the investigation should be back within a week, Hall said.
Bullet found at zoo awaits tests
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Friday, July 27, 2001
LANSING -- Further tests are needed on a bullet fragment to determine if it's the slug that killed a suburban Lansing woman near the city zoo, police say. Such tests will take at least another week, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Police originally had hoped to know this week if it was part of the bullet that killed 41-year-old BernitaWhite of Eaton County's Delta Township who was shot June 23 as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter. BernitaWhite 's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed.
July 26, 2001
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
July 26, 2001 - Artis White filed a motion to quash the Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 subpoena for the records of the private investigator - Charles Rettstadt - whom White had hired to follow Bernita after she filed for divorce in May 2001.
More tests needed on bullet found at zoo shooting scene
July 21, 2001
The Argus Press
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - Further tests are needed on a bullet fragment to determine if it's the slug that killed a suburban Lansing woman near the city zoo, police say.
Such tests will take at least another week, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall told the Lansing State Journal for a story Thursday.
The bullet fragment was found in Lansing's Potter park last week by a dog trained to sniff out human tissue.
Police originally had hoped to know this week if it was part of the bullet that killed 41-year-old Bernita White of Eaton County's Delta Township who was shot June 23 as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police have not commented on what type of gun fired the bullet, and have no one in custody.
Bernita White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed.
Police say more tests needed on park bullet
Investigators hope to find out if slug killed Bernita White
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
July 26, 2001
By Adam Emerson
Investigators still aren't sure whether a bullet fragment found in Potter Park last week is the slug that killed Bernita White.
Police had hoped to know Wednesday if they had the slug that shot through the 41-year-old Delta Township woman. But further testing will last at least another week, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
A dog trained to sniff out human tissue found the bullet fragment after a 15-minute search July 18.
Police disavow initial TV reports that the bullet being tested was the slug that killed White.
"We would appreciate if information or speculation was confirmed through this office before being broadcast to the public,'' Hall said. "Needless speculation is not in the best interest of the community or this investigation."
White, the wife of state police Detective Artis White, was shot while walking with her 5-year-old daughter toward the zoo's entrance about 3:30 p.m. June 23.
The bullet fragment the dog found had an outer covering of metal - what's called a full metal jacket.
Police have had no comment on what type of gun could have fired the bullet, but retired state police shooting reconstruction expert David Townshend has said such a shot would likely have come from a high-powered rifle.
Police have no one in custody.
Nor is anyone in custody for the shooting death of Lansing business owner Delayno Hudson, the city's first homicide victim this year.
Hudson was killed inside his cellular phone store in north Lansing two days before White was killed.
State police on to next era in crime analysis
July 21, 2001
Lansing State Journal
Zoo shooter gun-savvy, expert says
Retired police officer says person was well prepared
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
July 11, 2001
By Adam Emerson
The person who fired the shot that killed Bernita White at Potter Park likely planned the attack thoroughly, a shooting expert said Tuesday.
The shooter knew what gun to use, what bullet was needed and measured the distance, said David Townshend, a retired Michigan State Police crime scene investigator and a specialist in shooting reconstruction.
"This isn't someone going into Kmart and buying a gun,'' said Townshend, who works in private forensic practice now.
"The scope was zeroed in, they knew exactly what firearm to use. They were familiar with what they were using."
White, 41, was shot once about 3:30 p.m. June 23 while walking next to her 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance of Potter Park Zoo.
Police believe the shooter was stationed along the park's fence, just east of the old Dakin Street overpass and about 100 yards away from the Delta Township woman.
The shot likely came from a high-powered rifle, but one that could be easily hidden, Townshend said.
"I can't see someone walking out of here with a full-size rifle,'' he said. "You could have had it in a shopping bag.''' The bullet shot past playground and picnic areas where at least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon. It struck White in the left arm, pierced her heart and came out her right side.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall wouldn't comment on many of Townshend's observations.
"There's more questions than answers,'' Hall said. "We can speculate, but we'd have endless speculation. This investigation is going to be grounded in fact."
Hall admitted, though, that the possibility that White was chosen randomly would be remote.
"It's more than likely she was the intended target,'' he said. "But it would be inappropriate not to explore every possibility and every possible scenario."
Townshend agrees that the shooting raises bizarre questions: Why did the shooter wait until White was walking? Why was the shot fired into a densely packed crowd? Why was the shot made from such a distance?
Targeting her would have been easier had White been standing still, Townshend said. White was walking shoulder-to-shoulder in a crowd. And a child or picnicker near the path of the bullet could have been struck if he or she had moved at the wrong time.
But the shot - from a gun with a scope - would only be difficult for someone unskilled with a rifle, Townshend said. Hall agreed.
But police don't have the gun that was used, nor the bullet that passed through White.
Police believe the bullet exited White at an angle. Based on that exit wound, investigators searched the Red Cedar River for the slug just days after the shooting and they cut down a rotted oak tree that showed what they thought was a bullet hole.
But detectives never found the bullet.
Standing on the banks of the murky river, Townshend found it unlikely that the shot would have gone past the cars and trucks that packed the parking lot that day. It's more likely the bullet lodged in one of those vehicles.
Because of that, there remains hope that the slug could be found, he said. Once the bullet is found, the caliber and manufacture of the weapon can be determined.
"It gives them a lead,'' he said.
And a lead, police say, is what they need to crack a case that has attracted national attention. Six detectives from the Lansing police and five detectives from the state police work on nothing but the investigation into White's death.
"We've placed more resources in this case than we have in any homicide in memory,'' Hall said.
Police had said that anyone who knew White was considered a suspect, but Hall said the suspect list has narrowed. He wouldn't say if anyone is considered a prime suspect.
Police have made no arrests and have no one in custody. Ingham County prosecutors filed a warrant in Lansing District Court on June 28 to search the home of Artis and Bernita White.
Artis White, a state police trooper, was interviewed for six hours after the shooting. But David Clark, who represented Artis White in divorce proceedings and has spoken for him since the shooting, has said his client didn't kill his wife of 11 years.
Standing in the middle of the bustling park, Townshend said it's difficult to imagine that someone didn't see something that would lead police to White's killer.
"If you had that many people here - maybe someone did see something."
At the scene: This view of Potter Park, taken from the likely vantage point of the shooter, shows where Bernita White was shot and killed June 23. No arrests have been made. Police still have not recovered the bullet.
Expert: Retired state police crime scene investigator David Townshend stands near a fence in Potter Park where a shooter could have fired the fatal shot at Bernita White. Townshend said the shooter is someone familiar with guns who knew what kind of weapon to use.
Lansing police say the bullet that killed Bernita White came from the northern border of the park. It shot past the children's play area and picnic tables before hitting White. Police believe the bullet landed in the southeast section of the park but it hasn't been recovered.
News In Brief
The Marshall Chronicle
Saturday, July 7, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - A Lansing judge has sealed search warrants in the case of the fatal shooting of Bernita White at the city zoo, including a warrant that allowed police to search White's home.
Judges often seal warrants in high-profile homicide investigations. In this case, Ingham County prosecutors requested that the warrants be kept from the public because the investigation is ongoing.
They also said they wanted to avoid scrutiny for White's husband, Artis White, who is a suspect in the case. Artis White, who is a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police, has denied any involvement in the shooting.
Lansing police wouldn't say when or why the White's home was searched.
Judge Patrick Cherry agreed to seal the warrants on June 28, five days after 41-year-old Bernita White was shot as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police hunt for bullet
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Friday, July 6, 2001
LANSING -- Police are still searching for the bullet that killed a state trooper's wife as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police cut down an oak tree in Potter Park last week to investigate a bullet-size hole in the tree's side that was setting off metal detectors. But Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said Thursday that the hole yielded no bullet.
Hall said investigators from Lansing and the Michigan State Police are continuing almost daily searches of Potter Park. He said he doesn't know when charges will be filed for the murder of 41-year-old BernitaWhite , who was killed June 23 by a gunshot.
In May, BernitaWhite filed for divorce from her husband, Artis White , who is a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police.
Artis White has denied any involvement in the shooting
News In Brief
The Marshall Chronicle
Friday, July 6, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - Police are still searching for the bullet that killed a state trooper's wife as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police cut down an oak tree in Potter Park last week to investigate a bullet-size hold in the tree's side that was setting off metal detectors. But Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said Thursday that the hole yielded no bullet and was most likely caused by a drill.
Hall said investigators from Lansing and the Michigan State Police are continuing almost daily searches of Potter Park. He said he doesn't know when charges will be filed for the murder of 41-year-old Bernita White, who was killed June 23 by a gunshot fired from more than 100 yards away.
"We have no timeline for when charges are expected to be filed," he said. "We don't win points being quick. Our job is to do a thorough, meticulous investigation."
Hall added that police have collected other physical evidence in the case, but he wouldn't elaborate on the nature of that evidence.
White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed. Both women were buried last week.
Judge seals warrants in zoo shooting
One search occurred at home that victim, her husband shared Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Michigan
July 6, 2001
A Lansing District judge has sealed search warrants in the homicide investigation of a state trooper's wife.
At least one warrant allowed police to search the Delta Township home of Artis and Bernita White, court documents show.
Bernita White, 41, was fatally shot from more than 100 yards away about 3:30 p.m. June 23 while walking with her 5-year- old daughter toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo.
Lansing police wouldn't say when or why the White home was searched. Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III wouldn't say why his office made the request to seal the warrants.
Judge Patrick Cherry signed the prosecutors' request June 28 - five days after a bullet went through the woman's arm and heart.
In a court document, prosecutors listed these reasons why the warrants should be suppressed:
"A course of investigation is indicated through the several search warrants sought in this matter. If made public, that course of investigation may become known to a suspect, thereby allowing that person or persons to interfere with obtaining the information or obstructing the obtaining of the information sought.
"A present focus and purpose of the investigation is to eliminate the deceased's husband as a suspect. In order to do so, he must be treated as a suspect. Publication of some materials in these search warrants may be unduly humiliating or embarrassing if he is cleared as a suspect.
"The search warrants involve a murder investigation. No one has been arrested and all suspects remain at-large because no warrants have been issued pending further investigation. Sources which have been providing information are fearful because they have provided information about a suspect. If the fact they have provided information is made known, the sources may be harmed and/or provide no further information."
Police have made no arrests and have no one in custody. Investigators had said they're looking at Bernita White's relationships.
Investigators continue to look for the bullet that killed White after failing to find it in a tree they cut down last week.
The Whites were in the process of getting divorced. Okemos attorney David Clark, who represented Artis White in divorce proceedings and has spoken for White since the shooting, couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.
Mark Gribben, public affairs manager for the Michigan Press Association, said it's becoming more common for investigators to ask a judge to close a search warrant.
"I think it's a disturbing trend,'' Gribben said. "The idea that authorities would serve a warrant in secret - it sounds more like a tool used in a police state than a free democracy."
Gribben said judges are more likely to suppress a warrant during a high-profile homicide investigation. Often, investigators believe releasing details during such public scrutiny would hamper their work, Gribben said.
Police interviewed Artis White for six hours on the day of the shooting. Clark said his client didn't shoot and kill his wife of 11 years.
White is on paid leave be cause state police are involved in the investigation.
Police believe Bernita White was targeted - either randomly or by someone who wanted to harm her.
Investigators had said that anyone who knew her was considered a suspect.
"But we've eliminated potential suspects,'' Hall said. "There still remains a significant pool of witnesses that we will continue to interview and reinterview."
Bullet not yet recovered in zoo shooting investigation
The Argus Press
Owosso, Michigan
Fri., July 6, 2001
Dee-Ann Durbin
Associated Press
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - Police are still searching for the bullet that killed a state trooper's wife as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police cut down an oak tree in Potter Park last week to investigate a bullet-size hole in the tree's side that was setting off metal detectors. But Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said Thursday that the hole yielded no bullet and was most likely cause by a drill.
Hall said investigators from Lansing and Michigan State Police are continuing almost daily searches of Potter Park. He said he doesn't know when charges will be filed for the murder of 41-year-old Bernita White, who was killed June 23 by a gunshot fired from more than 100 yards away.
"We have no timeline for when charges are expected to be filed," he said. "We don't win points for being quick. Our job is to do a thorough, meticulous investigation."
Hall added that police have collected other physical evidence in the case, but he wouldn't elaborate on the nature of that evidence.
White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed. Both women were buried last week.
In May, Bernita White filed for divorce from her husband, Artis White, who is a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. The two were still living together with their two children in Eaton County's Delta Township when Bernita White was killed.
In court papters filed the day before her death, Bernita White accused her husband of hiring a private investigator to follow here after she filed for divorce.
Bernita White also said her husband told her he had videotape of her at a motel with another man, and told her he would release the videotape unless she agreed to joint physical custody of the couple's two children.
Hall said Artis White, who attended a picnic with his wife before the shooting, is among the "Key witnesses" in the case. Police have interviewed him once and plan to interview him and several other people again next week, Hall said.
Search for fatal bullet to continue
Tests on oak tree fail to locate slug in shooting at zoo
July 04, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Katie Matvias
Investigators could head back to Potter Park as early as today to continue searching for the bullet that killed Bernita White.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said Michigan State Police examined a portion of an oak tree cut down Friday but found only metal fragments, possibly left from a drill.
"We are disappointed we haven't found the bullet to date. However, we continue to search for it and remain optimistic,'' Hall said.
' Police are asking anyone who parked their car at the park to check for any bullet holes.
Metal fragments left by the drill likely caused the metal detector to go off, he said.
"We looked at this tree and it had a perfectly round role consistent with a bullet hole,'' Hall said. "Apparently what it was - and we were concerned about it - is that it looks like a hole made by the Forestry Department."
White, 41, was walking with her 5-year-old daughter at about 3:30 p.m. June 23 near the Potter Park Zoo entrance when she was shot and killed. Police have been searching for the single bullet that hit White and passed through her body.
Police believe the shot came from a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth - about 100 yards from where White walked when she was hit.
Lansing police were at the park Friday morning searching for the tree they believed held the bullet. The Michigan State Police showed Lansing police the area of the park where the bullet could have landed.
State police Detective Lt. Dave Peltomaa wouldn't comment on the tree that police cut down. Five state police investigators, with better technology and more resources, joined Lansing detectives last week to help with the case.
Police examined all the trees in that area of the park and cut down a tree that had a small round hole in it - the tree they hoped held a vital piece of evidence.
"The bullet is important in that all evidence is important in a homicide,'' Hall said. "It's not essential in order to prosecute but it's a piece of evidence that does have value and we will continue to search for it."
Hall said the police department might hire private organizations that specialize in find ing small pieces of evidence in large areas.
Lansing police investigate tree for clues in shooting
The Argus-Press
Owosso, Michigan
July 3, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - More than a week after a woman was fatally shot outside the city zoo, Lansing police aren't yet ready to name a suspect.
But Lt. Ray Hall said Monday that police will soon announce the results of their investigation of a bullet-sized hold in a tree near the Potter Park Zoo.
Hall said the tree was cut down over the weekend and taken to a lab to see if a bullet could be found inside it.
The bullet could be an important clue in discovering who killed 41-year-old Bernita White, who was shot once on June 23 as she was approaching the zoo with her 5-year-old daughter. Police have said the shot was fired from more than 100 yards away.
White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed. Both women were buried last week.
In May, Bernita White had filed for divorce from her husband, Artis White, who is a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. The two were still living together in Eaton County's Delta Township when Bernita White was killed.
In court papers filed the day before her death, Bernita White accused her husband of hiring a private investigator to follow her after she filed for divorce.
Bernita White said her husband also told her he had a videotape of her at a motel with another man, and told her he would release the videotape unless she agreed to joint custody physical custody of the couple's two children.
Artis White's attorney, David Clark was on vacation and couldn't be reached for comment Monday. Clark has denied that his client was involved in Bernita White's shooting
Zoo shooting stirs uneasiness
But violent crime actually on decline in Ingham County
July 01, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Sharon Terlep
Teressa Blanchett knows her eastside Lansing neighborhood isn't more dangerous because Bernita White was killed.
But she can't shake the feeling of fear.
The mother of two daughters won't visit Potter Park Zoo, where White was fatally shot June 23 while walking with her 5-year-old daughter. Her family doesn't ride the bike trail that winds through the park.
"Not until we know what happened,'' said Blanchett, who lives in a tree-lined neighborhood a block away from the park.
"I don't think anything would happen. But I'm sure this person didn't expect anything either."
Blanchett's feelings are shared by others - but they don't match statistics that show violent crime is on the decline.
Attendance at the zoo is down 20 percent to 30 percent from last week, something officials say is at least somewhat connected to the shooting. The muggy weather and upcoming holiday also contributed to the drop, they said.
"It's going to take some time to get back to normal,'' said Murdock Jemerson, director of Lansing's Parks and Recreation department.
No one's been charged in the death of the 41-year-old Delta Township woman. On Friday, Lansing police cut down a tree they think may hold the bullet that killed her.
Lansing police spokesman Lt. Raymond Hall said results are expected back early next week. Police didn't conduct any searches Saturday.
Attacks like the one that killed White make communities uneasy, said Audry Martini, director of outreach for Michigan State University's school of criminal justice.
"You want to think that drug dealers are shot, that gang members are shot,'' she said. "But when good, upstanding citizens are shot minding their own business, you think, 'If she has done nothing to get shot, then it could happen to me.'''
People become afraid and are more likely to feel trapped, she said. And they're less likely to visit public places, such as the zoo.' "The psychological impact is great enough that it spurs action,'' Martini said. "That's why people leave the cities."
The reaction can come despite the realities of the crime, said state police Detective Dave Peltomaa.
"There's no indication that this is anything but an isolated incident,'' he said. "But people want to have certain areas where they feel safe. When something like this happens, it's an assault on that feeling of security."
Until last week, Lansing had no homicides this year - the first time that's happened since 1983. At this time last year, there were five.
And although the murder rate in Ingham County rose by 40 percent between 1994 and 1998, violent crime has decreased overall, according to the most recent statistics from state police.
"This is shocking that a life was lost in Potter Park Zoo,'' Hall said. "Before this, open alcohol was a major concern at the zoo."
Police have increased patrols at the park. Officers will go through in cars and on bikes and motorcycles, Hall said.
Hall said the park is safe for visitors.
"We would never open the park if we thought there was an immediate danger."
At the time of the shooting, Terry Cronk was at the zoo. Cronk, who lives in Coleman about 100 miles north of Lansing, stopped at the zoo after going to a powwow at Riverfront Park.
"I've always thought of the park as such a quiet and pristine place,'' said Cronk, who worked for 30 years at a Lansing Oldsmobile plant.
The shooting won't keep him from Lansing or from visiting the park, he said.
It still makes him feel vulnerable.
"I guess it can happen to anyone,'' he said. "All that someone has to do is pick you as a target and find someplace to hide.
"You're at their mercy."
Jemerson said business at the park has been steadily picking up. A birthday party and pavilion rental were canceled last week, but about 500 people visited Thursday despite the humid, near-90-degree heat, he said.
Merlin Jenkins brought his wife and 6-year-old step- daughter to the zoo Thursday. He said the shooting didn't faze him.
"I think it's brought some public awareness that this kind of thing can happen,'' he said.
"But I don't think it would ever happen again."
Woman shot at zoo is buried in Lansing; hundreds mourn
The Argus - Press
Owosso, Michigan
Sunday, July 1, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - The suburban Lansing woman who was shot and killed last week at the local zoo was memorialized Friday in a funeral attended by hundreds of tearful relatives and friends.
At least 400 people packed the Union Missionary Baptist Church as the Rev. Melvin Jones tried to explain the tragedy that took the life of Bernita White, a 41-year-old Delta Township woman.
"There are some who would suggest that this is God's will," Jones said. "I would suggest that this is not God's will."
"It is not God's will for Bernita to be in this box."
A police procession led the mourners to the Deepdale Memorial Park & Mausoleum where White was to be buried.
Meanwhile, Lansing police said they were still investigating the shooting, and had no new developments.
Detectives were paging through dozens of tips, photographs and videotapes, said Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall.
"They range from people who heard the shot to people who want to share a theory with us," Hall told the Lansing State Journal for a Friday story.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. last Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing the shooter.
The zoo remained closed through the weekend as police searched for the bullet and other evidence. It reopened Monday.
White's husband, Artis White, is a state police detective sergeant. He was with his wife and daughter earlier in the day and arrived half an hour after the shooting to pick them up, police said.
When state police troopers in Detroit told White's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, that her daughter had been shot and killed, she died of a heart attack.
Bernita White had filed for divorce last month, but still lived with her husband. They had two daughters.
Funeral services for White's mother were scheduled for Saturday in Detroit.
Missing bullet in zoo slaying may be in tree
Police plan to X-ray part of oak cut down in shooting probe
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 30, 2001
By Katie Matvias
Lansing police Friday morning cut down a Potter Park tree they hope holds the bullet that killed Bernita White.' "We are going to X-ray the section of the tree that we believe may have the bullet,'' Lt. Raymond Hall said. "We'll find out if it's there early next week."
The oak tree was about 75 yards from the front entrance of the zoo. The tree stump, about 20 inches wide, was cut close to the ground.
After studying possible flight paths, state police showed Lansing police an area where the bullet could have landed.
Lansing police were at the park for much of the day, Hall said.
"They had to meticulously examine each tree looking for a very small hole, and this tree had damage which is consistent with a possible bullet hole,'' he said.
Police cut down the tree after they realized it was rotted. They sent the portion where the bullet may be lodged to a state police forensics lab.
White, 41, was walking with her 5-year-old daughter about 3:30 p.m. June 23 near the Potter Park Zoo entrance when she was shot and killed. Police have been searching for the single bullet that passed through the Delta Township woman.
"We've been looking in the river. We've been looking at rocks. We've been looking in the grass and trees searching for this bullet,'' Hall said. "We're not going to walk away until we find it."
Police believe the bullet - probably fired from a rifle about 100 yards away - came from a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth.
Police are asking anyone who may have had their car at the park to check if the bullet may have lodged in a car or left a bullet hole. If they find something, residents should leave it alone and call police at 483-4600.
State police Lt. Dave Peltomaa declined to comment about the tree.
Police continue to interview people who knew White.
Her husband, state police Detective Sgt. Artis White, has been placed on paid leave while state police help Lansing detectives, Peltomaa said.' "The public deserves some assurance that the investigation is being conducted in an impartial manner, free from undue influence,'' state police Col. Michael Robinson said in a statement.
Lansing police interviewed Artis White for six hours after the slaying. Investigators maintain that anyone who knew Bernita White is considered a suspect.
Artis White's family attorney has said his client didn't kill his wife.
"This is not disciplinary,'' Peltomaa said of White's paid leave. "The public is just entitled to feel confident."
White's badge, gun and police identification were taken, which is standard procedure when a trooper is placed on leave. He'll be on leave for 15 days, Peltomaa said.
Police theory: A stump remains from a tree in Potter Park Zoo that police believe may have stopped the bullet that killed Bernita White. Police theorize that the shooter fired from the woods in the background, hitting White, who was in the same location as the family shown here. The bullet's flight path would have brought it to rest in the tree. Map: Steve Reed/ Lansing State Journal
Mourners say goodbye at funeral
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 30, 2001
By Adam Emerson
The Rev. Melvin Jones peered down at the flower- lined casket Friday and told the 400 people who packed his Lansing church what they already knew.
"It is not God's will for Bernita to be in this box."
Bernita White's family, friends and co-workers filled the Union Missionary Baptist Church to say goodbye to the mother of two.
White was shot once about 3:30 p.m. June 23 while walking next to her 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo. No one has been charged in her death.
Jones, accustomed with using faith to interpret horror, had trouble finding an explanation for why a bullet struck the 41-year-old Delta Township woman.
"There are some who would suggest that this is God's will,'' Jones said. "I would suggest that this is not God's will. God would have wanted her to live.
"But we are here."
One by one, family and friends stepped up to share their memories of White.
Artis White, Bernita's husband, paused briefly to compose himself between each sentence that described his wife of 11 years during his eulogy.
"Bernita was a loving, caring woman,'' said White, a state police detective. "Everybody knows that.
"Bernita has taught us all a lesson - live tomorrow today."
He also talked about news reports of his wife's death, a case that has drawn national headlines. And he talked about the police investigation.
"Despite the media and police basking in the glory of their sensationalism, God's will will be there."
Police interviewed White for six hours after the slaying. Investigators maintain, though, that anyone who knew Bernita White is considered a suspect. Artis White's family attorney has said his client didn't shoot and kill his wife.
A common question through the service: How could 5- and 7- year-old girls lose their mother and grandmother so quickly?
Bernita's mother, Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack after learning her daughter was shot and killed, six hours after White died.
Funeral services for the 67- year-old Detroit woman are 10 a.m. today at the First Tabernacle Church of Detroit.
At the church Friday, some people sat stonefaced. Some left their seats to weep outside the church. And children carried on fathers' shoulders fought back the tears welled up in their eyes.
Kim Lyons remembered the joy Bernita White felt when she arranged the photos of her daughters, marking their steady growth.
"You are my spirit lifter, my laughter shared, my soul sister,'' Lyons said of White. "You are my forever friend."
As the flowers followed the casket, small groups huddled to share their memories of White. A police procession then led the mourners to the Deepdale Memorial Park & Mausoleum where White was buried.
As Jones tried to help people make sense of White's death, he was mindful that violence is all too common.
"Too often, we've been visited with human tragedy,'' Jones said. "This won't be the last time.''' Contact Adam Emerson at 377- 1058 or aemerson@lsj.com.
"I would suggest that this is not God's will. God would have wanted her to live."
June 29, 2001RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
June 29, 2001 - A day before she was murdered, Bernita filed a complaint against Artis White, with the Court. In the complaint, Bernita claimed that Artis had hired a private investigator to follow her.
Following Bernita's murder, police questioned Artis White. During their investigation, Artis admitted to hiring a private investigator - Charles Rettsdadt- to follow Bernita.
The Ingham County Prosecutor obtained an investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt.
Public eager to help solve zoo killing
Police sift through dozens of tips in death of woman
June 29, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Adam Emerson
Detectives are paging through dozens of tips, photographs and videotapes that might help them solve the slaying of Bernita White.
"They range from people who heard the shot to people who want to share a theory with us,'' Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
The 41-year-old Delta Township woman was shot once about 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Potter Park while walking with her 5-year-old daughter toward the zoo's entrance. Her funeral is today.
But police don't have the bullet that went through White. A search for the slug Wednesday in the murky Red Cedar River at the park turned up nothing, Hall said, but detectives will soon return to the site.
Police believe the bullet - probably fired from a rifle about 100 yards away - came from a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth.
The park and zoo should remain open during the investigation. An officer who was assigned to patrol the zoo as a precautionary measure isn't there anymore.
"We've increased patrols in and around the park,'' Hall said.
Five state police detectives are helping Lansing investi gators in the case. But more could be assigned if Lansing needs more help, state police Detective Lt. Dave Peltomaa said.
White was Lansing's second homicide victim of the year and the second in a three-day period. No one has been charged in her death.
Funeral services for White, an EDS systems analyst, are at 1 p.m. today at the Union Missionary Baptist Church, 1020 W. Hillsdale St.
Funeral services for White's mother, Barbara Sims, are 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Tabernacle Church of Detroit. The 67-year-old Detroit woman died of a heart attack Saturday after hearing the news that her daughter was shot and killed.
Police search river for bullet
Zoo shooting probe continues
June 28, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Adam Emerson
A Lansing police dive team searched the Red Cedar River in Potter Park on Wednesday for the bullet that killed Bernita White.
The park and zoo remained opened as divers and crime scene investigators also looked for any evidence that might have been thrown in the river after Saturday's shooting, police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"Just imagine tossing a small stone in the river and trying to recover it,'' Hall said. "Even if you know where you threw it - you're talking about a small piece of lead."
Wednesday was the first time that police searched the river since the shooting.
The 41-year-old Delta Township woman was shot once about 3:30 p.m. while walking next to her 5-year-old daughter toward the zoo's entrance.
The bullet - probably fired from a rifle about 100 yards away - struck White in the left arm, pierced her heart and exited her right side, police said.
Investigators believe the shot came from a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth.
Joggers, bicyclists and park visitors looked on with curiosity Wednesday as detectives in dive gear slowly inched along the murky river and its banks, using a rope to guide them.
Hall wouldn't say how long police would search the river, or what, if anything was found.
"After a homicide, we go through a process of elimination,'' he said. "Eliminating any possibility now isn't appropriate."
The park and zoo should remain open during the investigation, said Murdock Jemerson, Lansing's parks director.
Lansing detectives were joined in their investigation Wednesday by five state police detectives, state police spokesman Dave Verhougstraete said.
It is common for state police, who often have more technology and detectives available, to assist local agencies with homicide investigations.
The detectives are coming from outside of Lansing, Hall said. Neither Lansing nor state police officials would say what those detectives would do.
Investigators continue to interview people who knew White, an EDS systems analyst. They've interviewed more than 20 so far.
Police maintain that everyone who knew her is a suspect.
White's husband, Artis, is a detective with the state police. Although Artis White was interviewed for six hours by police after Saturday's slaying, officials said there's no conflict of interest to have the state police involved in the investigation.
"We're handling this like we would any other case,'' state police Detective Lt. Dave Peltomaa said.
Okemos attorney David Clark, who is representing Artis White in divorce proceedings, said his client didn't shoot and kill his wife of 11 years.
Bernita White was Lansing's second homicide victim of the year and the second in a three- day period. She will be buried Friday.
Police say her death likely was no accident. She was targeted - either randomly or by someone who wanted to harm her, police said.
Although several dozen witnesses reported hearing the shot that killed the mother of 7- and 5-year-old girls, no one reported seeing who fired the gun.
About 10 p.m. Saturday, state police troopers in Detroit told Bernita White's 67-year- old mother, Barbara Sims, that her daughter was shot and killed.
The Detroit woman died of a heart attack after hearing the news. She'll be buried Saturday.
Visitation for Bernita White is 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at the Riley Funeral Home, 426 W. St. Joseph St. Funeral services are 1 p.m. Friday at the Union Missionary Baptist Church at 1020 W. Hillsdale St.
Woman's gunshot death at zoo remains mystery
Ventura County Star (CA)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING Mich. (AP) -- As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case" Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
White 41 a computer systems analyst filed for divorce a month ago but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday police informed Benita White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims 67 of Detroit went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it" Sims' husband Bennie Sims told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet which struck White in the heart and exited her side has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on its trajectory someone meant to shoot the woman he said.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at zoo
Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. (AP) - As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed BernitaWhite 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Woman killed by sniper’s bullet at zoo
Repository, The (Canton, OH)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. — As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper’s wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It’s a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White’s husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said.
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White’s mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet’s trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White’s husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
Police have few leads into investigation of murder at Lansing , Mich. zoo
Morning Sun, The (Pittsburg, KS)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. (AP) -- As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who has at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Woman slain at zoo; mom dies when told
Houston Chronicle
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich.- A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, was shot once Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the PotterParkZoo . Hundreds of people were in the park , and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although none reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White 's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," he said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park ."
Trooper's wife killed; mother hears news, dies
Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, the identity of the person who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo , but no one saw the shooter. The lawyer for White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed White 's mother of the killing.
Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at zoo -
Her mother died in reaction to news
Belleville News-Democrat, The (IL)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. --- As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Police search for person who killed mother at zoo
Husband investigated, but his lawyer insists he was not involved
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was killed by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 miles away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White's husband acknowledged his client under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Bernita White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs come time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Bernita White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Bernita White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities had ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park. He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo, closed for the rest of the weekend, reopened Monday. A normal crown of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo.
Woman's death at zoo still a mystery
The Albany Herald
June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Bernita White, 41, a computer systems analst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adament that he had nothing to do with it," Attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Bernita White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
Woman slain at crowded zoo
The Facts
Brazoria County, Texas
June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two small children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
Mom killed by sniper's bullet a Michigan zoo
The Daily News
Northwest Florida
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall and authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, includiong Ms. White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park. He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo, closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo.
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park. "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Investigators remain mystified as to who, why of zoo murder
The Altoona Mirror
Altoona, PA
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago but the couple still was living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't undestand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, had not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
Police continue to investigate shooting at zoo
The Daily Globe
Ironwood, Michigan
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - Last Saturday was warm and brillant, a perfect day for Artis, Bernita White and their 5-year-old daughter to visit the city zoo.
After enjoying a picnic with friends in the shade of wooded Potter Park, Artis White left to pick up the couple's 7-year-old, who was at another park.
Bernita White and her daughter strolled toward the zoo's ticket booth.
That's when Bernita White was suddenly, fatally struck by a bullet, which entered her arm, struck her heart and came out her right side.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the wooded area north of the ticket booth, but no one saw the shooter.
The family's tragedy didn't end there.
Seven hours later, state trooper reported the shooting to Bernita White's mother, Barbara Sims of Detroit.
The 67- year-old Sims went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
On Tuesdaay, police were still trying to identify the killer of 41-year-old Bernita White, a system analyst with EDS who lived in suburban Lansing. The buller has not yet been found.
Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall said police have ruled out the possibility that someone was randomly firing into the air.
Based on the distance of the shooter who was more than 100 yards away, and the trajectory of the buller, whoever struck Bernita White meant to strike someone.
Hall said he didn't know when police would name a suspect.
"This is a tough case," he said.
Among the 20 people who have been questioned is Artis White, a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. Hall said Artis White returned to Potter Park and found his wife dead about an hour after the shooting.
Bernita White filed for divorce from Artis White on May 24, but the two were still living together.
The sheriff's department in Eaton County, where the Whites lived, said police had never been called to the residence for any problems.
Artis White is referring all questions to attorney David Clark, who said his client is busy preparing for the funerals of his wife and mother-in-law.
"Mr. White is adament that he had nothing to do with it," Clark said of the shooting. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two small children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Clark said a funeral for Bernita White is expected to be held Saturday. Funeral arrangements for Sims were unknown.
The zoo remained closed through the weekend but reopened Monday.
Carol Webster, the zoo's executive director, said she was relieved that a regular crowd of about 400 people showed up on Monday.
"People who talked to us said they loved the zoo and they weren't going to quit coming," she said. "People called us to make sure we were open and then just came down. They don't seem to show any fear."
A police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo as a precaution. That will continue indefinately, Hall said.
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," said Jeanne Walser of Holt, who was watching her three boys play in the park on Monday.
"But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at Michigan zoo
The Gaston Gazette
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted that he was not involved.
White, 41, a computer systems analyst, filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying, police informed White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park. He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
Woman killed by sniper at zoo
The Daily News
Galveston, TX
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
State trooper's wife shot at zoo
Aiken Standard
Associated Press
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. - A state trooper's eife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park Zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
Whte's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park."
Sniper bullet kills woman at Mich. zoo
The Chronicle Telegram
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
Witnesses told police one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation, but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at zoo
The Salina Journal
Salina, Kansas
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation, but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
Lawyer: Husband not shooter
Police question many who knew victim of Lansing zoo killing Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 27, 2001
State police Detective Sgt. Artis White didn't shoot and kill his wife, Bernita, at Potter Park, White's attorney said Tuesday.
David Clark said Lansing police interviewed the trooper for six hours after Saturday's slaying at the south Lansing park and zoo.
But Clark says Bernita's husband of 11 years is no more a suspect than the other people detectives are questioning in a case that drew national headlines.
"My understanding is there are a lot of suspects,'' he said.
Detectives have interviewed more than 20 people who knew Bernita White, Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Lansing Police Chief Mark Alley wouldn't say Tuesday whether anyone is considered a prime suspect.
Police say everyone who knew the Delta Township woman is a suspect.
Hall said detectives are disappointed in a letter from Clark asking them to refrain from interviewing White for 14 days.
The break will let White "grieve, bury his wife and try to explain this tragedy to his children,'' Clark said.
Hall said investigators respect that.
"But it's disappointing he's chosen to delay talking to investigators,'' he said. "We have one objective: to solve this crime. We're going to need Mr. White's assistance."
Bernita White, 41, was Lansing's second homicide victim of the year and the second in a three-day period. She will be buried Friday.
No one reported seeing who fired the gun.
Hall said a videotape by a park patron Saturday has been very helpful to investigators. He wouldn't say what was on the tape.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. while walking next to the couple's 5-year-old daughter toward the zoo's entrance.
Artis White told investigators he'd dropped off his wife and 5- year-old daughter at Potter Park Saturday, Clark said. He left to pick up their 7-year-old daughter at a birthday party in a Delta Township park.
He arrived at Potter Park at 4:30 p.m., expecting to pick up his wife and daughter. Instead, police told him she was dead.
White's death was likely not an accident. And whoever shot her is "more than likely proficient with a rifle,'' Hall said.
"You've got a moving target, and the person or persons were about 100 yards away,'' he said.
Investigators haven't found the bullet - probably fired from about 100 yards away. The bullet hit Bernita White in the left arm, pierced her heart and exited her right side.
The park and zoo reopened Monday after it was closed for two days while police searched for the slug.
Investigators haven't focused on a motive.
Police are saying little about their investigation, but they're looking at Bernita White's relationships.
She filed for divorce on May 24, according to Eaton County Circuit Court records.
Bernita sought full custody of their two children pending the outcome of the divorce. Artis wanted joint custody, according to court records. Circuit Judge Thomas Eveland ruled on June 15 that the Whites would have joint custody.
The divorce and custody battle doesn't implicate his client, Clark said.
"They were living in the same house, there was never a personal protection order, there were no allegations of physical abuse,'' Clark said.
Artis White is a detective in the private security and investigation unit, state police spokesman David Verhoegstrate said. He's been with the state police since August 1998.
Verhoegstrate wouldn't com ment on the Lansing police investigation.
About 10 p.m. Saturday, state police troopers in Detroit told White's mother, 67-year- old Barbara Sims, that her daughter was shot and killed. The Detroit woman died of a heart attack after hearing the news.'
Visitation for Bernita White is from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Riley Funeral Home, 426 W. St. Joseph St. Funeral services are 1 p.m. Friday at Union Missionary Baptist Church, 1020 W. Hillsdale St.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at zoo
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
CJ Online
The Associated Press
By Dee-Ann Durbin
http://cjonline.com/stories/062701/new_zoosniper.shtml
LANSING, Mich. -- As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Bernita White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Bernita White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Bernita White in the heart and exited her side, hasn't been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Bernita White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who has at another park. He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo, closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo.
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park. "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at Michigan zoo; investigators say who fired the shot is a mystery
Associated Press Archive
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Author: DEE-ANN DURBIN, Associated Press Writer
As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who has at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Woman Shot at Crowded Michigan Zoo
Associated Press News Service, The -
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING , Mich. (AP) - As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
''It's a tough case,'' Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
''Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it,'' attorney David Clark said. ''He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation.''
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
''She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it,'' Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. ''It killed her. It almost killed me.''
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who has at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
''It's not good to go through life being afraid,'' Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . ''But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before.''
Rifle Shot Kills Woman At Zoo; News Kills Mom
Watertown Daily Times (NY)
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING , Mich. - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the PotterParkZoo .
White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White 's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting to pick them up.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, but they still lived together.
Woman slain at crowded Michigan zoo; mother dies when informed of slaying
Jefferson City News-Tribune (MO)
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING , Mich. (AP) -- A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the PotterParkZoo . There were hundreds of people in the park , and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White 's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo 's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park .
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
The bullet hadn't been found, he said.
Fatal shooting at zoo no accident, Lansing police say -
The victim had filed for divorce from her husband, a state trooper, last month.
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING -- The shot that killed the wife of a state trooper at the PotterParkZoo over the weekend was not fired accidentally, Lansing police said.
Investigators have determined that the shot fired Saturday came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo 's ticket booth, police Lt. Raymond Hall said Monday.
But police couldn't find the bullet that went through BernitaWhite , 41, of Eaton County's Delta Township.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park .
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
The bullet entered White 's arm, struck her heart and came out her right side, Ingham County interim medical examiner Dennis Jurczak said.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo 's ticket booth.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing the shooter.
The zoo remained closed through the weekend as police searched for the bullet and other evidence. It reopened at 9 a.m. Monday.
A police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo as a precaution. That will continue indefinitely, Hall said.
White 's husband, Artis White , is a state police detective sergeant. He had dropped off his wife and daughter earlier in the day and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
About 10 p.m. Saturday, state police troopers in Detroit told White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, that her daughter had been shot and killed .
The Detroit-area woman died of a heart attack upon hearing the news, state police Capt. Jack Shepherd said.
Artis White 's attorney, David Clark of Okemos, said Monday that BernitaWhite had filed for divorce last month, but the couple still lived together. They had two daughters.
Clark said he knows police are investigating his client.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," he said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Hall said Artis White has been cooperating with investigators.
Woman killed at zoo ; mother dies upon hearing news
Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING , Mich. - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the PotterParkZoo . There were hundreds of people in the park , and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White 's husband, Artis, a state police sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark. "They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said.
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a nearby wooded area, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park .
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
Woman killed at zoo
The Fredrick Post
Fredrick, Maryland
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park Zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
Mrs. White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
Mrs.White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
Woman slain at zoo; mother dies when informed of slaying
The Paris News
Northeast Texas and Southeast Oklahoma
Associated Press
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Lansing, Mich. - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Investigatyors have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking at the park.
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be thier target."
The bullet hadn't been found, he said.
Police: Zoo shooting likely intentional
Trajectory of bullet indicates fatal shot intended for victim
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 26, 2001
By Adam Emerso
The shot that killed Bernita White at Potter Park likely wasn't fired accidentally, Lansing police said Monday.
Investigators determined that the shot Saturday came from a rifle near the park's border, a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
But police couldn't find the bullet that went through the 41- year-old Delta Township woman.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away,'' Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park."
The bullet entered White's arm, struck her heart and came out her right side, Ingham County Interim Medical Examiner Dennis Jurczak said.
Hall said White likely was an intended target. "She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
White's death was Lansing's second homicide in three days - its first two of this year.
A police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo as a precaution. That will continue indefinitely, Hall said.
Although the bullet wasn't found, the 100-acre park and zoo reopened Monday. They were closed Sunday while investigators searched for the slug.
"We're not optimistic we're going to find the bullet,'' which could have gone into the river, Hall said.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. while walking next to her 5-year-old daughter from a picnic and play area toward the zoo's entrance.
White also has a 7-year-old daughter who was not with her at the park. White's husband, Artis, is a state police trooper. He had dropped off his wife and daughter earlier in the day, police said, and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up.
About 10 p.m. Saturday, state police troopers in Detroit told White's mother that her daughter had been shot and killed.
The Detroit-area woman died of a heart attack upon hearing the news, state police Capt. Jack Shepherd said. Shepherd didn't know the woman's name.
Although the park and zoo bustled with about 400 people, many said they felt uneasy.
"It's not good to go through life being afraid,'' said Jeanne Walser of Holt. She was watching her boys - Jacob, 11, Justin, 7, and Jack, 4 - play with other children on swings and slides. "It doesn't set a good example.
"But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before.''' Although Wendy Abner of Holt had reservations about bringing her 6-year-old daughter, Regan, and son, Grayson, 3, to an educational camp at the zoo on Monday, she never doubted she'd come.
"You have to have faith in the police,'' Abner said. "I'm not going to bury my face in the sand."
Despite dozens of phone calls from people saying they heard shots at Potter Park on Saturday, police said progress in the White investigation has been slow.
"But I'm definitely not giving up,'' said Sgt. Darin Larner, Lansing police's lead detective on White's homicide.
Funeral services for White are pending at the Riley Funer al Home, 426 W. St. Joseph St.
Police have no suspects in the Thursday shooting death of Lansing's Delayno Hudson, 39. He was shot and killed at his cellular phone store.
But police Capt. Steve Luciano said Monday that Hudson may have been killed by someone who knew him. Police don't know what, if anything, was taken from Hudson's store. They found his abandoned SUV - which they believe his killer stole - Sunday in Lansing.
Shooting victim's husband had ties to Shiawassee area
The Argus-Press
Owosso, Michigan
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Lansing [AP] - A woman died of cardiac arrest after learning that her daughter was shot and killed at a Lansing zoo over the weekend, Michigan State Police confirmed Monday.
State Police Capt. Jack Shepherd said the mother of Bernita White died after state troopers called her Saturday night to report White's death. Shepherd did not release the mother's name.
It's just adds to the tragedy," he said.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said police have not one in custody and don't know where the shot came from that struck White as she walked Saturday with her daughter toward the ticket booth at Potter Park Zoo.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White's acquaintances and her husband, Artis White, who is a state police trooper. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Shepherd said state police are assisting Lansing police in the investigation.
Along with her husband, Bernita White is survivied by two daughters.
Artis White has close ties to the Owosso area. He was stationed at the Owosso Post of the Michigan State Police prior to 1996 and he has performed on stage in several shows - one this past year - with the Owosso Community Players, mostly in the group's musicials.
The zoo remained closed through the weekend as police searched for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood, reopening at 9 a.m. Monday.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth.
At least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon in the park and the zoo at the time of the shooting.
"Before this, open alcohol was a big deal in Potter Park - loud mustic was a common call," hall said. "This is just as shocking to law enforcement as it is to the public. We just don't see this type of violence."
At least 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team combed the area soon after the shooting.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing who fired the shot.
Mother dies when told of daughter's shooting at Michigan zoo
By Associated Press
06/26/01
Boston.com
http://www.boston.com/news/daily/26/zoo_death.htm
LANSING, Mich. -- A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park Zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park.
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
The bullet hadn't been found, he said.
Woman Shot at Crowded Michigan Zoo
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Crosswalk
http://www.crosswalk.com/503680/
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park Zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
``They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him,'' Clark said. ``But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it.''
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
``We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect,'' he said. ``We've eliminated no one.''
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
``We're confident the shooter was a long distance away,'' Hall said. ``Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park.
``She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target.''
The bullet hadn't been found, he said.
Lansing police probe shooting at city zoo
Daily Globe
Ironwood, Michigan
Monday, June 25, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - The city zoo remained closed through the weekend while police investigated a shooting that killed a 41-year-old woman.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said police don't know where the shot taht struck Bernita White came from as she walked with her daughter on Saturday.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White's acquaintances, and her husband, who is a state police Trooper. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. We've eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, White is survived by two daughters.
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
The park and zoo opened at 9 a.m. today.
Police search for zoo shooter
Muskegon Chronicle, The (MI)
Monday, June 25, 2001
The city-owned Potter Park Zoo remained closed through the weekend while police investigated a shooting that killed a 41-year-old woman.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said police have no one in custody, and don’t know where the shot that struck BernitaWhite came from as she walked with her daughter on Saturday.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White’s acquaintances, and her husband, who is a state police Trooper. But investigators haven’t been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We’re considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We’ve eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, White is survived by two daughters.
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
The park and zoo opened at 9 a.m. today.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo’s ticket booth.
At least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon in the park and the zoo at the time of the shooting.
"Before this, open alcohol was a big deal in Potter Park — loud music was a common call," Hall told the Lansing State Journal for a story today. "This is just as shocking to law enforcement as it is to the public. We just don’t see this type of violence."
At least 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team combed the area soon after the shooting.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing who fired the shot.
Zoo shooting still unsolved
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Monday, June 25, 2001
LANSING -- The city zoo remained closed through the weekend while police investigated a shooting that killed a 41-year-old woman.
Lansing Police Lt. Raymond Hall said police have no one in custody, and don't know where the shot that struck BernitaWhite came from as she walked with her daughter Saturday.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White 's acquaintances, and her husband, who is a state police trooper. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, White is survived by two daughters.
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
The park and zoo are expected to reopen today.
Lansing zoo shooter sought
The Argus-Press
Owosso, Michigan
Mon., June 25, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - The city zoo remained closed through the weekend while police investigated a shooting that killed a 41-year-old owman.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said police have no one in custody, and don't know where the shot that struck the Bernita White came from as she walked with her daughter on Saturday.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White's acquaintances, and her husband who is a state police Trooper. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, White is survived by two daughters.
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth.
At least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon in the park and the zoo at the time of the shooting.
"Before this, open alcohol was a big deal in Potter Park - loud music was a common call," Hall said. "This is just as shocking to law enforcement as it is to the public. We just don't see this type of violence."
At least 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team combed the area zoon after the shooting.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing who fired the shot.
Police seek clues in zoo shooting; no arrests made
Officials close park in search of bullet that killed woman
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 25, 2001
Potter Park Zoo remained closed Sunday while police scoured the grounds searching for the bullet that killed 41-year-old Bernita White.
Police have no one in custody, and don't know where the shot that struck the Delta Township woman came from as she walked in front of her daughter Saturday, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White's acquaintances, and her husband, state police Trooper Artis White. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect,'' he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, Bernita White is survived by two daughters.
Artis White declined to speak with a reporter outside his home Sunday.
Neighbor Cathleen Airola has known Artis and Bernita White for about five years. She heard of White's death Sunday morning.
"She was a very generous woman - a wonderful neighbor,'' Airola said. "We would all meet in the street to chat. All our kids played together.
"She loved to bake. She would send cookies over. Just the small things that make a difference in a neighborhood."
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
The park and zoo are expected to reopen today.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth.
Investigators remain dumbfounded by the shooting. At least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon in the park and the zoo at the time of the shooting.
"Before this, open alcohol was a big deal in Potter Park - loud music was a common call,'' Hall said. "This is just as shocking to law enforcement as it is to the public. We just don't see this type of violence."
Park officials say they can't remember a similar event that forced an evacuation in Potter Park's history.
Adam and Brandy Thompson drove to Potter Park to enjoy a Sunday picnic. But they were turned away by an officer behind yellow police tape.
"I was a little surprised,'' said Brandy Thompson, brushing her yellow Labrador at nearby Sycamore Park. "I was just there three weeks ago with my nephew.''' Police had said that the shooting appeared random. "But we're not ruling anything out,'' Hall said.
"Statistically speaking, there are few homicides that are truly random,'' he said. "In most cases, what appears to be random - upon investigating the crime - a motive develops."
Police received several dozen phone calls Sunday from people who were at the park and heard gunfire, Hall said.
At least 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team arrived at the park to comb the area soon after the shooting. The investigation moved slowly into Sunday without progress.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing who fired the shot.
White's death marks Lansing's second homicide in three days - its first two of 2001.
On Thursday, Lansing's Delayno Hudson, 39, was shot and killed Thursday at his cellular phone store.
State police experts help in investigation
June 25, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Katie Matvias
Lansing police turn to the Michigan State Police for their expertise and technology when it comes to complex homicide scenes.
State police are assisting in the investigation of Bernita White's shooting - the city's second homicide of 2001.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the Potter Park Zoo ticket booth.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one has reported seeing who fired the shot.
Lansing's Crime Scene Investigation unit was at the scene Saturday collecting physical evidence, including photographs and blood specimens, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
But they couldn't determine where the shooter was when White was killed and have been unable to locate the bullet, Hall said.
That's why Lansing turned to the state police for assistance. The state police can gather information beyond Lansing's capability, said Lansing police Chief Mark Alley.
"It's about being able to have an expert in trajectory of a bullet,'' Alley said. "When you need that, you need it now.''' Using a measuring tool called a total station, experts can determine where the bullet came from - and where it could have landed, said Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Reinhard Pope, who works in the agency's firearms unit.
For example, investigators might start with where a victim's body fell or where two cars collide in a traffic accident.
They use an infrared beam and a pole equipped with a prism to measure distance, angles and elevations from different locations.
Investigators press a button on the device to record the data from each location.
"And when you're done, it will make a scale drawing of the whole area. It's really similar to survey equipment,'' Pope said.
The total station measurements are much more accurate than using measuring tape, he said.
The state police helicopter also flew over the zoo to give investigators a better look at the area.
Lansing zoo scoured after mom shot dead
Detroit News
Mike Martindale
Sunday, June 24, 2001
LANSING -- Police are looking for the person who fatally shot a Lansing woman at the Potter Park Zoo on Saturday afternoon.
Bernita K. White , 40, was walking into the zoo with her 8-year-old daughter and several friends at about 3:30 p.m. when she was hit by a bullet apparently fired randomly from an unknown location, Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall said.
"They had been in a picnic and tot-lot area with friends and were going in to look at the animals when there was a loud noise and she dropped to the ground," Hall said. "Some people at first thought it was a firecracker, but when it spread there had been a shooting, people poured out with their children."
White was taken to Sparrow Hospital, where she was pronounced dead of a single gunshot wound. Meanwhile, police evacuated hundreds of visitors from the park, which was still being searched Saturday night.
White 's husband learned of her death when he arrived at the zoo about an hour after the shooting with another daughter to pick up his family.
Hall said police have no motive for the shooting and had not determined where the gunshot had been fired.
"We've talked with her friends and were told there were no incidents, arguments or confrontations at the zoo," Hall said. "They were out enjoying a summer day when this happened."
Hall said the zoo area is a relatively crime-free area where "an open container of alcohol would be considered a big deal."
Investigators want to talk to anyone who was at the zoo on Saturday. They can be reached at (517) 483-4600 .
Woman shot dead outside Lansing Zoo
The Blade
Toledo, Ohio
Associated Press
Sunday, June 24, 2001
Lansing - A 40-year-old woman was shot dead yesterday as she waited for her husband to pick her up in front of Potter Park Zoo, according to a Lansing broadcaster.
The woman was with her daughter near the entrance of the zoo when she was shot about 3:15 p.m., according to television station WLNS. No suspect was in custody and no motive was known.
The zoo was evacuated, and employees were asked to leave. Police were scouring the park to look for the suspect and for clues, WLNS reported.
No other details were immediately available.
Zoo officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Woman dies after shooting at zoo
Hundreds evacuated from Potter Park as police seek assailant
June 24, 2007
Lansing State Journal
By Adam Emerson
Police evacuated hundreds of people from Potter Park on Saturday after a 41-year-old Lansing woman was shot and killed outside the zoo.
Bernita K. White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth, police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
White was pronounced dead at Sparrow Hospital about an hour later. Her death marks Lansing's second homicide in three days and second of the year.
Police have no one in custody and no suspects.
"You never assume anything, but this appears to be a random shooting,'' Hall said. "We don't have a motive. We don't have a shooter.
"There's a lot of unanswered questions."
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance, Hall said. No one, though, saw who fired the shot.
Lansing Parks Director Murdock Jemerson said he couldn't remember an evacuation in the park's history. At least 300 people were believed to be in the park and zoo, enjoying a sunny afternoon.
"This is the first time we've ever had anything like this,'' Jemerson said. "This just doesn't happen here."
White and her daughter were dropped off at the zoo by her husband. He arrived a half- hour after his wife was shot, expecting to pick them up.
Officers ushered a fleet of cars out of the park's main entrance off Pennsylvania Avenue. The park was roped off by police tape about 4:15 p.m. Nearby Sycamore Park also was shut off.
About 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog- tracking team combed the park, the zoo and surrounding neighborhoods. A state police helicopter performed an aerial search.
Some parkgoers scattered when they heard the gunfire. Others, believing they'd heard firecrackers, stayed at the park - until a bevy of police cars sped through.' Abandoned food and water bottles remained on picnic tables near where White was shot. Yellow police tape cordoned off the pathway near the children's play area.
Families scurried quickly, hand-in-hand, to waiting cars that whisked them away.
Lansing's Elena Paizana heard a shot as she walked through the park with her 9- year-old son, Antonio.
"It was loud - really loud,'' said Paizana, standing with her son near the entrance at Pennsylvania Avenue, waiting for her husband to pick them up.
"We were just going for a walk,'' she said. "About 15 cop cars came through. They just told everybody to get out."
Alan Gurski was at the zoo with his friends when he heard park officials over an intercom order everyone to leave.
"We were just ready to walk out,'' Gurski said. "We saw the area roped off right outside the zoo."
The park and the zoo were closed for the rest of Saturday, Jemerson said. The park and zoo will be open today.
All animals in the zoo were fed just before 5 p.m. and placed in their pens. A zookeeper went back by 8 p.m. Saturday to check on them.
Ithaca's Rick Umlauf was riding his bike along the River Trail over Pennsylvania Avenue just after the shooting. He rides the trail about once a week when he works in Lansing.
"This is where people bring their families on the weekends, their kids,'' Umlauf said. "What happens when you can't come to the zoo?''
Although police believe the shooting was random, they'll interview White's family and friends to see if anyone may have wanted to harm her.
"This could be anything from an accidental discharge to an intentional homicide,'' Hall said.
"But they'd have to be one hell of a good shot.''' Contact Adam Emerson at 377- 1058 or aemerson@lsj.com.
"We don't have a motive. We don't have a shooter."
Lt. Raymond Hall , Lansing police spokesman
How to help
Anyone who heard gunfire or has information about Saturday's park shooting is urged to call the Lansing Police Department at 483-4600.' Potter Park Zoo will be open today.
"They knew exactly what firearm to use"
Lansing State Journal
"There was less foliage in the way 10 years ago," he said.
We were standing next to a railroad viaduct north of the zoo on an early Monday evening in June. Visitors and picnickers seldom ramble this far north of the zoo, but kids love to whip their bikes up and down the slopes of the viaduct.
A little girl spotted us and slid her bike to a stop.
"Did something happen here?" she asked.
Where do you start?
On Saturday, June 23, 2001, Lansing resident Bernita White was killed by a bullet from a high-powered rifle while walking from the picnic pavilion to the zoo entrance. This hidden culvert, a football field away, could have been the shooter’s vantage point.
Or not. After 10 years, Lansing’s most notorious murder case is still wide open.
Medina, 43, is the regional sales manager for Superior Growers Supply. He is a former repo man, Michigan prison guard, Coast Guard port security officer and self-styled champion of justice. He was working on and off at zoo security around the time Bernita White was killed.
"I always had this kind of superhero thing in my head of righting wrongs," he said.
Last week, Medina’s Facebook page —"Justice for Bernita!" — marked the 10th anniversary of the murder.
As the years go by, the case cools, but Medina gets hotter.
He pointed his imaginary rifle at the spot where Bernita White fell. The park was empty, but there was a man in his sights.
"I want a revisiting, a reckoning," he said.
Bumpy ride
June 23, 2001, was a sunny, busy day at Lansing’s Potter Park Zoo. About 300 people were inside the zoo and dozens more were enjoying the trees, picnic tables and playgrounds of surrounding Potter Park. Shortly after 3 p.m., one loud shot was heard cracking across the pavilions and lawns near the zoo’s west entrance.
Fearing more shots from a hidden sniper, police evacuated the zoo for the first and only time in the park’s history. But there were no more shots or victims.
The zoo and park closed the rest of the day and Sunday, as Lansing and Michigan State Police officers, detectives and dogs combed the area for clues.
Two days later, police determined that the fatal shot came from a high-powered rifle north of the park. Attention began to focus on White’s husband, a state trooper named Artis White.
Bernita White had filed for divorce from Artis May 24, 2001, but the couple still lived together in their Lansing home with their two young daughters, Michala and Alanna, then 7. In the early afternoon on June 23, Artis White dropped Michala at Potter Park for a friend’s birthday party, with Bernita chaperoning.
"This party was an event that Michala did not want to miss," White wrote in his 2003 book, "Who Killed My Wife?" According to White’s account, Michala wanted to go inside the zoo and threw a "temper tantrum" until she got her way. He agreed to drive from Potter Park to Delta Mills Park, west of Lansing, to pick up Alanna and bring her back so they could all visit the zoo together.
"Little do I know it would be the most important trip I ever made, according to investigators," White wrote.
White has made much of the witnesses who saw him at Delta Mills close to the time of the shooting, but the file has not yet been made public and time is a slippery substance.
The Delta Mills alibi troubled Tony Medina so much he piled me into his car and took me for a bumpy ride last week.
We went through the motions of dropping Bernita White and Michala off at the zoo, drove around to the residential area north of the park, clambered out of the car, followed the railway ditch, climbed up to the culvert north of the zoo, said "bang," made our way back to the car and drove to Delta Mills Park in just under 22 minutes.
Jonathan Priebe, a Lansing Police detective in 2001, worked the Bernita White case nine years, first as assistant to lead detective Marcel Holloway, then as lead detective when Holloway retired in 2004. Priebe retired in 2010, after 26 years with the force.
Because the case is open, Priebe declined to comment on specific evidence, but he was in a reflective mood.
"I haven’t worked harder on any case," he said. "It would have been nice to see it go to trial."
Priebe didn’t name names, but made his conclusion Zamboni smooth for anyone willing to skate there.
"The evidence, the interviews, the information, was all consistent towards a certain individual," Priebe said "Even though we went to great lengths to look at all other different scenarios that could have happened — possibilities, what-ifs — they all came back to one point of interest."
In White’s book, he contended that Lansing police are bluffing, and he hasn’t changed his mind since.
"The Lansing Police Department has everything in all those files that says I’m innocent," White said. "The tracking system of my van, my cell phone records, all the people I talked to. They have everything they need to come out and say, ‘We’ve got the wrong guy.’" White said it’s easier for the police to keep stringing him along as a "person of interest."
"The hardest thing to admit is that you’ve been wrong and you don’t know who it is." White said. "I’ve come to grips with the fact that they won’t."
Priebe is familiar with the alternative theories. "Did somebody just fire a round in the air half a mile away? Was it a gang initiation, a serial sniper murder? All those were looked into seriously and disproven," he said.
White, who remarried, lives with his wife of seven years, Marcia, in their Delta Township home. His oldest daughter, Alanna, 17, will enter college this fall. His youngest daughter, Michala, is 15. A stepdaughter, Angie, is a teacher.
White has put in 23 years with the state police, 17 as sergeant, and plans to retire in two years. He now works at the State Police post in Corunna, near Flint.
If the police have nothing on White, as he contends, what is in the big plastic box under Brad St. Aubin’s desk? "There’s much more evidence than people know," Priebe said. "People with a perception there is no physical evidence, that’s an inaccurate statement, but we can’t go into that."
Priebe couldn’t resist throwing out a morsel, already alluded to in White’s book but not yet confirmed publicly by the police: the macabre sequel to Bernita White’s murder.
At 10 p.m. June 23, Michigan state troopers told Bernita White’s mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, her daughter had been murdered. She had a heart attack and died that night.
"The reason the heart attack came about was not just about losing her daughter," Priebe said. "But that she anticipated it and had an idea of who the perpetrator was."
Encyclopedia BrownIn June 2001, Tony Medina was manager of Moore’s Security Services, a private investigation, security and collection agency. Moore’s had the overnight security account for Potter Park Zoo.
Medina usually handled collections but frequently subbed for security personnel at the zoo on weekends. Kids found a way into the zoo every now and then, but it was pretty quiet work and he liked it. "I had the park to myself, talked to the monkeys," he said.
Medina said he heard about the shooting while at an airport in Phoenix, where he had gone on business.
He came back to the zoo June 24, combed through the brush and talked with park employees, on his own time, even though he didn’t know Bernita or Artis White.
Why? Medina exchanged his imaginary rifle for a shotgun and fired off a spray of reasons. "I have this Encyclopedia Brown thing," he said, referring to the fictional boy detective.
Medina said he was horrified that such a thing could happen so close to the zoo, which he came to consider "his" territory. More important, it bothered him that a state trooper was involved.
"I always wanted to be a state trooper," Medina said. "When I was a prison guard, I was just biding my time so I could jump over to the state police."
Before the security gig, Medina was a repo man and a Michigan prison guard. He served in the Coast Guard after 9/11.
He claims to have made four felony citizens’ arrests in Lansing. "Big ones, too," he said. "Knife to a lady’s throat. Robbery of a party store. Just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Dogged pursuance is his preferred stance.
"Even as a repo man, I’m a legend in the industry. I could find cars nobody else could find, the scary ones, the dangerous ones. I would not leave until I got my car."
A few weeks after the murder, Medina called White and offered help with the investigation. White said Medina offered to disclose what he found out for cash, and refused him.
In his book, White mentions Medina, although not by name, as a security officer who patrolled the park just after the shooting. White wrote that the guard found a "large piece of carpet" on the ground and "a dead squirrel that appeared to have been shot."
Medina and White parted ways for years. After 9/11, Medina joined the Coast Guard, became a father and went through a divorce. He said the murder was far from his mind until his mother bought him a copy of White’s book.
He found the book to be inaccurate and self-serving.
"The way he framed it was all about him, nothing to do with Bernita," Medina said.
Medina went to White’s home, asking for his money back. He accused White to his face of killing his wife. The conversation, at White’s kitchen table, degenerated into a debate over religion.
"At that point it was man to man," Medina said. "It could have gone anywhere."
White told Medina that if he knew something, he should go to the police.
Medina did meet with Priebe some time later, but Priebe didn’t comment on whether Medina had anything significant to contribute to the case. He said Medina just impressed him as "somebody that’s pretty strong about justice and truth."
That was not White’s impression of Medina.
"I don’t know what his motivation is," White said. "Maybe he did it. He had just the same opportunity and everything else as I did, on an even playing field."
Hot and cold Perversely, the most elusive figure in this saga, with its clash of oversize male egos, is Bernita White.
In contemporary press accounts of the case, neighbors described Bernita White as a warm, nice lady who made cookies and brought them over.
Priebe talked with the friends who were at the Potter Park party with Bernita. "A lovely lady, no enemies, just taking care of the children," Priebe said. "I never talked to anybody who had a bad word to say about Bernita White."
Medina is right about the self-absorption of White’s book, but there are some nuggets about Bernita white. She had a "soft voice," was "quiet and reserved."
"Nobody who knew her would want to kill her," White wrote.
According to several source, including Artis White himself, Bernita White’s sister, Belinda, has always believed Artis White is her sister’s killer. Each year, Belinda takes out an advertisement in the Lansing State Journal calling for justice to be done in the case.
Brad St. Aubin agreed to leave my number with Belinda last week and pass on an invitation to talk. The next morning, St. Aubin told she was "leaning toward not calling" me. She did not call.
Where the Bernita White case is concerned, there doesn’t seem to be much for St. Aubin to do after 10 years. The case file sits in a plastic case on his cubicle floor while he investigates several fresher unsolved murders, all of which require dozens of reports, in addition to other police duties.
Priebe suggested that by now, the ball is in another court.
"Maybe all the investigation that can be done has been done — all the documentation, reports, interviews," Priebe said. "It’s at a point where it goes from the investigation part of things to the prosecution part of things. For me, for several years, it sat at that point."
On the "Justice For Bernita" Facebook page, Medina posted a link to a recent article about Priebe’s latest venture, developing lightweight protective shields for law enforcement officers.
Medina said Priebe swore he’d bring the case to trial before he retired. "Looks like he gave up on that," he commented on the Facebook page.
That raises Priebe’s ire. Priebe said he brought the case to Ingham County Prosecutor Steward Dunnings III several times, but Dunnings never made an arrest. The first time Priebe brought the case to Dunnings was "within a year to a year and a half of the homicide," Priebe said.
According to Priebe, the assistant prosecutors, including Michael Ferency, were ready to go forward "on a couple of occasions, even though the case was not a "platter job" (detective lingo for slam dunk).
Dunnings disagreed. He said that other experts, including Ferency and an assistant state attorney general, reviewed the case and came to the same conclusion, although the call not to prosecute was ultimately his.
"There’s not enough to convict," Dunnings said.
Priebe called it "a very prosecutable case."
After conducting more interviews, Priebe brought the case to Dunnings one last time, before retiring last year.
"They said, ‘See if you can get some more,’ and I had to turn it over to Brad,"Priebe said.
That left the plastic box to St. Aubin, an officer 18 years, who was assigned to the case when Priebe retired.
Priebe and St. Aubin said they understand it’s a tough call for a prosecutor.
"Once we go down that road, you don’t stop," St. Aubin said. "If you want it to go right and it goes left, that decision’s final. He could write a book and say ‘I killed my wife’ and we can’t prosecute him again."
Dunnings knows the file is getting colder, but he said that doesn’t change his job. "You can’t go to a jury and say, ‘Well, you might have a reasonable doubt, but this case is never going to get any better, so we want you to convict,’" he said.
Dunnings also knows Priebe would have loved to get the case to trial before he retired, but that cuts no ice with juries, either.
"That’s why there’s a separation, where the police investigate and the prosecutors make an objective review of whether the case is sufficient to go forward," he said.
But Dunnings is still hopeful the case can be closed.
"You may not know who has knowledge, and for whatever reason, they might come forward," he said. "Look at the Draheim case."
In April 2001, David Draheim was convicted of second-degree murder for the 1986 stabbing of Jeanette Kirby, a lag of 16 years between crime and conviction. The initial investigative team disbanded, but two cold case teams revisited the murder and finally succeeded in bringing Draheim to trial.
Whatever happens next, Priebe is finished with the case, except for one possibility. If the prosecutor moves, he’d be called as a witness.
"You’d spend about two and a half months in court, because that’s about how long this case would take," St. Aubin told him.
"Three months," Priebe said. Meanwhile, Tony Medina is still smoldering.
"He drives right by my daughter’s house every day when he goes to his job," Medina said, careful not to name the "he."
"I want this murderer off the streets." He backed off for a crane shot of his inner detective movie.
"From the beginning of time, somebody or other has had to step up and say, ‘Bullshit.’" As Tony Medina heats up, Artis White cools down, as if the pair were obeying a law of conservation of rage. After 23 years with the Michigan State Police, White is looking forward to retiring in two years. His docket included fishing last weekend and euchre with the in-laws at a family reunion this weekend. He said he is still in touch with Benita White’s family, but it’s awkward.
"We don’t pick out drapes together," he said.
"I’m concentrating on family stuff," he mused. "I’m not as much the antagonist as I was 10 years ago, taunting the detectives by saying they have the wrong guy," he said. "I’m trying not to point blame, because it doesn’t do any good."
UNSOLVED MURDER
WLNS
Posted: May 11, 2010 - 9:17 AM PDT
http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=12463065
It's a murder that shocked the city of Lansing, one that reverberated beyond our state's borders, a murder that, nearly nine years later, remains unsolved. Listen to the facts of the Bernita White killing and see if you can help police solve the mystery.
On a sunny, summer day, Bernita White was having a party at Lansing Potter Park for one of her children. Despite some turbulence in her personal life, this was a happy day for Bernita until a lone gunshot rang out. Moments later Bernita White lay dead in front her children and dozens of others, but a member of the family remains at the center of the case. Bernita's estranged husband, Artis White, himself a member of the state police force then and to this day. Through a seemingly endless investigation, White remains the lone person of interest, but he's written a book claiming police incompetence and made a video of his side of the story as well. Artis White has always maintained his innocence.
Artis White, May 2003: "I did not kill my wife."
For the first time ever, Lansing police pull out the entire case work for us to see. Four massive binders, more than 2,000 pages of documents and boxes and boxes of evidence with one message to deliver.
Police official: "We're still working this year."
Because unlike many cold cases, this one in particular is one the LPD says it will never set aside.
Police official: "This doesn't sit well with the community."
Still, the lead detective assigned to the case admits getting this to trial will be difficult, and nearly a decade of investigating frustrates them and the public.
Police official: "People watch CSI, it doesn't work that way and yet there is hope. I'd love nothing more."
And for Bernita's sister Belinda, who each year takes out an ad in the paper to remind everyone that a killer remains on the lose.
The passing years have not diminished her desire to see justice done.
Victim's sister: "One day we'll have an answer."
If you have any information that could help police solve this cold case, call Crimestoppers at 483-stop. There's up to a 1,000 dollar reward for any tip that leads to an arrest.
'LIVING ACCUSED':
Documentary of exoneration stories debuts in Lansing
Lansing State Journal
Kevin Grasha
February 19, 2009 http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090219/NEWS01/902190337/1002/NEWS01
Artis White says tunnel vision is the reason police still consider him a person of interest in the 2001 shooting death of his wife as she walked toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance.
White, a Michigan State Police sergeant, says investigators have wrongly focused on him - despite the fact that global positioning system evidence, as well as witnesses, can prove he wasn't near the Lansing zoo when Bernita White was shot from about 100 yards away by someone wielding a high-powered rifle.
White, 48, says his self-funded documentary, "Living Accused," which premiered Wednesday night at the Lansing Mall Cinema and focuses on four wrongful convictions, illustrates how police and prosecutors can make mistakes.
"I think they realize now, if they had looked someplace else, they may have caught the real killer," White said in a recent interview. "Until (police) come forward and say they've got the wrong person - they don't know who committed the crime, they'll never solve the case. They'll never find out, because they're not looking."
Lansing police said this week that Bernita White's killing remains under investigation.
"(Artis White) is still a person of interest," Lt. Noel Garcia said. He would not comment further.
The 86-minute film, shot and edited by White on equipment he bought, is mostly interviews with four people who were wrongfully convicted of murder or rape and later exonerated. The film briefly mentions White's case.
Among those featured in the film is a one-time Warwick, R.I., police detective, Scott Hornoff, who served more than six years of a life sentence for a murder he did not commit.
Investigators focused on Hornoff because he admitted having an affair with the victim. He was convicted even though no physical evidence or witness identification linked him to the murder.
Years later, the victim's boyfriend confessed to the crime and Hornoff was freed.
Being wrongfully accused of a crime "can happen to anyone," said White, who traveled around the country conducting hundreds of hours of interviews. "That's the whole idea of the documentary - that it can happen to a normal person, and it shouldn't."
Ken Wyniemko, one of the four people featured in the film, said afterward that Hornoff's and White's cases show how the criminal justice system is flawed.
Quantcast
"If a police officer can be falsely accused and falsely imprisoned - it can happen to anybody," said Wyniemko, who was accused of a 1994 sexual assault he didn't commit and spent more than eight years in prison. He was exonerated in 2003 with the help of Thomas M. Cooley Law School's Innocence Project.
The Clinton Township man's conviction was largely based on the victim misidentifying him as the attacker. DNA testing proved he didn't commit the crime.
Misidentification, false confessions, misconduct by police and prosecutors, and jailhouse snitches who lie are common threads in wrongful conviction cases, Wyniemko said. He added that a recent U.S. Department of Justice report estimated that between 12 and 17 percent of people in prison are innocent.
"The problem is systemic," he said. "But the good news is there are ways the problems can be fixed."
Laura Sager, director of the Michigan Campaign for Justice, said ensuring adequate legal representation for anyone accused of a crime is one solution.
"Lack of effective and competent legal representation leads to errors and leads to convictions of the innocent," said Sager, whose organization launched a major effort Wednesday to reform what she called the state's failing system for providing public defense.
In the eight years since his wife was killed, White has pieced back together his life.
A detective sergeant when the shooting happened, he now works as a desk sergeant at the state police post in Corunna.
White remarried four years ago, and runs a video production company out of his Delta Township home. His daughters are now 13 and 15 years old. He also has a 26-year-old step-daughter.
The company, Artistic Expressions, films weddings and produces commercials, White said. Once a month, he said the company's Web site features a video interview with someone dealing with the issue of wrongful convictions.
White says he is prohibited from doing his own investigation into the case. He said he was disciplined by superiors soon after his self-published book, "Who Killed My Wife? The Unsolved Murder of Bernita White," came out in 2003.
White says what he has gone through has made him a better person and a better police officer.
"Things happen for a reason," he said. "If this didn't happen to me, I wouldn't be able to reveal the stories of the four people in my documentary."
Local filmmaker to debut documentary
'Living Accused'
Lansing State Journal
February 18, 2009
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090218/NEWS01/902180354
Artis White says tunnel vision is the reason police still consider him a suspect in the 2001 shooting death of his wife, as she walked toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance.
White, a Michigan State Police sergeant, says investigators have wrongly focused on him — despite the fact that global positioning system evidence can prove he wasn’t near the Lansing zoo when Bernita White was shot from about 100 yards away by someone wielding a high-powered rifle.
White, 48, says his self-funded documentary, "Living Accused," which premiers tonight, shows that police and prosecutors make mistakes.
"I think they realize now, if they had looked someplace else, they may have caught the real killer," White said in a recent interview. "Until they come forward and say they’ve got the wrong person — they don’t know who committed the crime, they’ll never solve the case. They’ll never find out, because they’re not looking."
Lansing police said this week that Bernita White’s killing remains under investigation.
"(Artis White) is still a person of interest," Lt. Noel Garcia said. He would not comment further.
Bernita White filed for divorce about a month before her death, but the two still were living together. Authorities have said marital problems and a custody dispute over couple’s two daughters were possible motives.
The 86-minute film, shot and edited by White on equipment he bought, focuses on four people who were wrongfully convicted of murder or rape and later exonerated. The film does not address White’s own case.
Among those featured in the film is a onetime Warwick, R.I. police detective, Jeffrey Scott Hornoff, who served more than six years of a life sentence for a murder he did not commit.
Investigators focused on Hornoff because he admitted having an affair with the victim. He was convicted even though no physical evidence or witness identification linked him to the murder.
Years later, the victim’s boyfriend confessed to the crime and Hornoff was freed.
Being wrongfully accused of a crime "can happen to anyone," said White, who traveled around the country conducting hundreds of hours of interviews. "That’s the whole idea of the documentary — that it can happen to a normal person, and it shouldn’t."
In the eight years since his wife was killed, White has pieced back together his life.
"Living Accused" will be shown at 7:30 p.m. tonight and 9 p.m. Thursday at Lansing Mall Cinema, 921 Mall Drive West.
Tickets may be purchased online for $10 and include a Living Accused button.
The Web site is https://store.expressionsvideo.com.
Tickets at the door are $6.75 for adults; $4.50 for children age 3 to 11 and seniors ages 62 and older; and $4.75 for students with a valid ID. No button is included with these tickets.
All proceeds go to the Thomas M. Cooley Law School Innocence Project.
For more on this report, read Thursday’s Lansing State Journal.
Press Release on Living Accused
Local filmmaker to debut wrongfully-convicted documentary
Thu Jan 29, 2009 - 9:28 pm
http://www.whatsayyou.net/post1888.html?sid=ca1c5d8eaadec8631b06d44c9a69c29d
Artis White, a Lansing filmmaker, will debut his new documentary, LIVING ACCUSED, on February 18, 7:30 p.m. and on February 19, 9 p.m., at the Lansing Mall Cinema, 921 Mall Drive W., Lansing.
LIVING ACCUSED profiles the trials and tribulations of four very typical Americans, who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and were accused and convicted of heinous crimes.
Three were convicted of first degree murder and one received a sentence of 40-60 years for rape. All have been released in the last couple of years due to DNA evidence or new physical evidence that proved they did not commit the crime.
Cynthia Sommer, was a housewife and mother of three children, when she was found guilty of administering a lethal dose of arsenic to her San Diego based marine, husband Todd Sommer. Later the case was overturned because of shoddy lab work. The subject of 20-20, 48 Hours, and Larry King interviews, Sommer now lives in Plymouth, Mi., trying to live a normal life and raise her kids.
Beverly Monroe, was a 63-year-old mother of three kids, as well, when she was convicted of shooting her rich boyfriend to death in his mansion. She was found guilty of first degree murder based on a forced confession, false testimony from a jailhouse snitch, and police misconduct. After nearly 10 years in prison, DNA evidence proved she couldn’t have been the killer.
Scott Hornoff, a detective himself, was convicted of first degree murder for killing his mistress, because she threatened to tell his wife about their affair. Bad police work and a public demand that the killer be found eventually led a jury to convict Hornoff. Several years later, another man came forward and admitted to the murder. Scott is now in Afghanistan training for a security position, because no one will hire him in the States.
Ken Wyniemko, a bowling alley assistant manager, was convicted of rape and sentenced to 40-60 years by a judge who really had it in for him. So much so, in fact, the judge changed the jury foreman, half way through deliberations. Prosecutorial misconduct and a jailhouse snitch doomed Wyniemko. DNA evidence, spearheaded by the Cooley Law School Innocence Project, found Wyniemko did not commit the crime. Later, Wyniemko sued Clinton Township, and won a 3.8 million dollar judgment.
Over the years, White has interviewed and filmed each of the four on many occasions. He has produced a compelling 90-minute film that will make the greatest cynics agree that problems with our justice system need to be addressed now.
"Between 12 and 24 percent of prisoners are actually not guilty- and this is a statistic from the U.S. Justice Department," said White. "As an enlightened society, we cannot be wrong so often."
Sommer and Wyniemko are expected to attend the premier and will be available for discussion and autographs.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://store.expressionsvideo.com.
For more information call Mike Wilcox at 517-894-1238.
Living Accused
Atris White - Artistic Expressions
http://blip.tv/artistic-expressions/living-accused-195158
Living Accused is a in the works documentary about wrongfully convicted or falsely accused victims.
Lansing's Unsolved Homicides
By: Lori Dougovito
Aug 10, 2007
WILX News
http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/9093511.html
Thursday night, Terrance Gamble was arrested for the March, 2006, Murder of Jimmy Buckley at Cheetah's strip club. That closes the books on unsolved homicides from last year, but there's others Lansing Police are still working on, including:
June 23, 2001: Bernita White was shot just outside the entrance of the Potter Park Zoo. She was with her 5-year old child. Her husband, Artis, a Michigan State Police D/Sgt. at the time, was considered a suspect. Lansing Police Lt. Bruce Ferguson says,"...there's been no one fully excluded."
July 3, 2003: Brandon Bridges, 21, was shot outside of his home on Francis Street. Neighbors say the father of two had his front door kicked in, he was tossed out and shot.
December 20, 2004: Police responding to a 911 call found Barbara Tuttle, 45, inside a Washington Ave. home. Autopsy results show she died of blunt force trauma to the head.
May 3, 2005: The body of 39-year old Teressa Mathis was found inside a home. Investigators say a fire was intentionally set and her death was most likely drug related.
June 30, 2007: Brandon Williams, 17, was gunned down outside of his apartment.
July 26, 2007: Community activist Ruth Hallman is brutally beaten in her Genesee Neighborhood home. She died two days later.
August 7, 2007: Deborah Cooke, 36, is found under a tree in Hunter Park. Police will only say she was physically assaulted.
August 9, 2007: Police responding to a 911 call find a woman in the same Washington Ave. home Barbara Tuttle died in.
Do You Have An Opinion? 6-14
Thursday, August 02, 2007
The New Citizens Press
http://www.tncp.net/Articles/tabid/1800/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/603/Do-You-Have-An-Opinion-614.aspx
Below, is Artis White's response to the July 08, 2007 The New Citizens Press news article: "MI State Trooper Accused of Murdering His Wife Shoots Film"
Rina [Rina Risper - New Citizens Press publisher],
The Alpine Navigation System was the GPS guidance system in the van I was driving. The computer keeps record of travel.
Investigators believed that I left Potter Park, drove around to a wooded area, took the shot, then drove to Delta Mills Park to pick up my other daughter. They made a public statement saying that the GPS would show my direction of travel to confirm this. Of course, it shows that I drove directly to Delta Mills Park without stopping at all. This is exculpatory evidence that proves a person innocent but police do not release it to support a false accusation.
Anderson was the the dog handler hired by LPD to find the bullet at Potter Park. Her dog was trained to sniff out and "Hit" on human flesh. LPD looked for the bullet at Potter Park for weeks but couldn't find it. Anderson found a bullet fragment within 15 minutes. The dog actually "Hit" on it. The flesh on the bullet did not match Bernita's. There are a few conclusions anyone can draw from this. 1) the lab that tested the flesh on the bullet was simply wrong in their analysis. 2) someone else was shot at Potter Park and the DNA from the bullet was different than Bernita's. 3) Anderson planted the bullet. #3 is the most likely conclusion because Anderson is currently in prison for planting evidence. There are 250 cases of her's that are under review because several people are in prison because of her findings. Several people have been wrongfully convicted because she has planted carpet fibers, hair, her own blood in some instances, and are currently in prison awaiting a retrial. Anderson was not charged for the Potter Park incident. LPD investigators used her and said she came highly recommended.
There was a birthday party at Delta Mills Park where we dropped off one daughter and I drove back to pick her up. During the time Bernita was shot, I was talking to a family of people at the party. After the shooting, they went to LPD to volunteer to be interviewed. LPD refused because they didn't believe it was important. They were interviewed latter but their information was conveniently discounted. According to the time frame, it was impossible for me to be at two places at one time, thus, LPD created the story that I hired someone. Bad investigative work by trying to mold a person to fit the crime.
From the moment I left Potter Park until I arrived at Delta Mills Park, I was on the phone with my friend. Cell phone records show my direction of travel by showing which cell phone towers I connected with. It also shows that at least there was an open connection between me and my friend during the whole time. There was no way possible for me to talk on the phone, take the shot and drive over to Delta Mills. More Exculpatory evidence that LPD will not release.
These reasons are the motivating factors as to why I'm producing the documentary LIVING ACCUSED. There are so many other people who have been falsely accused and wrongfully convicted because misguided police officers and prosecutors develop "Tunnel Vision" and will not accept the fact that they have made a mistake. It is my intention to educate police and prosecutors that when they make a mistake in an investigation, it is detrimental that they admit that mistake and focus on what the evidence proves not educated hunches that lead to someone being wrongfully convicted.
Sincerely,
Artis White
Original article printed in the July 8, 2007 - July 21, 2007 edition. The story was entitled "MI State Trooper Accused of Murdering His Wife Shoots Film".
MI State Trooper Accused of Murdering His Wife Shoots Film
The New Citizens Press
July 08, 2007
http://www.tncp.net/Articles/tabid/1800/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/666/Default.aspx
LANSING, MI -- The anniversary of one of Lansing’s most mysterious murder passed on June 23.
Bernita White, a mother and wife, was shot and killed with a high powered rifle while taking her youngest daughter to Potter Park Zoo on June 23. 2001. When Bernita’s mother heard the news she died of a heart attack on the same day.
Bernita’s husband, Artis White, said that every year someone puts a memorial message in the newspaper but it’s not him. His youngest daughter, was traumatized when a church member asked about the recent memorial message.
In 2001, Artis White who is a Michigan State Trooper and still is, was questioned about the murder of his wife. He was and still is considered a person of interest in the case but Artis says that they have the wrong person.
Although Artis has insisted on his innocence and that the police need to look for a sniper, some have concluded that White was indeed the murderer and has gotten away with it.
According to Artis there is no evidence that is clear and definitive against him. He indicated that being the husband left the police the easy option of trying to find him guilty of murder. He points out that law enforcement made many errors which hampered the progress of capturing the killer. He highlights the issues in his book, which is entitled, "Who Killed My Wife?"
It is significant to understand the Whites had been going through some domestic problems. However, Artis has a firm alibi. He was at a birthday party with his oldest daughter.
With all of the scorn and fury that most would have would are accused of any crime big or small, Artis diverted his attention to what he calls "a bigger cause". He is filming a documentary on others who have been falsely accused of crimes.
He is currently working on "Living Accused" which is produced by Artistic Expressions. It was created by Artis a year after Bernita’s death. One of its main goals is to the education of finding errors in the investigations of the wrongfully accused.
We are brought up to believe in the system but sometimes that system may be flawed by tampering as with the case of Sandra Anderson who is currently serving time for planting evidence at crime scenes. She was the director of the Great Lakes Search and Rescue of Michigan K-9 Unit and planted a bullet at Potter Park Zoo.
Not surprisingly, White still vehemently maintains his innocence. He has since remarried and still lives in the same neighborhood that he lived in with his wife Bernita. When talking about his daughters, he has a special brilliance throughout his face. He said that they are still very affected by their mother's death. Despite their missing their mother, he states that they are flourishing young ladies.
In closing, he hopes to being a searingly personal view of what it is like for people to go through the crisis that he has had to confront.
With this we must all wait until someone opens up and admits to the murder of Bernita White.
For more information about the documentary, log on to www.artisticexpressions.org.
To see a 6 minute trailer of the video log on to www.blip.tv/file/190916/.
Artis White said he wrote "Who Killed My Wife?" because he wanted to detail what happened. It is a true story based on personal interviews, surveys, police documents and his own experience.
Below is an excerpt from the book:
June 23, 2001, at Potter Park marked one of the most unusual, bizarre homicides that the state of Michigan has ever witnessed.
Immediately following the shooting, people were running every where. Elena Paizana was walking in Potter Park when she heard the shot. Shortly after the shooting, fifteen Lansing police cars whizzed past her and told every one to get out. Adam Gurski was there and heard a park official over the intercom order everyone to leave.
Potter Park's contractual security patrol locked up the gates before anyone could leave. When LPD arrived their officers opened the gates and waved everyone through. They forfeited a chance to interview hundreds of patrons as they treated the incident as a barricaded sniper.
On June 28, 2001, investigators searched for the missing bullet in a river that flowed nearby. LPD joined forces with MSP detectives to form an eleven-man task force. The task force searched the area and found a tree with a small hole consistent with a possible bullet hole. After cutting the tree down and X-raying a section of the tree, investigators concluded that the hole was a result of a drill bit, possibly from the Forestry Department. Attendance at Potter Park dropped between twenty and thirty percent even though LPD increased the bike and motorcycle patrols in the park.
On July 6, 2001, a search warrant was served on me allowing officers to search my residence. It was quite a spectacular show conducted right in front of my children. Mia " The Glue" happened to be downstairs when it happened.
"Artie, the police are here."
I yelled down stairs, "How many?"
"All of them," she said calmly.
"Its probably just the search warrant. Ask them if they want something to eat."
Detectives didn't remove much of anything during the search. I was a little more disturbed that LPD took my digital camcorder and every videotape I owned. Every birthday party and Christmas was kept in those memories. It wasn't much but it was every thing I had. A few other odds and ends were also removed. The items were never returned.
On July 11, 2001 Raymond Townshend, a MSP retired crime scene investigator and forensic expert examined the scene. Townshend concluded that the shooter was a gun expert who knew what he was doing. Neither LPD nor MSP would comment on Townshend's announcement. Nobody knew what prompted his arrival. Nobody knows if he was paid to offer his opinion or what his rational was.
On July 12,2001, Carol Webster, executive director of the Potter Park Zoological Society, admits that smaller crowds are attending the zoo this year. However Mudock Jemerson, Director of Lansing Parks and Recreation, declares that the parks are as safe as ever.
On July 19, 2001, a special dog was brought in by Sandy Anderson of the Great Lakes Canine Services. The K-9 was trained to sniff out human tissue. If a bullet were left at the scene of the crime, the dog would be able to locate it. the dog found a piece of metal that investigators claim may have been used in the shooting. The K-9 found it within 15 minutes of the search but located the metal further north than anticipated.
On August 2, 2001, Investigators announce I had a motive and say I had enough time to fire the shot, even though witnesses place me at Delta Mills Park miles away, shortly after the shooting.
On August 6, 2001, LPD had a search warrant to search the van I drove to the park on June 23, 2001. On June 23,2001, I gave consent to search the vehicle. They kept the van for a month. Investigators say it is important to receive information from the vehicle's Alpine Navigational System to disprove where I said I drove the van after I left Potter Park.
On August 8, 2001, Detective Priest announced that I might have contracted someone to kill Bernita. He further stated I am not suspected of pulling the trigger, but I may know who shot Bernita.
On August 22, 2001, Lt. Hall commented about the metal fragment found at the zoo. "It's a bullet, but we were unable to conclude if it's a bullet used in the homicide. We're simply not sure why the dog hit on the fragment, it could be the residue from another source like an animal."
On October 9, 2001, I returned to work. LPD announces I remain on a "short list of suspects."
On October 17, 2001, I turned over my department issued handguns to D/Sgt. Sam Hornberg who test fired the guns, four months after the shooting.
On October 18, 2001, I offered a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator in this case. No calls were made to the Lansing police number given for the award. In February of 2002, Detective Sergeant David Larnz, case officer in charge, called me and asked if I received any calls concerning the reward. According to Larnz, no one had called.
On October 31, 2001, an investigative subpoena is issued which ordered my two children to answer questions about the day of the murder.
On August 28, 2002, 15 detectives for 13 months have spent 9000 hours investigating, interviewed 500 people, obtained and served 20 search warrents and 12 investigative subpoenas, and the zoo shooting remained unsolved. Chief Matt Alloy said, " Authorities invested more time and resources into White's death than any city homicide in memory." Jay Seigal, Michigan State University professor of criminal justice and expert on physical evidence said, "This is a very frustrating kind of crime, and it may never get solved. That's the most likely scenario."
What went wrong?
To read more than page 83-87, the book is available on www.amazon.com and locally at Everybody Reads.
Note from the Publisher: It’s an interesting read; however, at times it doesn’t flow smoothly but the author is an average citizen and doesn’t profess to be a writer. We will be providing more information that is not in the book in our next edition. It was riveted by all of the information. I completed the book in one day. Some of the names of the individuals have also been changed.
'Who killed my wife?'
Local man pens book about spouse's murder at Potter Park Zoo in hopes of solving case
By Ryan Mccormick
Published 07/26/06 12:00am
Updated 08/28/09 6:23pm
The State News
http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2006/07/039who_killed_my_wife039
On June 23, 2001, White was shot and killed in Lansing at Potter Park Zoo, 1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., while at an outing with one of her young daughters. The case still has not produced a guilty party.
White's husband, Michigan State Police Sgt. Artis L. White, loses more hope every day thinking the case will never be resolved. He is unhappy that he has been the only suspect in the case.
"As it stands right now, I was only falsely accused. I was not wrongfully convicted, not placed in jail, and I think part of that is because I have the knowledge to say, 'Hey, wait guys, you're not doing this right," Artis White said.
As it is not unusual to hear random gunfire in the area around Potter Park Zoo, Artis White has come to the conclusion that the killer may not have been aiming at Bernita.
"I feel that it wasn't a person who intended to kill Bernita. She got shot in the arm and it went all the way through her body. From my accounts — what I know — if you're intending to kill someone, you don't shoot them in the arm," Artis White said.
"Who Killed My Wife?" is the name of Artis White's autobiographical account of his spouse's untimely death. The book was published in 2003 and has not provided any sort of progress toward the capture of the killer.
In the book, Artis White points out the mistakes made by the Lansing Police Department and state police in handling the case. In Artis White's opinion, he should have been taken off the list of suspects very early in the case.
In response to his qualms with the police's handling of Bernita White's murder case, he is also working on a film documentary with the working title "Wrongfully Accused," in which he interviews other people who were falsely suspected of crimes.
Besides losing his wife on June 23, 2001, Artis White also lost his mother-in-law on the same day.
She had a heart attack when she found out her daughter had been murdered.
In the book, Artis White writes that one of the detectives working on the investigation falsely stated that Artis White's mother-in-law's dying words were "Artis killed her," referring to the shooting of Bernita White.
"Who Killed My Wife?" is available at Everybody Reads, 2019 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing.
Artis White is still in the process of conducting interviews for his documentary, "Wrongfully Accused."
Police still seek clues in '01 zoo slaying
Bernita White's husband remains person of interest
Published June 26, 2006
Lansing State Journal
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060626/NEWS01/606260332/1001/news
The gunshot that killed Bernita White five years ago this month required a marksman's expertise.
But police still are searching for clues about who fired the shot on June 23, 2001, that struck the 41-year-old Delta Township woman as she walked toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance next to her young daughter.
"We're still actively reviewing it and looking for suspects," Lansing police Capt. Teresa Szymanski said Friday.
Bernita White's husband, Michigan State Police Sgt. Artis White, still is considered a person of interest, Szymanski said.
He is now a desk sergeant at the State Police post in Corunna, a spokeswoman confirmed.
Artis White has denied involvement in the shooting. In 2003, he wrote and self-published a book called "Who Killed My Wife?"
He told investigators he attended a picnic with his wife in the early afternoon and left to pick up their other daughter. He arrived at the zoo about an hour after the shooting.
Investigators have said the shooter, wielding a high-powered rifle, was stationed along a fence, about 100 yards northwest of the zoo's ticket booth.
Bernita White filed for divorce from Artis White about a month before her death, but the two still were living together. Authorities have said marital problems and a custody dispute over couple's two young daughters were possible motives.
LEADS DROPPING OFF IN POTTER PARK SHOOTING
Published February 09, 2004
Lansing State Journal
http://www.lsj.com/news/local/040209_mondayupdate_1b-2bdtxt.html
Two and a half years after Bernita White was gunned down while walking with her daughter in Potter Park, police are investigating virtually the same leads they had a year ago. White, 41, was shot on June 23, 2001.
"There are no changes," Lansing police Lt. Bruce Ferguson said. "Leads have slowed down extremely."
Although investigators will not say much, they say White's husband, Artis, remains a suspect.
Artis White, a Michigan State Police trooper, has maintained his innocence and criticized police for focusing on him while, he said, the real killer got away. White, who lives in Delta Township with his two daughters, declined to elaborate this week.
He released a book last year titled "Who Killed My Wife?" that describes the police's investigation as slanted and sloppy.
Searcher doubted in probe of slaying near zoo
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
July 18, 2003
By Adam Emerson
A Midland woman charged with planting criminal evidence at three locations in Michigan also helped Lansing police search for evidence in the shooting of Bernita White at Potter Park.
And when Sandra Marie Anderson and her cadaver-sniffing dog, Eagle, scoured the park two years ago, Lansing police worried that the bullet fragment she found wasn't genuine evidence from the White shooting, Lansing Detective Jon Priebe said.
Anderson, the director of the Great Lakes Search and Rescue of Michigan K-9 Unit, found a bullet fragment in the park within 15 minutes in July 2001.
None of the charges against her deals with the Potter Park case.
The quickness of the discovery "was a definite concern," said Priebe, who helped investigate the case.
Also suspicious was the location of the fragment, police said.
It was found farther north from where investigators believe the bullet would have traveled after it went through White on June 23, 2001.
Anderson said this week that in the Potter Park search, she "came in and put flags down and left."
She said little about the charges against her, calling them "nonsense" and saying she was fighting them.
"I have a lot of public support on this," Anderson said.
State police forensic scientists who tested the slug Anderson found determined that it wasn't the bullet that shot through White, a 41-year-old Delta Township woman.
Detectives called Michigan State Police officials after the search to explain their
concerns.
State Police Detective Lt. Ken Daniel said this week that there was no investigation of Anderson in connection with the Potter Park case because it was just one of many tools used to investigate that homicide.
Police admit it was possible that the 2001 discovery was legitimate, Lansing Capt. Raymond Hall said. "But it certainly was improbable," he said.
In a five-page indictment issued last month, the federal government said Anderson planted human bones while searching for criminal evidence at three locations in the state and then lied to federal investigators.
Anderson conducted about 200 searches a year with Eagle, mostly in homicide investigations. And she came highly recommended by other law enforcement agencies, Priebe said.
She also helped search for remains of victims of the United Airlines jetliner that crashed in southwestern Pennsylvania after being hijacked as part of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Federal authorities say that between October 2000 and April 2002, Anderson planted human bones in the Huron National Forest near Oscoda, at the Proud Lake Recreational Center in Oakland County and at a business in Bay City. Anderson "pretended to discover it as genuine potential evidence," states the indictment.
She faces up to five years in prison if convicted of lying to federal investigators. She also is charged with witness tampering, which carries a maximum 10-year prison penalty.
No arraignment date had been set as of earlier this week, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit.
The White slaying remains unsolved. While no arrests have been made, her husband, state police trooper Artis White, remains on a "short list" of suspects, police say.
Artis White maintains his innocence and criticizes police for focusing almost exclusively on him.
Infobox
Planted evidence?
Sandra Marie Anderson, who helped Lansing police search for evidence in the shooting of Bernita White at Potter Park, is charged with planting evidence at three locations in Michigan and then lying to investigators about it. The allegations against her include:
* Planting human bone and carpet fiber at the Huron National Forest near Oscoda in April 2002
* Planting human bone in the Proud Lake Recreation Center in Oakland County in January 2002
* Planting human bone on the grounds of Stress-Con , a business in Bay City, in October 2000.
U.S. District Court in Detroit
Infobox
Potter Park slaying
* Police have made no arrests in the shooting of Bernita White, a Delta Township woman killed June 23, 2001, while walking toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo. Anyone with information about the case is urged to call Lansing police at 483-4600 .
PARK SHOOTING DEATH UNSOLVED 2 YEARS LATER
POLICE STILL CALL TROOPER HUSBAND A SUSPECT IN CASE
Lansing State Journal
Published 6/23/2003
http://www.lsj.com/news/local/030623monday_update_1b-3b.html
Today is the two-year anniversary of the slaying of Bernita White - a high-profile case that remains unsolved.
White, 41, was killed June 23, 2001, while walking with her daughter toward the entrance of Lansing's Potter Park Zoo.
Authorities will say little about their investigation. But they say that White's husband, state police trooper Artis White, remains a suspect.
"The case is not closed," Lansing police Lt. Bruce Ferguson said.
Ferguson said leads from the public have dwindled. "We kind of get some things from time to time, but not on a regular basis."
White, 43, of Delta Township, maintains his innocence and criticizes police for focusing almost exclusively on him.
"I know that we continue to live our lives ... and we're just taking one day at a time," White said, referring to himself and his two daughters, ages 9 and 7.
Investigators want to interview White further, Ferguson said.
But Artis White said he refuses to talk with police while they consider him a suspect.
Public spotlight on the case had slowed until Artis White released a book about the homicide and the ongoing investigation earlier this year.
White said he wrote "Who Killed My Wife?" because he believes police have had enough time to find his wife's killer - and hopes the project will help do just that.
Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call Lansing police at 483-4600.
May 23, 2003
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
STATE OF MICHIGAN
COURT OF APPEALS
In re Investigation of Death of Bernita White
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
ARTIS WHITE,
Respondent-Appellant.
Updated Copy
May 23, 2003
FOR PUBLICATION
March 25, 2003
9:10 a.m.
No. 236829
Ingham Circuit Court
LC No. 01-092933-AZ
"...We are of the opinion that the basis for the prosecutor's motion for reconsideration was this Court's unpublished decision in Tezak, supra. Moreover, from the language of the order granting reconsideration, it clearly formed the basis for the trial court's decision. Unlike the trial court's interpretation, we find the facts of Tezak distinguishable from the instant case, and therefore find that the circuit court's reliance on Tezak was misplaced. The trial court in Tezak was concerned with the alleged wrongdoing of the detective agency outside the scope of its assignment to the client. The agency sought to assert the client's privilege to defeat the plaintiffs' discovery request. In our view, the Tezak Court was attempting to provide a mechanism by which the Court could segregate "privileged," e.g., "information secured in connection with an assignment for a client," from "non-privileged material," information secured outside the scope of an assignment for a client. MCL 338.840. Tezak does not support petitioner's argument or the trial court's ruling allowing disclosure of otherwise privileged information.
Conclusion
The plain language of the statutory privilege, MCL 338.840(2), precluded the trial court from ordering respondent's private investigator to turn over information obtained during the course of his investigation and in accordance with the assignment for which he was retained. There is no statutory exception that permits the trial court to set aside the privilege on the prosecutor's showing of need. Accordingly, the trial court committed error requiring reversal in authorizing the issuance of an investigative subpoena directing respondent's investigator to provide all information obtained during his investigation for an in-camera review and possible disclosure to the prosecutor.
In light of our resolution of this issue we decline to review respondent's alternative argument for reversal regarding the work-product privilege. MCR 2.302(B)(3)(a). Reversed. We do not retain jurisdiction." [pages 7 and 8]
April 11, 2003
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
April 11, 2003 - Ingham County Prosecutor's request for reconsideration of the Appeal Court's December 2002 decision to quash investigative subpoena for Artis White's private investigator's records is DENIED.
March 25, 2003
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
March 25, 2003- Opinion in Artis White's appeal to have the Ingham County Prosecutor's investigative subpoena for White's private investigator's records quashed, was published.
S T A T E O F M I C H I G A N
C O U R T O F A P P E A L S
In re Investigation of Death of Bernita White
PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
Petitioner-Appellee,
v
ARTIS WHITE,
Respondent-Appellant
FOR PUBLICATION March 25, 2003
No. 236829
Ingham Circuit Court
LC No. 01-092933-AZ
.
Updated Copy
May 23, 2003
Before: Donofrio, P.J., and Saad and Owens, JJ.
DONOFRIO, P.J.
Petitioner Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney sought an investigative subpoena to further the investigation of the murder of Bernita White, respondent's spouse. Respondent Artis White appeals as of right from an order authorizing the issuance of an investigative subpoena by the petitioner on a private investigator hired by respondent to investigate the decedent in a divorce proceeding pending at the time of her death. We reverse.
Facts and Procedural History
During a pending divorce proceeding, respondent, a Michigan State Police detective, hired a private investigator, Charles Rettstadt, to investigate his then-wife, Bernita White. The Whites and their daughter were walking together in Potter Park Zoo shortly before Bernita White's murder in the zoo. As part of the on-going investigation into Bernita White's murder, the Ingham County Prosecutor sought an investigative subpoena pursuant to MCL 767A.2(1) for the files of Rettstadt. The trial court authorized the investigative subpoena that provided Rettstadt was to produce documents pertaining to the retention of the agency by Artis White, including but not limited to, all contracts and/or retention agreements; all journals, notes or interviews produced pursuant to the agreements; all photographs, video tapes, digital images or audio tapes produced pursuant to the agreements; all records pertaining to billings for services rendered pursuant to the agreement,
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check, draft, instrument, credit or promise to pay received pursuant to the agreement.
Shortly thereafter, Artis White moved to quash the investigative subpoena and invoked his statutory privilege pursuant to MCL 338.840(2). The prosecutor claimed that the divorceinvestigation files that included surveillance materials could assist in the homicide investigation, and then argued that the facts and information assembled by Rettstadt during his investigation should be divided analytically into two categories,
(1) the "raw" information itself and
(2) the analysis of the information including inferences, theorizing, and conclusions drawn. The prosecutor maintained that the information developed during the course of Rettstadt's investigation could be valuable to the prosecutor's investigation of White's homicide and that the information could be "lost" if not disclosed to the prosecutor. The prosecutor contended that the subpoena did not violate the investigator- client privilege because the subpoena did not seek to obtain any direct communications between respondent and his investigator. Given the importance of investigating a homicide and the absence of any alternative means of obtaining the information possessed by the investigator, the prosecutor argued it was necessary to abrogate the privilege.
The circuit court granted respondent's motion to quash and reasoned that while a common-law or statutory privilege could be narrowed when it was balanced against a criminal defendant's constitutional rights, the same balancing is inappropriate when a prosecutor seeks to narrow or abrogate the privilege. The court further observed that the court rules relating to discovery applied to nonprivileged material only. Specifically, the court concluded:
So the jurisprudence of the state, as I understand it, is that the courts will balance the constitutional right of a criminal defendant and that defendant's need for material in order to exercise his constitutional rights against what otherwise would be iron clad privileges. But no exception to those privileges exists in the jurisprudence of the state for a prosecutor doing an investigation of this type, and so for all of those reasons the motion is granted.
Relying upon Tezak v Huntington Research Assoc, Ltd, unpublished opinion per curiam of the Court of Appeals, issued May 15, 2001 (Docket No. 215490), the prosecutor moved for reconsideration of the order granting the motion to quash. In Tezak, the plaintiffs asserted a separate cause of action alleging intentional wrongdoing by the defendant private investigator arising from his investigation of the plaintiffs in a prior personal-injury lawsuit filed by the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs served on the defendant interrogatories, requests for production of documents, and requests to admit regarding the investigative work he had performed in connection with that prior action. The defendant moved for a protective order, contending that the discovery sought by the plaintiffs was prohibited by MCL 338.840, but the trial court denied the protective order and granted the plaintiffs' motion to compel. This Court held that the trial court abused its discretion in completely denying the defendant's request for a protective order.
Observing that the court rule governing discovery provided for the disclosure of unprivileged material only, this Court concluded that "the trial court should have determined which discovery
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requests were covered by the private detective-client privilege and exempted these from discovery." Tezak, supra.
Relying on Tezak, the prosecutor requested the court to (1) rescind its order quashing the subpoena, (2) conduct an in- camera review of all the subpoenaed materials, and (3) release to the prosecutor "all factual information that does not constitute, contain or include communications from or with Artis White or [his attorneys.]" The circuit court granted the motion to reconsider, and the order provided, in relevant part: [T]his Court being convinced that the detective/client privilege in MCL 338.840(2) covers communications between the investigator and client, but does not encompass facts the investigator uncovers during his or her employment by the client; and this Court being further convinced that its August 6, 2001 order is based on a clear and palpable error,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the August 6, 2001 Order Quashing Subpoena is rescinded.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a representative of Clark, Chip & Barger, L.L.P. shall immediately deliver to this Court all documents, records and tangible objects listed in the investigative subpoena that was served on Charles Rettstadt and Research North.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Court shall review the above described materials in camera, and shall release to the Ingham County Prosecuting Attorney only documents, records or tangible objects that contain or depict factual information and that do not constitute, contain or include communications between Charles Rettstadt or Research North and Artis White or Clark, Chip & Barger, L.L.P.
This appeal followed.
Analysis
On appeal, respondent argues that the trial court committed error requiring reversal in failing to quash the investigative subpoena issued by the prosecutor to Rettstadt. We agree.
Because this issue presents a legal question of statutory interpretation, we review the trial court's ruling de novo. In re Investigation of March 1999 Riots in East Lansing, 463 Mich 378, 383; 617 NW2d 310 (2000).
A prosecuting attorney is permitted by MCL 767A.2(1) to petition the district or circuit court for authorization to issue subpoenas to investigate the commission of a felony. MCL 767A.6 (5) provides, in relevant part:
The court shall not compel the person to answer a question or produce any record, document, or physical evidence if answering that question or producing
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that record, document, or physical evidence would violate a statutory privilege or a constitutional right. [Emphasis added.] The investigator-client privilege, MCL 338.840, provides:
(1) Any person who is or has been an employee of a licensee shall not divulge to anyone other than his employer or former employer, or as the employer shall direct, except as he may be required by law, any information acquired by him during his employment in respect to any of the work to which he shall have been assigned by the employer. Any employee violating the provisions of this section and any employee who wilfully makes a false report to his employer in respect to any work is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(2) Any principal, manager or employee of a licensee who wilfully furnishes false information to clients, or who wilfully sells, divulges or otherwise discloses to other than clients, except as he may be required by law, any information acquired by him or them during employment by the client is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be subjected to immediate suspension of license by the secretary of state and revocation of license upon satisfactory proof of the offense to the secretary of state. Any communications, oral or written, furnished by a professional man or client to a licensee, or any information secured in connection with an assignment for a client, shall be deemed privileged with the same authority and dignity as are other privileged communications recognized by the courts of this state. [Emphasis added.]
The rules of statutory interpretation delimit our role in the analysis of the quoted legislation. Our Supreme Court explained the court's role with regard to statutory interpretation in Massey v Mandell, 462 Mich 375, 379-380; 614 NW2d 70 (2000): In examining a statute, it is our obligation to discern the legislative intent that may reasonably be inferred from the words expressed in the statute. White v Ann Arbor, 406 Mich 554, 562; 281 NW2d 283 (1979). One fundamental principle of statutory construction is that "a clear and unambiguous statute leaves no room for judicial construction or interpretation." Coleman v Gurwin, 443 Mich 59, 65; 503 NW2d 435 (1993). Thus, when the Legislature has unambiguously conveyed its intent in a statute, the statute speaks for itself and there is no need for judicial construction; the proper role of a court is to apply the terms of the statute to the circumstances in a particular case. Turner v Auto Club Ins Ass'n, 448 Mich 22, 27; 528 NW2d 681 (1995). Concomitantly, it is our task to give the words used by the Legislature their common, ordinary meaning. MCL 8.3a; MSA 2.212 (1).
We note initially that the parties agree that the relevant statutes are unambiguous and should be enforced as written. Both parties also agree that the statutory privilege is two-fold: it protects first, "communications . . . furnished by . . . [the] client to the licensee," and second,
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"information secured in connection with an assignment for a client . . . ." MCL 338.840(2).
While the prosecutor agrees that the privilege prohibits disclosure of communications made by the client (or the client's attorney) to the investigator, he makes three arguments regarding why he is entitled to the information captured by the second prong of the privilege.
The prosecutor argues: (1) the statutory language should be read narrowly, otherwise the investigator-client privilege becomes the broadest of all privileges; (2) an exception to nondisclosure should be made on a showing of need or the privilege against disclosure should be abrogated when the information advances a homicide investigation; and (3) our Court's ruling in Tezak supports the prosecutor's interpretation of the privilege. While the prosecutor's arguments are immediately drawn to the concerns of solving the instant homicide, we must conclude that they are unpersuasive.
"The creation of the . . . privilege[] . . . establishes the Legislature's assumption that any forced disclosure of the information protected will cause injury to the privilege holder." People v Stanaway, 446 Mich 643, 678; 521 NW2d 557 (1994). In Ravary v Reed, 163 Mich App 447, 451-452; 415 NW2d 240 (1987), this Court concluded that MCL 338.840(2) "reflects the Legislature's determination that broad protection is to be accorded the private detective-client relationship. Any communication by a client to a licensee and any information secured in connection with an assignment for a client is privileged."
Clearly, MCL 338.840(1) and MCL 338.840(2) penalize the unauthorized disclosure of any information "acquired" by the investigator "during his employment" regarding "any of the work to which he shall have been assigned . . . ." Accordingly, the investigator is forbidden from disclosing information to anyone but his employer, except as his employer may direct or as authorized by law. In our view, this provision would forbid the investigator from disclosing communications, facts, evidence, or other types of information that the investigator obtained during the course of his employment, even if he did not develop that information himself, but merely learned of it by overhearing discussions or reviewing documents. However, the described prohibition applies to only information obtained "in respect to any of the work to which [the investigator] shall have been assigned . . . ." MCL 338.840(1).
In contrast to the penalty provision of the initial sentence of MCL 338.840(2), we read the second sentence to establish a legal prohibition that allows a client to prevent disclosure. The operative sentence announcing the privilege states that it applies to "[a]ny communications, oral or written, furnished by a . . . client to a licensee" and also to "any information secured in connection with an assignment for a client . . . ." The first part of the privilege applies to communications from the client to the investigator. This is similar to the statutory attorneyclient privilege, MCL 767.5a(2), that applies to "[a]ny communications between attorneys and their clients . . . when those communications were necessary to enable the attorneys . . . to serve as such . . . ."
The use of the phrase "any information" is plain enough: the privilege applies to all information without regard to the nature of the information (i.e., verbal, written, documentary, photographic, and so forth). The meaning of the word "secured" is also plain. The relevant definition provided by Random House Webster's College Dictionary (2d ed, 2000) is: "to get
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hold of; obtain." However, the privilege does not pertain to any evidence obtained during the course of the investigator's employment; it is restricted to evidence obtained "in connection with an assignment for a client . . . ." Thus, we find the nondisclosure privilege applies to only evidence that is related to the particular assignment on which the investigator is employed.
We also note that the prosecutor's argument is largely premised on the contention that the use of the word "acquired" in the first subsection and in the first sentence of the second subsection compels a different meaning than the use of the word "secured" in the second sentence of the second subsection. However, Random House Webster's College Dictionary (2d ed, 2000) defines "secure" to mean obtain and defines "obtain" to mean "to come into possession of; get, acquire, or procure, as through effort or request." (Emphasis added.)
Because we find that the express statutory language admits of no other conclusion, we hold that the investigator-client privilege encompasses both the communication between the investigator and his client and any information obtained in connection with or in furtherance of the assignment by the client. Arguments concerning the breadth of the privilege are better directed to the Legislature in urging legislative modification of the otherwise clear intent of the Legislature.
The prosecutor also argues that the privilege may nonetheless be abrogated or narrowed on a showing of need to advance a homicide investigation. This argument is based primarily on our Supreme Court's decision in Stanaway, supra. In Stanaway, the Court considered, in the context of the defendant's request for counseling and juvenile records in a criminal trial, the extent of the statutory privileges provided to psychologists, sexual- assault counselors, social workers, and juvenile-diversion officers. The Court first concluded that the respective privileges applied and that the defendant's need for the records did not come within any of the statutory exceptions. The Court therefore held that the records were exempt from the defendant's request by virtue of the statutory privileges. Stanaway, supra at 661-662.
However, because the request was made by a defendant in a criminal case, the Court also considered whether the defendant's right to constitutional due process superseded the statutory privileges. Id. at 662. The Court concluded that "[c]ommon-law and statutory privileges may have to be narrowed or yielded if those privileges interfere with certain constitutional rights of defendants." Id. at 668-669 (emphasis added). Our Supreme Court held that in an appropriate case there should be available the option of an in camera inspection by the trial judge of the privileged record on a showing that the defendant has a good- faith belief, grounded on some demonstrable fact, that there is a reasonable probability that the records are likely to contain material information necessary to the defense. [Id. at 677.]
The Court emphasized that the test it had fashioned "anticipates that the privilege holder would be better off if the privilege remains intact." Id. at 678. The Court concluded by stating that "[t]he state's interest in preserving the confidentiality of the social worker, diversion, and rape-counseling records must yield to a criminal defendant's due process right to a fair trial when
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the defendant can show that those records are likely to contain information necessary to his defense." Id. at 679-680.
To obtain an investigative subpoena, it is only necessary for the prosecutor to show that the testimony of a person, or examination of the records, documents, or physical evidence requested, "is relevant to the investigation . . . ." MCL 767A.2 (2)(d) and MCL 767A.3(1)(c).
This standard falls far short of the standard enunciated for overcoming the statutory privilege by the Court in Stanaway. Moreover, the constitutional due-process right to a fair trial asserted by the defendant is greater than the right asserted by the prosecutor.
In our view, these considerations render the Stanaway decision inapplicable to this appeal. The issue in this appeal does not concern a criminal defendant's due process right to a fair trial. Instead, it concerns a prosecutor's right to obtain statutorily privileged information during the course of a criminal investigation. Our review of the record reveals that the prosecutor has failed to provide us with any authority holding that the prosecutor's right to conduct a far-reaching investigation into possible criminal conduct equates to a defendant's constitutional right to a fair trial. Ordinarily, this Court will not consider arguments for which a party has failed to provide authority. Mudge v Macomb Co, 458 Mich 87, 104-105; 580 NW2d 845 (1998), quoting Mitcham v Detroit, 355 Mich 182, 203; 94 NW2d 388 (1959). Although a homicide investigation is critically important, the statute does not permit exceptions based on the potential value of the material to the prosecutor. Indeed, the Legislature protected this information by granting a broad privilege, presumably because the information may have value, not because the information is trivial. Because the procedure established in Stanaway resulted from a concern that is not present in this appeal, a criminal defendant's assertion of his constitutional right to a fair trial, we reject the prosecutor's attempt to apply that decision to the facts of the instant case and thereby abrogate the legislatively created privilege.
We are of the opinion that the basis for the prosecutor's motion for reconsideration was this Court's unpublished decision in Tezak, supra. Moreover, from the language of the order granting reconsideration, it clearly formed the basis for the trial court's decision.
Unlike the trial court's interpretation, we find the facts of Tezak distinguishable from the instant case, and therefore find that the circuit court's reliance on Tezak was misplaced. The trial court in Tezak was concerned with the alleged wrongdoing of the detective agency outside the scope of its assignment to the client. The agency sought to assert the client's privilege to defeat the plaintiffs' discovery request. In our view, the Tezak Court was attempting to provide a mechanism by which the Court could segregate "privileged," e.g., "information secured in connection with an assignment for a client," from "non- privileged material," information secured outside the scope of an assignment for a client. MCL 338.840. Tezak does not support petitioner's argument or the trial court's ruling allowing disclosure of otherwise privileged information.
Conclusion
The plain language of the statutory privilege, MCL 338.840(2), precluded the trial court from ordering respondent's private investigator to turn over information obtained during the
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course of his investigation and in accordance with the assignment for which he was retained.
There is no statutory exception that permits the trial court to set aside the privilege on the prosecutor's showing of need. Accordingly, the trial court committed error requiring reversal in authorizing the issuance of an investigative subpoena directing respondent's investigator to provide all information obtained during his investigation for an in-camera review and possible disclosure to the prosecutor. In light of our resolution of this issue we decline to review respondent's alternative argument for reversal regarding the work-product privilege. MCR 2.302(B)(3)(a).
Reversed. We do not retain jurisdiction.
Owens, J., concurred.
/s/ Pat M. Donofrio
/s/ Donald S. Owens
Saad, J., I concur in the result only.
/s/ Henry William Saad
Local man's book raises questions
A self-published true crime book by Lansing man
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
March 16, 2003
Ray Walsh
Artis White, is both eye-opening and mind-numbing in a variety of different ways.
It offers intriguing insights and raises numerous questions about the police investigation of the murder of his wife, Bernita, on June 23, 2001, at Lansing's crowded Potter Park Zoo.
The case is still ongoing and no one has been arrested, although the 14-year veteran Michigan State Police officer remains on the short list of suspects.
White maintains his innocence and is angry that the Lansing Police Department and the state police wasted six hours interrogating him instead of searching for other clues to the killer.
The author vents his frustration by explaining the details of his whereabouts when the murder took place and doesn't deny that his wife had filed for divorce, but he insists it was amicable.
Because of an earlier and still unresolved civil case against the state police, he feels that he's been singled out improperly, with many investigative subpoenas utilized in what he describes as "the form of a witch-hunt."
He acknowledges that police officers generally will focus on the surviving partner in the instances of the murder of a spouse but feels that not enough initial effort was made in seeking other suspects.
A former security guard and a six-year member of the National Guard, White was the owner of a private detective firm before he joined the state police. He was the Criminal Investigation Division's Trooper of the Year in 1998.
White isn't a polished author and his narrative doesn't always flow smoothly, but he hopes to generate further investigation; his love and concern for their two young daughters is highly evident.
Ray Walsh, owner of East Lansing's Curious Book Shop, has reviewed mysteries and noir thrillers regularly since 1987.
To read
* "Who Killed my Wife?" by Artis White
* Artistic Expressions, $12.95
Homicide victim's husband writes book
February 26, 2003
The Argus-Press
Lansing, Mich [AP] - The state police sergeant whose wife was fatally shot in 2001 while walking in Potter Park has written a book about her slaying.
"Who Killed My Wife?" by Artis White is his account of the June 23, 2001 homicide and the ongoing investigation.
The 205 page book, set to be published March 8, is part of a project White launched, called Artisitc Expression, which is "dedicated to printing any and all information concerning the death of Bernita White," according to the project's web site.
Artis White said that he wrote the book because he believes police have had enough time to find his wife's killer, and hopes this project will do just that.
White who has been with the state police since 1988, remains on a short list of suspects in Bernita White's homicide, Lansing police say. But he maintains his innocence. In the book, he criticizes authorities for focusing almost exclusively on him.
"This may be unusual for me, being on the short list of suspects, as they say," White said of his book Monday. "But the only way that this can come to any kind of fruitation is for people to start talking about it."
The self-published book should attract local and nationwide interest, partly because of the author, said Ray Walsh, owner of the Curious Book Shop in East Lansing.
"I don't know of too many instances of suspects writing books relating to the crime," said Walsh, who has reviewed mysteries and crime novels regularly since 1987.
"I think there's still an interest in the case because it's unsolved," he said, adding that he plans to carry the book when it's published.
White said he relied on interviews with family and friends; surveys, police documents and media stories to write the book, which will sell for $12.95.
He said he hopes people who read the book can provide clues to help crack the case. He said he can no longer afford the $5,000 reward he once posted, but any proceeds - after the cost of writing the book go to help finding his wife's killer.
"A lot of people have said that this is a long shot," he said. "But you miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take."
Police have spent thousands of hours investigating the sniper-style shooting, but have made no arrests.
Bernita White, 41, was killed while walking with her then 5-year-old daughter and others toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo on a sunny bustling day in the park.
Authorities have said little about their investigation and haven't disclosed the physical evidence they have. A bullet fragment found in the park can't be linked to Bernita White's death.
"We are still hoping people call in tips," Lansing police Lt. Bruce Ferguson said. "This is still an open case."
Ferguson wouldn't comment on White's book because department officials hadn't read it yet."
State police spokesman Michael Prince also wouldn't comment Monday on the book's publication. "I haven't read it, so I can't offer you any kind of response," Prince said.
White had objected to his four-month paid suspension from his job soon after his wife's slaying. The state police had joined Lansing investigators on the cause, and temporarily removed White from his responsibilities to avoid the appearance of improprioty.
Investigators believe marital problems and a custody dispute are among the possible motives White had to kill his wife.
But there was nothing unusual about the pending divorce, Artis White has contended. The couple lived together in their Delta Township home and shared custody of their two daughters pending further court hearings.
The unsolved murder of Bernita White
City Pulse
By LAWRENCE COSENTINO
February 26, 2003
http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/archives/030226/030226cover.html
On Sunday last, Artis White stood next to a snowbound picnic pavilion in the Potter Park Zoo, squinting into the late winter glare, uncomfortably close to the spot where his wife was shot dead with a high-powered rifle over a year and a half ago. "To think that this could happen in Lansing," he says, imagining the white expanse full of children's play-screams and the smell of barbecue, as it was on June 23, 2001. "Then you start on the questions. Why did we go to the zoo that day? Why did this have to happen? Why can't we find out who did it? It makes you frustrated, and it makes you angry."
It's hard to find the truth in a zoo. Aesop, the great black sage of ancient Greece, wrote hundreds of famous stories full of birds, fish, tortoises, hares, lions, and asses, always tricking, swindling, or eating each other. Throughout all of his fables, the figure of Truth appears only once — as a missing woman.
Police investigators, friends and relatives of Bernita White, and everyone else with an interest in one of Lansing's most notorious murders , are still finding out just how lost Truth can get. In the 19 months since the shooting, the case has generated enough time, expense and media noise to join the ranks of the most infamous crimes in Lansing's history. Yet to date, no indictments have been handed down and no arrests have been made. To Artis White, the trail looks frozen as the park itself, buried under late February snows.
Needless to say, the Lansing Police Department sees the matter quite differently. "I don't know where you get the idea the case is cold," says Lt. Jon Priebe, a detective who has been involved in the investigation of the Bernita White murder from the beginning. "All I can tell you is it hasn't slowed down one bit."
But Artis White wants more than that from the Lansing Police, and he is unlikely to get it as long as he remains a suspect. For this, and for other reasons, he has now assumed a new public role for himself — that of author. Just when the incident has begun to fade from public memory, the 14-year Michigan State Trooper has taken the unusual step of venturing back into the zoo, both literally and figuratively. Next month, he publishes a book that deliberately pushes the incident, along with his own suspect status, back into the media spotlight. In doing so, he escalates a high-stakes investigative duel in which one side is bluffing and the cards may never be seen.
"Who Killed My Wife?" is a home-grown, Midwestern hybrid curiosity of a book — by turns true crime story, insider police brief, gripe session, existential outcry, and nudge-and-wink charm offensive (at one point White suggests that Denzel Washington play his character in the movie). Some will no doubt sympathize with White's portrait of himself as a suddenly single dad, struggling gamely with his young daughters' hairdos, uncertainty over his job, social ostracism and the stress of being a suspect for over a year and a half.
In a strange real-world echo of the "X Files," the book's recurring catchphrase is "the truth…find it!" Against considerable odds, White firmly believes the book will help to bring out the truth about Bernita's death, but that is not its only purpose. "It's therapy too," he explains. "Putting it down on paper, having my girls involved … they're just 7 and 9 years old, but they're really curious about the book. They've seen the pictures, they've seen the cover, they want to go to book signings and take the money and give change … they're very interested. They want to know what happened too. So for them, for myself, and for anyone out there that's curious about the case, that's why I wrote it."
Skeptics, however, are likely to take issue with nearly every line of White's book — starting with his conspicuous use of the words "My Wife" rather than "Bernita White" in the title, when Bernita had already filed for divorce weeks before the murder. And the skeptics' antennae are unlikely to come to rest until the end of the last chapter, in which White concludes that "nothing can be done" to solve the case "until they stop investigating me."
Advance notices from local law enforcement are predictably cool and unlikely to warm once the cops have had a chance to actually read it. Says Lansing Police Lt. Bruce Ferguson of the book's forthcoming appearance, "It is unusual. He's certainly got the right of free speech and can say what he wants. But it doesn't behoove us to get into a shouting match with him in the press. He'll do what he has to do, and so will we." Detective Priebe's only comment on the news of White's forthcoming literary endeavor was a terse "that should tell you something right there." Lansing Police Detective Marcel Holloway, who has also worked on the Bernita White case, said, "It's too soon to be writing any book." After a moment's thought, he added, "People are always the hero of their own story."
Nevertheless, White is determined to set his shoulder against a mountain of doubt, throwing a fourth-quarter bomb in hopes of breaking up the ongoing stalemate between himself and law enforcement authorities. "You miss a hundred percent of the shots you don't take," he says. "If I do nothing, if I don't shout, nothing will happen. Members of my family have told me that writing a book isn't going to help, but I can't give up believing that we're going to find the killer. If you give up hope, you don't have anything else."
Despite a quiet winter with no major developments, the case is still a gaping lion's mouth of uncertainty, and readers of the book will have a field day speculating whether White is admirably cool-headed or incredibly rash to put his head back inside. "You always run the risk of public scrutiny by bringing something like this back in the public eye," he admits, "because it is controversial. But, candidly, I don't care. I can take the shots as long as it takes, because I'm not gonna stop trying to find out who did it."
Without any prompting at all by White, Captain Raymond Hall of the Lansing Police Department does admit to one significant failure. "Unfortunately, even though we have worked diligently to eliminate Artis White as a possible suspect in this case, we have failed to do so, despite our best efforts," he says pointedly. "We recognize the hardship that places on everyone associated with this case, and we continue to be optimistic that eventually we will solve this crime."
That, of course, is the one failure for which Artis White would rather not blame the Lansing Police. He remains doubtful that investigators have made their best efforts to clear him, maintaining that they could and should have done so within several weeks of the murder, had they talked to the right people and drawn the right conclusions.
All of the criticisms White levels against law enforcement agencies handling the case, from general charges of incompetence to specific allegations of illegal acts, flow from a single major premise. White maintains that in the absence of other meaningful leads, investigators are blindly playing the odds by fixating unreasonably on the victim's spouse, turning a criminal investigation into what he calls a "bad TV show."
The Lansing Police, the lead investigative unit in the case, bear the brunt of White's criticism. "They don't have any information," White says. "They have me going through a divorce, and the victim was a police officer's spouse. That's it." The fact that he and Bernita were still living together at the time of the murder, maintains White, demonstrates that their divorce was amicable. "The police and media over-emphasize that," White writes in the book. "They tried to make it seem as if we were going through a vicious divorce and that Bernita was in fear for her life … if this were the case, she would have packed her bags, moved out, and obtained a restraining order."
Hall says that White just doesn't have the full picture. "Any time we're investigating a homicide, and we're going through the process of ruling the spouse out as a suspect," he says, "we recognize that that is a significant emotional event. It's difficult on all parties, including the detectives, but it's a necessary part of any investigation."
White speculates that in the absence of hard evidence, LPD investigators tried to "gratify a sitcom-type perception" by focusing on the divorce motive and the Whites' underlying domestic situation. He acknowledges that Bernita had a "male companion" named Sam for about two years preceding her death, and that he and Bernita had been in therapy for about as long. But he further maintains that "everyone makes mistakes," again accusing the investigators of fixating on the sex issue. "This investigation," he writes, "from the six hours I spent in the first interview to this day, has been based upon the interaction between Bernita, Sam, me and whomever any of us has ever had sex with." He describes it as "an interesting soap opera, but not an effective way to administer justice … no person Bernita, Sam or I had sex with killed Bernita."
White is incensed that investigators harassed many of his friends and co-workers with what he calls the "sex question." He says that one Lansing Police detective even asked his niece if they had had sex. White says that his niece told him over the phone that the officer's partner called her back, in tears, to apologize.
While avoiding mention of specific investigative details, Hall offered a certain measure of official sympathy. "No one enjoys coming to the part of an investigation when you're trying to rule out a family member," he observed. "You have to ask the kinds of questions that make people feel uncomfortable. Sometimes you've got to make statements that are awkward and not very pleasant. It's very sensitive, and you're dealing with a high degree of emotions, and we recognize that, but it's the unpleasant part of the business."
White views the investigation as having gone off the rails from the very beginning, when he says Lansing Police detectives questioned him pointlessly for six hours shortly after the shooting. He describes the detectives as "stalling" by asking "standard and mundane" questions over and over. "In the very beginning, it's so important to find the person within 48 hours of the crime," says White. "After that, your chances of finding the perpetrator go down 95 percent. And here they're asking me things like, ‘What's your social security number,' ‘What's your age,' over and over… that was very disheartening."
Again, Hall suggests that White's perspective on the investigation is limited. "This was a task force," he explains. "This wasn't like you see in the movies, two detectives with their sleeves rolled up, following leads. At one time there was well over a dozen officers investigating the crime. While two detectives turned their attention to eliminating Artis White as a suspect, others went down other trails.
"The criticism that we would accept ," continued Hall, "based on these accusations, is perhaps not explaining this clearly enough to Mr. Artis White. Clearly, he's not aware of the hundreds of hours of investigative time that went into this homicide, and much of that was not focused on Artis White."
Contrary to Hall's suggestion, White seems well aware of the vast number of hours spent investigating the murder — his estimate in the book goes a decimal to the right of Hall's — and concludes that such intense effort only makes the allocation of resources all the more misguided. Shaking his head over the length of the investigation, he bemoans "all the resources they've spent looking at no one else but me, all the 9,000 manpower hours, all the search warrants that were directed at me and my family. I'm not really privy to the entire investigation, but I don't know of other search warrants and subpeonas that were directed at anyone else."
Ferguson explains that as a suspect, White has to be kept in the dark until the prosecutor decides it's time to move. "Detectives are gatherers of information," he says. "They hand that information over to the prosecutor, and he determines what to do with it." Ferguson says that "only a handful of people" are privy to the details of the case, and they have a "legal duty" not to prejudice the investigation or taint the jury pool with leaks to the public at large, let alone a listed suspect.
That means deadlock between the police and White on the issue of further cooperation. "I'd be willing to be interviewed again," he says, "but I refuse to be interviewed as a suspect. I'm done with that."
In White's view, the initial questioning set the tone for the entire investigation, as officers went to greater and greater lengths to scrutinize their only real lead. This blind zeal, White maintains, led to serious breaches of ethics on the part of police as the case unfolded — or folded, from White's point of view. Perhaps the most serious of White's charges is that one detective falsified an affidavit for probable cause in order to obtain the first search warrant for White's work office and home. White's book says the affidavit included "what [the detective] said were Bernita's mother's dying words as, ‘Artis killed her.'" (In one of the case's strangest and most tragic turns, Bernita's mother died almost immediately upon hearing of her daughter's death.)
White further maintains that the same officer, in his zeal to obtain a second search warrant to search his vehicle, changed Bernita's mother's statement to "Artis had her killed." White claims the detective changed the statement to supply the fresh information necessary to establish sufficient probable cause for an additional warrant. He also holds the opinion that a lack of direct evidence led officers to adopt a new theory of the case — that White had hired someone else to kill Bernita — and consequently "fudged" the warrant request to move this new theory forward.
White bases his claim that the first warrant was falsified on what he considers to be the sheer impossibility that Bernita's mother would ever make such a statement. "I don't believe that when my mother-in-law was dying she used her thought processes to help the police solve the crime," writes White, recalling that days before Bernita's death, Mrs. Sims sent him a letter "sending all her love to me." Two sentences later, however, White admits that her dying words "cannot be proved or disproved. No matter what was said," he goes on, "the information should not be conveniently changed by the police to execute search warrants."
Asked how such a damning fact, if false, could have found its way into a sworn statement, White had this to say: "I don't know where he got the majority of his information, and I don't know what caused him to change the information to freshen it up and get another search warrant. That's just bad police work. It's unacceptable, and it's something that should never happen. Will he be punished for it? Probably not. He'll continue on working wherever he's working."
(Efforts by City Pulse to see the two search warrants were unsuccessful. White gave City Pulse permission to verify his account with his attorney, but he did not return calls.)
Search warrant requests also accused White of using LEIN (Law Enforcement Information Network) to check up on his wife's activities, stirring up a brief sideshow of controversy in August of 2001 and earning White the title of Villain of the Week on the National Consumer Coalition's Web site. "I don't know what they're talking about," says White of the LEIN accusations. "I don't know of any computer system, at least that we have, that you can use to track people. The LEIN is a police tool that you can use to check a person's background, driving record, and that kind of stuff, and as far as I know, I've never abused the LEIN, and I certainly haven't been punished for anything like that."
White has long ago concluded that tactics like these stem from the sheer desperation of investigators pursuing a cold case. "All eyes are on me because they don't have anywhere else to go," he says. "They'd look like idiots if they said, ‘We've had the wrong person for a year and a half, he didn't do it, we don't know who did.'"
Hall rejects the implication that Lansing officers are futilely turning the same rock over and over. "In an investigation of this nature," Hall says, "the spouse is always a possible suspect until he can be definitively eliminated. Now, some agencies may call him a ‘person of interest' — that's the new term that some have adopted — but it is what it is. Artis White is still a person of interest in this investigation."
Throughout the book, White points out a recurring dimension to the case that, if it exists on the scale he describes, paints a disturbing picture of Michigan law enforcement culture. He ascribes much of the case's lack of closure to wasteful turf battles between Lansing and Michigan State Police. "It's scary," he says. "I knew nothing about it before I got involved in police work, but there are internal struggles within the police departments all the time. When it's the police against the suspect, there's a lot of camaraderie, but when it's the police against the police, they divide like a volleyball team."
In his book, White spends an entire chapter on one background episode to illustrate the point. While visiting Lansing for the 1989 Fourth of July Fireworks, White, another off-duty officer and their wives were driving through the downtown area in Bernita's 1988 Austin Sterling when their car was hit by a firecracker thrown from another car. He recalls that the two troopers took the culprit's driver's license number, after which White handed the prosecuting chores to a local officer. Weeks later, as White recalls, he was stunned to find that the Lansing officer had falsified records relating to the incident. White and the second trooper were now accused of robbing the occupants of the other car at gunpoint and sheltering a known drug dealer in their own Austin Sterling (which White says is designed to hold only four people). Ten years later, says White, the officer involved apologized to him and admitted that his superiors had put him up to it.
White has his own explanation for the incident. "I am not the kind of person the Lansing Police are used to dealing with," he writes in the book. Asked to explain the remark further, White says, "I don't think that it would have happened to a car carrying all white passengers. I feel the reason he was pressured into making the decisions that he made was because of our color. In my heart, I feel that some of that had to do with it." White is mulling over the possibility of writing another book, on the lives of black cops.
In his book, White does not suggest directly that he has been treated unfairly because of race in the Bernita White investigation. Race, he says, may be only one of several factors driving the city cop-state cop rivalry, at least in Lansing. "There has always been a longstanding temperamental struggle between the Lansing Police and the State Police," says White. "That's true all over the state, since we have complete jurisdiction anywhere in the state. We are looked upon as arrogant and pompous."
Hall brushes off the idea of internecine rivalry between city and state cops. "The Lansing Police Department is in partnership with the State Police on many different levels, and we have a close relationship with that organization and many of its members. To somehow imply that we're anti-state police is entertaining, because conspiracy theories often are, but as far as being factual, it's not."
That the state police should be involved in the case at all, says White, is a function of his own status as suspect. "Because I am an employee of the state police," White writes, the Michigan State Police offered assistance with the investigation." But White also suggests another rationale for state troopers' involvement in his book — "my civil lawsuit against the state police." Neither White nor the Michigan State Police are commenting on the pending suit, but White does make the accusation that state police were asking "civil questions" (meaning, of course, "questions related to the pending civil suit" and not "polite questions") "under the guise of the homicide investigation."
One of the stranger episodes in the book is White's account of his hostile encounter with an outside private investigator hired by the Lansing Police. According to White, the two went to Potter Park together about a year into the investigation — the only time, until this City Pulse story, that White has returned to the zoo since the murder. White says he had hoped for something constructive to come of the meeting, but instead was subjected to crude, TV-private-eye bluster. As he recalls it, the investigator abruptly announced, "before today, there was only one person who knew who did it. Now there's two." (White calls the remark a "rehearsed prom date pickup line.") The crux of the investigator's theory was that White planted a rifle with a scope just north of the zoo on the night before the murder. But the idea has led nowhere, owing to lack of evidence and a credible alibi, and the whole episode left White even more embittered and reluctant to cooperate with the police as a suspect.
"They're at that point where they can't turn back," says White. "Police departments have never admitted that they've made a mistake. That's just the way it is. How many times have I investigated a breaking and entering, and just knew the guy did it, and come to find out it was someone else? I never go back and say, ‘I'm sorry, I made a mistake.' That never happens. But they're never going to find out who did it until they stop looking at me. It may anger them, but it's the truth, and sometimes the truth stings just a little bit."
At the end of his book, White surveys a handful of theories that have been advanced to explain the case, none of which have made it very far. (White says he gleaned the theories from a survey he conducted among people who signed the guest list at Bernita's funeral, the same list he says was photocopied by the Lansing Police and used in its investigation.) The ideas run a large gamut of plausibility. One respondent to White's survey hypothesized that someone targeted in White's civil litigation did it, in fear of "a high dollar award as a result of my winning the lawsuit" (White's paraphrase). Though he does mention it in the book, White cautions that he has "no information" to support the idea.
Early in the investigation, a police task force found a bullet in a tree near the zoo, which was determined to be unrelated to the Bernita White slaying. This datum, along with citizen reports that gunshots are heard in the zoo area from time to time, forms the basis of the "random" theory. White strongly implies in the book that this theory, while plausible, has not been pursued by investigators due to a fear of adverse public reaction.
White also mentions the theory that Bernita's boyfriend, Sam, killed her, although elsewhere in the book he says he told police he didn't think anyone who knew Bernita could have done it, including Sam. White also mentions but rejects, the idea that Bernita was so depressed she arranged for her own killing. He concludes by raising the possibility that the murder was a complete accident, with the killer still unaware that his randomly fired shot hit a human being. There is another theory, which White does not mention in his book, that gained and lost currency quickly in the wake of the Washington"Beltway Sniper" killings in the fall of 2002. A tenuous link between that killing spree and Michigan was discovered when the name of Nathaniel Osbourne, a New Jersey man with a girlfriend in Flint, turned up on the registration of the 1990 Chevy Caprice used by the snipers. Although detectives working on the Beltway case were in brief contact with Michigan authorities, no concrete link between the killings was established.
While Lansing Police continue to play the cards face down, Hall does not foreclose the possibility that White's book will be looked at with some degree of seriousness. "I think he raises legitimate issues," says Hall, "and as a police agency, we ought to be able to respond to them. We will certainly want to look at the book, to see if it has any additional value to the investigation. These are legitimate questions about the case, and people have a right to know what's going on and what our response is.
"It disturbs us," continued Hall, "to think that if he in fact is an innocent victim, he's had to endure months and years of intensive investigation and being listed as a possible suspect. That's not good for anyone. But at the same time, if it is, it is, and if it's not, it's not."
Hall's last cryptic remark loses something in gray print, but it does a good job of describing the maddening duality of the Bernita White homicide investigation. As of now, there is no resolution in sight, for Artis White or anyone else connected with the case. And yet, if only for the sake of artificial media bow-wrapping, the literary zoo of Aesop beckons one last time. Two fables, both involving fish and fishermen, seem to have a clear bearing on the author of "Who Killed My Wife?"
In the first fable, a band of overconfident fishermen is pulling up a heavy dragnet. Feeling the weight, they start to dance, figuring they've caught the biggest fish around. Of course, the weight turns out to be a useless stone.
In the second fable, the fishermen sit dejectedly, having caught nothing for weeks. Suddenly, a huge tuna, apparently swimming away from something that is chasing him, accidentally flops right into the boat.
The morals, like many noises in the zoo, tend to drown each other out. One thing remains certain: it is not easy to coax Truth out of the desert and into the city.
Care to respond? Send letters to letters@lansingcitypulse.com
Homicide victim's husband pens book on case
February 25, 2003
Lansing State Journal
January 16, 2003
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
January 16, 2003 - Ingham County Prosecutor filed a motion for reconsideration of the Appeal Court's December 26, 2002 decision to quash the investigative subpoena for Artis White's private investigator's records.
Who Killed My Wife?
The Unsolved Murder of Bernita White
January 1, 2003
By: Artis White [Author]
Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Who-Killed-My-Wife-Unsolved/dp/0972248005
A woman is killed with a high-powered rifle while walking with her daughter and friends at a crowded public zoo in Lansing, Michigan. Her husband, a detective with the state police,is a suspect in the murder as the couple's pending divorce is the only motive.
Review
"...a home grown, Midwestern hybrid curiosity of a book-by turns a true crime story..." -- City Pulse, February 26, 2003"...both eye-opening and mind-numbing in a variety of different ways." -- Lansing State Journal, March 16, 2003
Artis White, A Michigan native, draws from his years of experience as a police detective and private investigator to help people understand the emotional trauma involved with this case. Artis is dedicated and determined to uncover the truth. He currently resides in Lansing, Michigan with his two daughters.
There she was, on that table in front of me. Motionless. Neglected. Like a balloon. A dreadful, dreadful, balloon. Swollen but wrinkled. A motionless balloon, like the kind you see the day after your kid’s birthday party, rolling around on the floor. Dejected. My heart is nothing like a balloon for it is heavy. That heavy sensation that beats in your neck and makes your underarms tingle and your nose run. Now I look back at the times we shared as husband and wife, Father and Mother, Boop and Ambros. I never knew why she called me Ambros. I think that was her favorite name, or was she ribbing on me for something from the past?
December 26, 2002
The Circuit Court's order to reverse the August 06, 2001 order to quash the Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena for White's private investigator's records was reversed by the Court of Appeals.
Decision was published March 25, 2003.
Police link Md. shooting to suspects
Liquor store clerk was wounded on Sept. 14
Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Saturday, November 2, 2002
The Sept. 14 wounding of a Silver Spring, Md., liquor store clerk has been linked to the suspects in the Washington area sniper shootings, Montgomery County police said, marking the earliest date that authorities say the pair was in the region.
Sgt. Derek Baliles, a police spokesman, said Friday that although ballistics tests from the shooting at the Hillandale Beer and Wine store remain inconclusive, authorities made the connection through "new witness information and evidence that confirms the vehicle was in the Washington metropolitan area on the day of the shooting."
He declined to elaborate, but Arnie Zelkovitz, owner of the liquor store, said an employee of a neighboring Safeway store saw a dark-colored, older model Chevrolet Caprice leave the shopping center parking lot the day of the shooting. Zelkovitz said Friday he believes police used that evidence in part to make the link.
Baliles said sniper suspects John Allen Muhammad, 41, and John Lee Malvo, 17, have not been charged in the Silver Spring shooting. But with the linkage, authorities now say the two are responsible for 16 shootings from Sept. 14 until their arrests Oct. 24. Ten people were killed and four wounded in those attacks in Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia; in one shooting, no one was injured. The two also are charged with killing two people and wounding one in two incidents in Alabama and Louisiana. And they are suspected of two shootings, one of them fatal, in Tacoma, Wash., earlier this year while they were living there.
Although authorities have suspected since early October that the wounding of liquor store clerk Rupinder Oberoi, 22, of Linthicum, Md., might have been the first salvo in the string of sniper attacks that terrified the Washington region, the official announcement Friday adds to a growing timeline for investigators probing the movements of Muhammad and Malvo.
They are known to have been on the East Coast on Sept. 10, when the Caprice was purchased in Trenton, N.J. Authorities said the car was modified to allow the suspects to shoot people through a hole in the trunk so they would go undetected. Muhammad registered the car Sept. 11 in Camden, N.J. And with Friday's revelation, authorities placed the pair in Montgomery County on Sept. 14.
Muhammad and Malvo are charged with killing one woman and wounding a second outside a Montgomery, Ala., liquor store Sept. 21 and with killing a Baton Rouge, La., beauty shop manager Sept. 23. Federal and local authorities place them back in the D.C. area Oct. 2.
Police in states in every geographic region of the nation are looking at unsolved killings in connection with the pair's movements. One of those occurred in Lansing , Mich. on June 21, 2001. Lt. Steve Mitchell said police are looking at the fatal shooting of BernitaWhiteat a picnic area in the PotterParkZoo . Mitchell said White appeared to have been shot from 200 yards away with a high-velocity bullet. "We had no witnesses," he said.
The kind of post-arrest investigation that went into the linking of the Silver Spring shooting to the sniper suspects is going on across the region. Detectives in seven police departments and agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms are searching for new witnesses and reviewing surveillance tapes now that the focus has shifted from a white van or truck to the blue Caprice. They also are continuing to track Muhammad's and Malvo's movements and are awaiting forensic analysis being performed at the FBI lab, hoping for comparisons of evidence taken from the crime scenes and the Caprice.
Muhammad and Malvo face capital murder charges in Prince William and Spotsylvania counties in Virginia. They also have been charged with capital crimes in Montgomery County and in U.S. District Court.
Are there more sniper victims?
Police check for related cases in at least eight states, including Michigan
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Friday, November 1, 2002
Jeff Donn
Police are checking unsolved murders around the nation for ties to the Washington, D.C.-area sniper attacks -- a task that took on renewed urgency Thursday as the extraordinary crime spree's latest leg extended to Louisiana.
Law enforcement officials said they had linked the rifle used in the sniper case to a Sept. 23 killing in Baton Rouge. Authorities already have laid charges in Alabama and connected two shooting cases in Washington state, all with ballistics evidence.
In at least three other states, police have identified specific murder cases they believe could be linked, but with little real evidence so far. In Lansing, police are looking for a link between the sniper suspects and the fatal shooting of a woman outside Potter Park Zoo in 2001.
The task of determining the spree's full scope is daunting.
The two men accused in the capital-area sniper shootings, John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Beyond the Washington, D.C., Alabama and Louisiana cases, police have linked Muhammad to other seemingly disparate crimes -- an apparent rage killing at a home and an attack on a synagogue, both in Washington state. The capital-area sniper demanded $10 million -- a twist that further expands the range of possible criminal methods and motives.
"It's difficult because he could reasonably be a suspect in just about anything," said Stanton Samenow, a psychologist who evaluates violent criminals for the courts and wrote "Inside the Criminal Mind."
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Thursday that investigators were also still exploring if other people took part in the crime spree.
Spurred by a national advisory from the Maryland-based sniper task force, police in many states have reopened old files to check for elements common with the sniper case. That three-week killing field left 10 dead and three wounded and brought charges from Virginia, Maryland and federal prosecutors.
State and local police have reported checks for any related cases in at least Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan.
Lansing police are communicating with the sniper task force to check on any connection to the shooting death of BernitaWhite at the zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away. The D.C.-area sniper also fired at long range.
"It's something we're looking into, but it's nothing formal," said police Lt. John Parks in Lansing. "You can't ignore it."
There is no known evidence that Muhammad and Malvo were in Michigan. However, Nathaniel Osbourne, a friend of Muhammad who helped buy the car allegedly used in the sniper case, was arrested in Flint as a material witness.
In the Louisiana case, beauty supply worker Hong Im Ballenger was killed during a Baton Rouge robbery. There is suspicion the rifle used to shoot her in the head also might have been involved in another shooting in the city that did not kill anybody.
Muhammad grew up in Baton Rouge and also visited relatives with Malvo there in the weeks before the sniper attacks.
Baton Rouge police also are seeking DNA samples from each man to check for links to yet another case -- the serial murders of three women between fall 2001 and last summer. One woman was strangled, one stabbed and one had a slit throat.
Authorities, however, say they are still leaning more heavily toward a white man, as predicted in an FBI profile, as a more likely kind of suspect in those murders. Muhammad and Malvo are black.
In Montgomery, Ala., the Sept. 21 robbery attempt left one woman dead and another wounded outside a liquor store. Police also have linked Muhammad and Malvo to the February murder of a woman shot in the face at her door in Tacoma, Wash., possibly out of fury toward her aunt for taking sides with Muhammad's ex-wife in a custody scrap. Police suspect the pair, too, in connection with shots fired at a Tacoma synagogue in May, an incident in which no one was hurt.
At the sniper command center in Montgomery County, Md., detectives asked police agencies around the country to scan for similar cases soon after the sniper arrests.
But what is similar? Should they look at all long-range sniper shootings, crimes with the same caliber rifle, fatal shootings, all homicides or even severe assaults? Departments are taking varying approaches.
"You just kind of look at everything to check if it really fits," said Brooks Wilkins, who oversees criminal intelligence for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Knowing Muhammad lived in Monterey, Calif., for about a year while in the military, the county sheriff's department scanned for any likely matches with all unsolved murders during that time. It came up empty, Deputy Bill Cassara said.
In Oregon, where Muhammad once served in the national guard, state police glanced back at several dozen sniping cases over the last decade or so, without finding any matches, spokesman Andy Olsen said.
N.G. Berrill, who teaches about criminal behavior at John Jay College in New York City, said investigators should try to reconstruct every place the men went -- especially Muhammad.
"There's every opportunity and every possibility that if he ran out of money, there would have been a robbery. If he had become angry or disconsolate or highly agitated, he might have shot someone," Berrill said.
"You would look at unsolved crimes that you had an itch to solve. I wouldn't confine it to a certain type of crime," added Jeffrey Smalldon, a forensic psychologist in Columbus, Ohio, who worked on the serial sniper case of Thomas Lee Dillon. Dillon pleaded guilty in 1993 to killing five strangers.
However, Clint Van Zandt, a former FBI agent who examined patterns of criminal behavior, suggested police could focus their search. "I think part of what they need to look for is unsolved assaults or homicides where it appears the victim was again chosen at random," he said.
Northeastern University criminologist Jack Levin, in Boston, who writes on serial murders, cautioned against scanning too aggressively for connections, because police could waste time and resources and finger the wrong suspect.
"When you've got guys like Muhammad and Malvo who are charged with crimes in a number of jurisdictions, there's a tendency for police departments around the country to want to clear their cases. Sometimes they go overboard," he said.
About 40 percent of all murders go unsolved.
Sniper case prompts look at unsolved killings
The Daily Gazette
Friday, November 1, 2002
Jeff Donn
The Associated Press
"If [sniper suspect John Mohammad] had become angry or disconsolate or highly agitated, he might have shot someone," N.G. Berrill, John Jay College in New York City.
Police are checking unsolved murders around the nation for ties to the Washington, D.C. - area sniper attacks - a task that took on renewed urgency Thursday as the extraordinary crime spree's latest leg exdtended to Louisiana.
Law enforcement officials said that had linked the rifle used in the sniper case to a Sept. 23 killing in Baton Rouge. Authorities already have laid charges in Alabama and connected two shooting cases in Washington state, all with ballistics evidence.
In at least three other states, police have identified specific murder cases they believe could be linked, but with little real evidence so far.
The task of determining the spree's full scope is daunting.
The two men accused in the capital-area sniper shootings, John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Beyond the Washington, D.C., Alabama and Louisiana cases, police have linked Muhammad to other seemingly disparate crimes - an apparent rage killing at a home and an attack on a synagogue, both in Washington state. The captial-area sniper demanded $10 million - a twist that further explands the range of possible criminal methods and motives.
"It's difficult because he could reasonably be a suspect in just about anything," said Stanton Samenow, a psychologist who evaluates violent criminals for the courts and wrote "Inside the Criminal Mind."
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Thursday that investigators were also still exploring if other people took part in the crime spree.
Spurred by a national advisory from the Mayland-based sniper task force, police in many states have reopened old files to check for elements common with the sniper case. That three-week killing field left 10 dead and three wounded and brought charges from Virginia, Maryland and federal prosecutors.
State and local police have reported checks for any related cases in at least Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan.
In the Louisianna case, beauty supply worker Hong Im Ballenger was killed during a Baton Rouge robbery. There is suspicion the rifle used to shoot her in the head also might have been involved in another shooting in the city that did not kill anybody.
Muhammad grew up in Baton Rouge and also visited relatives with Malvo there in the weeks before the sniper attacks.
Baton Rouge police also are seeking DNA samples from each man to check for links to yet another case - the serial murders of three women between the fall of 2001 and last summer. One woman was strangled, one stabbed, and one had a slit throat.
Authorities, however, say they are still leaving more heavily toward a white man, as predicted in an FBI profile, as a more likely kind of suspect in those murders. Muhammad and Malvo are black.
In Michigan, Lansing police were following up with the snipper task force to check on any connection to the shooting death of Bernita White at a zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away. The capital-area sniper also fired at long range.
"It's something we're looking into, but it's nothing formal," said police Lt. John Parks in Lansing. "You can't ignore it."
There is no known evidence that Muhammad and Malvo were in Michigan. However, a friend of Muhammad's, who helped buy the car allegedly used in the sniper case, was arreswted in Michigan as a material witness.
In Montgomery, Ala., the Sept. 21 robbery attempt left one woman dead and another wounded outside a liquor store. Police have also linked Muhammad and Malvo to the February murder of a woman shot in the face at her door in Tacoma, Wash., possibly out of fury toward her aunt for taking sides with Muhammad's ex-wife in a custody scrap. Police suspect the pair too, in connection with shots fired at a Tacoma synagogue in May, an incident in which no one was hurt.
Cases scanned
At the sniper command center in Montgomery County, Md., detectives asked police agencies around the country to scan for similar cases soon after the sniper arrests.
But what is similar? Should they look at all long-range-sniper shootings, crimes with the same caliber rifle, fatal shootings, all homicides or even severe assaults? Departments are taking varying approaches.
"You just kind of look at everything to check if it really fits," said Brooks Wilkins, who oversees criminal intelligence for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Knowing Muhammad lived in Monterey, Calif., for about a year while in the military, the county sheriff's department scanned for any likely matches with all unsolved murders during that time. It came up empty, Deputy Bill Cassara said.
In Oregon, where Muhammad once served in the national guard, state police glanced back at several dozen sniping cases over the last decade or so, without finding any matches, spokesman Andy Olsen said.
N.G. Berrill, who teaches about criminal behavior at John Jay College in New York City, said investigators should try to reconstruct every place the men went - especially Muhammad.
"There's every opportunity and every possibility that if he ran out of money, there would have been a robbery. If he had become angry or disconsolate or highly agitated, he might have shot someone," Berrill said.
"You would look at unsolved crimes that you had an itch to solve. I wouldn't confine it to a certain type of crime," added Jeffrey Smalldon, a forensic psychologist in Columbus, Ohio, who worked on the serial sniper case of Thomas Lee Dillon. Dillon pleaded guilty in 1993 to killing five strangers.
Focusing search
However, Clint Van Zandt, a former FBI agent who examined patterns of criminal behavior, suggested police could focus their search. "I think part of what they need to look for is unsolved assaults or homicides where it appears the victim was again chosen at random," he said.
Northeastern University criminologist Jack Levin, in Boston, who writes on serial murders, cautioned against scanning too aggressively for connections, because police could waste time and resources and finger the wrong suspect.
"When you've got guys like Muhammad and Malvo who are charged with crimes in a number of jurisdictions, there's a tendency for police departments around the country to want to clear their cases. Sometimes they go overboard," he said.
About 40 percent of all murders go unsolved.
Police search for ties to sniper across U.S.
The Michigan Daily
Friday, November 1, 2002
Police are taking another look at unsolved murders around the nation for any ties to the Washington, D.C.- area sniper attacks, as they explore the full breadth of singular crime wave.
Authorities have already laid charges in Alabama and linked two shooting cases in Washington state, all with ballistics evidence. In at least three other states, police have identified specific murder cases they believe could be linked - but with little real evidence so far. The task has been daunting.
The two men accused in the capital-area sniper shootings, John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Beyond charges in the Alabama robbery - murder, police have linked Muhammad to other seemingly disparate crimes - an apparent rage killing at a home and an attack on a synagogue, both in Washington state. The capital-area sniper demanded $10 million - a twist that further expands the range of possible methods and motives.
"It's difficult because he could reasonably be a suspect in just about anything," said Staton Samenow, a psychologist who evaluates violent criminals for the courts and wrote "Inside the Criminal Mind."
Spurred by a national advisory from the Maryland-based sniper task force, police in many states have reopened old files to check for elements common with the sniper case. That three-week killing field left 10 dead and three wounded and brought charges from Virginia, Maryland and federal prosecutors. State and local police have reported checks for any related cases at least in Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Michigan and Connecticut.
In Michigan, Lansing police were following up with the sniper task force to check on any connection to the shooting death of a woman named Bernita White at a zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away.
The Sniper Attacks
Police checking for sniper ties around country
November 1, 2002
Reading Eagle Reading, PA
Investigators in Louisiana are the latest to link a killing to the two suspects accused in the Washington, D.C. - area attacks.
Police are checking unsolved murders around the nation for ties to the Washington D.C. area sniper attacks - a task that took on renewed urgency Thursday as the extraordinary crime spree's latest leg extended to Louisiana.
Law-enforcement officials said they had linked the rifle used in the sniper case to a Sept. 23 killing in Baton Rouge. Authorities already have laid charges in Alabama and connected two shooting cases in Washington state, all with ballistics evidence.
In at least three other states, police have identified specifice murder cases they believe could be linked, but with little real evidence so far.
The task of determining the spree's full scope is daunting.
The two men accused in the capital-area sniper shootings, John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Beyond the Washington, D.C., Alabama and Louisianna cases, police have linked Mohammad to other seemingly disparate crimes - an apparent rage killing at a home and an attack on a synagogue, both in Washington state. The capital-area sniper demanded $10 million - a twist that further expands the range of possible criminal methods and motives.
"It's difficult because he could reasonably be a suspect in just about anything," said Stanton Samenow, a psychologist who evaluates violent criminals for the courts and wrote "Inside the Criminal Mind."
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Thursday that investigators were also still exploring if other people took part in the crime spree.
Spurred by a national advisory from the Maryland-based sniper task force, police in many states have reopened old files to check for elements common with the sniper case. That three-week killing field left 10 dead and three wounded and brought charges from Virginia, Maryland and federal prosecutors.
State and local police have reported checks for any related cases in at least Washington state, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and Michigan.
- In the Louisiana case, beauty supply worker Hong Im Ballenger was killed during a Baton Rouge robbery. There is suspicion the rifle used to shoot her in the head also might have been involved in another shooting in the city that did not kill anybody.
Muhammad grew up in Baton Rouge and also visited relatives with Malvo there in the weeks before the sniper attacks.
Baton Rouge police are seeking DNA samples from each man to check for links to yet another case - the serial murders of three women between fall 2001 and last summer. One woman was strangled, one stabbed and one had a slit throat.
Authorities, however, say they are still leaning more heavily toward a white man, as predicted in an FBI profile, as a more likely kind of suspect in those murders. Muhammad and Malvo are black.
- In Michigan, Lansing police were following up with the sniper task force to check on any connection to the shooting death of Bernita White at a zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away. The capital-area sniper also fired at a long range.
"It's something we're looking into, but it's nothing formal," said police Lt. John Parks in Lansing. "You can't ignore it."
There is no evidence that Muhammad and Malvo were in Michigan. However, a friend of Muhammad's, who helped buy the car allegedly used in the sniper case, was arrested in Michigan as a material witness.
In Montgomery, Ala,. the Sept. 21 robbery left one woman dead and another wounded outside a liquor store. Police also have linked Muhammad and Malvo to the February murder of a woman shot in the face at her door in Tacoma, Wash., possibly out of a fry toward her aunt for taking sides with Muhammad's ex-wife in a custody scrap. Police suspect the pair, too, in connection with shots fired at a Tacoma synagogue in May, an incident in which no one was hurt.
At the snuper command center in Montgomery County, Md., detectives asked police agencies around the country to scan for similar cases soon after the sniper arrests.
Shootings linked to suspects in sniper attacks - The Associated Press
Shootings authorities say are linked by ballistics or other evidence to John Allen Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, charged with the Washington area sniper attacks:
-Feb. 16: Keenya Cook, 21, killed as she opened door to her home in Tacoma, Wash.
-May 1 - 4: Shots fired at Temple Beth El synagogue in Tacoma. no one hurt.
-Sept. 21: Claudine Parker, 52, killed outside liquor store in Montgomery, Ala. Co-worker Kellie Adams, 24, injured.
-Sept. 23: Hong Im Ballenger, 45, beauty supply worker killed during a robbery in Baton Rouge, La.
-Oct. 2: Window shot out at craft store in Aspen Hill, Md. No one hurt.
-Oct. 2: James D. Martin, 55, killed in grocery store parking lot in Wheaton, Md.
-Oct 3: James L. "Sonny" Buchanan, 39, killed while cutting grass at an auto dealership in White Flint, Md.
-Oct 3: Taxi driver Prem Kumar Walekar, 54, killed at gas station in Rockville, Md.
-Oct 3: Sarah Ramos, 34, killed outside post office in Silver Spring, Md.
-Oct. 3: Lori Ann Lewis-Rivera, 25, slain as she vacumed her van at gas station in Kensington, Md.
-Oct 3: Pascal Charlot, 72, killed while standing on Washington D.C. street.
-Oct 4: 43-year-old woman wounded in craft store parking lot in Fredricksburg, Va.
-Oct 7: 13 year-old boy wounded as he is dropped off at school in Bowie, Md.
-Oct 9: Dean Harold Meyers, 53, killed at gas station in Manassas, Va.
-Oct 11: Kenneth H. Bridges, 53, killed at gas station in Fredricksburg, Va.
-Oct 14: Linda Franklin, 47, killed at home improvement store in Falls Church, Va.
-Oct 19: 37 year-old man wounded outside steakhouse in Ashland, Va.
-Oct 22: Conrad Johnson, 35, killed on bus in Aspen Hill, Md.
Other sniper links sought
At least 8 states take a new look at unsolved deaths
Deseret News Jeff Donn, Associated Press writer
Friday, Nov. 1, 2002
Authorities in at least eight states have checked for links between unsolved crimes and the suspects in the sniper shootings - a daunting task that has already led Louisianna and Alabama officials to file charges in recent local shootings.
State and local police have checked crimes from shootings to stabbings to see if ballistics or other evidence can link them to John Muhammad and John Lee Malvo, who have already been charged with 10 killings in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Spurred by a national advisory from the Maryland-based sniper task force, police have reopened old filed to check for elements common with the sniper case.
Officals in Baton Rouge, La., said Thursday that ballistic tests had linked the two to the Sept. 23 slaying of a beauty shop worker. Last week, Muhammad and Malvo were charged in a Sept. 21 slaying in Montgomery, Ala.
In Washington state, authorities say Muhammad and Malvo are supsected in a fatal shooting of a woman at her door in Tacoma in February and a shooting that hurt no one at a Tacoma synagogue in May.
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Thursday that investigators were still exploring if other people helped Muhammad and Malvo.
Investigating what other crimes the men may have been involved in could be difficult because they have lived in or drifted through many states and spent time in the Caribbean.
Police have reported checks for any related cases in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan.
Police in Baton Rouge, where Muhammad grew up, are seeking DNA samples from each man to check for any links to the serial murders of three women between fall 2001 and last summer. One woman was strangled and one had her throat slit.
However, authorities say they still suspect the killer was a white man. Muhammad and Malvo are black.
In Michigan, Lansing police were following up with the District of Columbia-area sniper task force looking for any connection to the shooting death of Bernita White at a zoo entrance in June 2001. She was shot by someone hiding behind a fence about 200 yards away.
It was unknown whether Muhammad and Malvo were ever in Michigan. But a friend of Muhammad's who helped buy the car allegedly used in the sniper killings, was arrested in Michigan as a material witness.
At the sniper command center in Montgomery County, MD., detectives asked police agencies around the country to scan for similar cases soon after the sniper arrests.
"You just kind of look at everything to check if it really fits," said Brooks Williams, who oversees criminal intelligence for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Knowing Muhammad lived in Monterey, Calif., for about a year while in the military, the county sheriff's department scanned for any likely matches with all unsolved slayings during that time. It came up empty deputy Bill Cassara said.
In Oregon, where Muhammad once served in the National Guard, state police glanced back at several dozen sniping over the past decade or so without finding any matches, spokesman Andy Olson said.
N.G. Berrill, who teaches about criminal behavior at John Jay College in New York City, said investigators should check every place the men went.
"There's every opportunity and every possibility that if he ran out of money, there would have been a robbery," Berrill said.
"You would look at unsolved crimes that you had an itch to solve. I wouldn't confine it to a certain type of crime," added Jeffrey Smalldon, a forensic psychologist at Columbus, Ohio who worked on the serial sniper case of Thomas Lee Dillon, who pleaded guilty in 1993 to killing five strangers.
D.C. Sniper Link in Lansing?
By: Jeremy Ross
Updated: Fri 6:31 PM, Nov 01, 2002
WILX New
http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/130147.html
Lansing Police are working with other local and federal authorities to see if a local unsolved murder is linked to the beltway sniper killings.
The murder of Bernita white that occurred last June is presumed to be from a sniper bullet according to Lansing police.
The shooting was apparently a random act and police estimate it was from about 200 feet.
While there are similarities between the Beltway Sniper, Lansing police say there are also differences making the link a weak one at best.
Because the bullet went through the body of the victim and could not be recovered, they believe it was a heavier bullet than the killings in Washington, D.C.
Police examine possible connection to Potter Park shooting
Midland Daily News (MI)
Saturday, October 26, 2002
LANSING (AP) – Lansing police plan to contact the Washington, D.C.-area sniper investigation squad to see if there’s any connection to an unsolved 2001 long-range shooting fatality at Potter Park Zoo, a police officer said Friday.
But, he said, there is no apparent connection now between the Potter Park killing and the rash of long-range slayings in the Washington area.
"It’s something we’re looking into, but it’s nothing formal," said Lt. John Parks of the Lansing Police. "You can’t ignore it."
He noted the bullets used in Potter Park and the Washington-area killings were of different size.
The Lansing police’s interest in the sniper shootings was first reported by The State News, the student newspaper at Michigan State University.
"In our line of work you always ask questions," Lansing Capt. Ray Hall told the newspaper. "There are no facts to lead us to believe it is connected, but it would be negligent not to report it."
In the Potter Park killing, BernitaWhite of suburban Delta Township was shot June 23, 2001, while walking with her 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance of the park. Hall said a shooter hid behind a fence about 200 yards away. Hall said police have spent thousands of hours investigating the case, but no charges have been filed.
One year later, Lansing woman's murder remains unsolved
Midland Daily News (MI)
Monday, June 24, 2002
LANSING (AP) – One year after Bernita White was shot to death while walking with her young daughter in the city zoo, police have made no arrests, haven’t found the murder weapon and haven’t established a motive.
‘‘In a case like this, you always start at the center and work your way out,’’ said Lansing police Detective Sgt. Darin Larner, who heads the investigation. ‘‘We have never been able to get out of the center of the circle.’’
Larner and three other investigators meet weekly in search of the person who killed the 41-year-old computer engineer as she and her 5-year-old daughter, Michala, walked in the Potter Park Zoo on June 23, 2001.
‘‘A mother getting killed in front of her daughter in the park. It’s going to stick in your memory,’’ Larner told the Detroit Free Press in a report published today. ‘‘I will never forget that day as long as I live.’’
The bullet that killed White was fired through a stand of oak trees from at least 120 yards away. It has not been found.
White had filed for divorce a month earlier from her husband, Detective Sgt. Artis White of the Michigan State Police. He said they continued living together amicably, although he did not deny evidence that he was having an affair.
Larner stopped short of calling Artis White a suspect. But he said the state police detective has refused to be interviewed since the day of the shooting, and investigators think he knows his wife’s killer.
‘‘We do have a suspect in mind,’’ Larner said without elaborating.
White maintains he is innocent and has fully cooperated with police. He has offered $5,000 for information leading to a suspect, and says investigators may have let other leads slip away by focusing on him.
‘‘It’s been really traumatic,’’ White said. ‘‘I can’t have any closure until they find out who killed her. I can’t clear my name as a suspect because they don’t have anyone else.’’
White told investigators that on the afternoon of the shooting he, his wife and Michala attended a birthday party at Potter Park for one of their daughter’s friends. He left early to pick up their daughter, Alanna, then 7, at another birthday party several miles away.
BernitaWhite was shot dead at 3:15 p.m. Artis White learned she had been shot when he returned to the zoo at 4:30 p.m.
It was only the beginning of what BernitaWhite’s father, Bennie Sims, called ‘‘a real bad, tough year.’’
State police called Barbara Sims that night to tell her of her daughter’s death. The 67-year-old Detroit woman suffered a fatal heart attack.
‘‘Bernita was a very smart girl. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to murder my daughter,’’ said Bennie Sims, 68. ‘‘I’ve asked myself that a million times.’’
One year later, Lansing woman's murder at zoo remains a mystery to police
The Argus Press
Owosso, Michigan
June 24, 2002
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - One year after Bernita White was shot to death while walking with her young daughter in the city zoo, police have made no arrests, haven't found the murder weapon and haven't established a motive.
"In a case like this, you always start at the center and work your way out," said Lansing police Detective Sgt. Darlin Larner, who heads the investigation. "We have never been able to get out of the center of the circle."
Larner and three other investigators meet weekly in search of whoecver killed the 41-year-old computer engineer as she and her 5-year-old daughter, Michala, walked in the Potter Park Zoo on June 23, 2001.
"A mother getting killed in front of her daughter in the park. It's going to stick in your memory," Larner told the Detroit Free Press in a report published Monday. "I will never forget that day as long as I live."
The bullet that killed White was fired through a stand of oak trees from at least 120 yards away. It has not been found.
White had filed for divorce a month earlier from her husband, Detective Sgt. Artis White of the Michigan State Police. Artis White said they continued living together amicably, although he did not deny evidence that he was having an affair.
Larner stopped short of calling Artis White a suspect. But he said the state police detective refused to be interviewed since the day of the shooting, and investigators think he knows his wife's killer.
"We do have a suspect in mind," Larner said without elaborating.
White maintains he is innocent and has fully cooperated with police. He has offered $5,000 for information leading to a suspect, and says investigators may have let other leads slip away by focusing on him.
"It's been really traumatic," White said. "I can't have any closure until they find out who killed her. I can't clear my name as a suspect because they don't have anyone else."
White told investigators that on the afternoon of the shooting, he, his wife and Michala attended a birthday party at Potter Park for one of their daughter's friends. He left early to pick up their daughter, Alanna then 7, at another birthday party several miles away.
Bernita White was shot dead at 3:15 p.m. Artis White learned she had been shot when he returned to the zoo at 4:30 p.m.
It was only the beginning of what Bernita White's father, Bennie Sims, called "a real bad, tough year."
State police called Barbara Sims that night to tell her of her daughter's death. The 67-year-old Detroit woman suffered a fatal heart attack.
"Bernita was a very smart girl. I can't imagine any one wanting to murder my daughter," said Bennie Sims, 68. "I've asked myself that a million times."
Police Continue Bernita White Investigation
By: Lori Jane Gliha
Updated: Fri 5:59 PM, Jun 21, 2002
WILX News
http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/30831.html
One bullet ripped through her arm and pierced her heart. Investigators never found the bullet or the weapon responsible for her death, but they say the search for her killer is still going strong.
Lansing Police Department spokesperson, Steve Mitchell, said the Lansing Police Department and the Michigan State Police have meetings every week to investigate various leads and tips related to White's murder.
Police investigated White's husband, Artis White, just after Bernita White died. He and Bernita White were dealing with divorce and a custody battle before someone shot her. The Lansing Police Department wasn't able to say whether he is still a suspect, but Artis White maintains his innocence.
This weekend also commemorates the death of Bernita's mother. When officials told Bernita's mother of Bernita's death, she suffered a heart attack and died.
June zoo shooting remains unsolved
No arrests made after 9,000 hours of investigation
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
April 28, 2002
By Adam Emerson
Police have interviewed more than 500 people, served nearly 20 search warrants and subpoenas, and combed practically every square foot of Potter Park during the 10-month investigation into the slaying of Bernita White.
Up to 15 detectives spent more than 9,000 hours investigating the sniper-style shooting of the Delta Township woman, killed in front of her 5-year-old daughter while walking into Potter Park Zoo.
Authorities invested more time and resources into White's death than for any city homicide in memory, Lansing police Chief Mark Alley said.
And they've made no arrests.
"This is a very cold crime scene at this point," said Jay Siegel, Michigan State University professor of criminal justice and an expert on physical evidence. " It's a most frustrating kind of crime, and it may never get solved.
"That's the most likely scenario."
Police will discuss few details of the investigation and won't disclose what physical evidence they have. They'll only say that a bullet fragment found in the zoo cannot be linked to White's death, and that her husband, Artis White, a state police detective, remains on a short list of suspects.
Artis White denies involvement, and is angry that police appear to be focused on him. He plans to start his own investigation after June 23, figuring one year is enough for police to have done their own work.
"They can't clear me because they have no one else," White said at his home Saturday. "They would have to explain why they have spent 10 months on this investigation and they have absolutely no one."
Evidence such as the bullet is crucial to link the shooter to the crime, Siegel said. No witnesses have come forward and no one has supplied information linking a killer to the scene.
"It would've happened by now if it was going to happen," Siegel said.
So the investigation is scaling back. A task force of at least 11 Lansing and state police detectives formed within days of the shooting. At first, they met every day, working for three months on nothing but White's killing, Alley said. Then, they met three days a week.
Now, six detectives - three from Lansing, three from the Michigan State Police - meet twice a week.
"This is clearly one of the most time-consuming investigations in my 16 years here," Alley said. The department hasn't tallied the cost, he said.
"The investigators working this case have done everything in their power.
"And we are committed as an organization to getting this solved."
Looking back
June 23 was a sunny Saturday that attracted at least 300 people to the zoo and surrounding park. Bernita White, an EDS systems analyst, walked alongside her daughter, then 5, and some friends toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo.
It was about 3:15 p.m. when the shooter took position behind a fence just east of the old Dakin Street overpass and about 100 yards away from where White, 41, was walking. The shot likely came from a high-powered rifle.
Its single report echoed so loudly that people in the park thought they heard two.
White fell immediately - the bullet struck her in the left arm, pierced her heart and came out her right side. Everyone in the park scattered; zoo employees hustled people out; families scurried hand-in-hand to waiting cars parked along Pennsylvania Avenue.
White died about an hour later at Sparrow Hospital.
The investigation started: 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team immediately canvassed nearby neighborhoods while a state police helicopter hovered overhead.
Police interviewed Artis White for about six hours that night. He told police he had taken the couple's other daughter to a park in Delta Township that afternoon.
Police said he arrived at the zoo about an hour after the shooting, expecting to pick up his wife and child.
Investigators believe marital problems and a custody dispute are among the possible motives White had to kill his wife. But there was nothing unusual about the pending divorce, Artis White contends. The couple lived together in their Delta Township home and shared custody of their two daughters pending further court hearings.
Because of the divorce, he understands why police may have initially suspected him, but not now. He was on paid leave for four months; he has talked to an independent investigator twice; old friends in Las Vegas and Washington state have called to say they have been interviewed by Michigan detectives; and police and prosecutors have interviewed his 8- and 6-year-old children.
"If they had not keyed in on me, they would have found someone else, or at least had a lead," White said. "There's no bullet, no eyewitnesses, no gun to convict the person who did do it."
Investigators had filed about 12 investigative subpoenas to interview people who may have had information. The records are closed to the public, so their names aren't known. And police executed at least seven search warrants, some allowing them to search the Whites' home, offices and computers for notes, letters, diaries and videos.
By the end of 2001, police had spent about 8,000 personnel hours investigating the case. They've clocked at least 1,000 this year.
A cold trail
The slug that killed Bernita White - with its angles and grooves - can tell police the make and model of the gun that fired it, Siegel said. And it's likely the only physical evidence police can still collect this late.
"My own feeling is that it's still around there," he said. "It could have lanced off a rock, and you wouldn't see the mark on that rock. It could have ricocheted anyplace."
A dive team searched the Red Cedar River for the bullet. A crew cut down a tree in the park a week after the shooting, hoping it might contain the slug that killed White. It held only metal drill-bit shavings.
About a month after the shooting, a dog trained to sniff out human tissue found a bullet fragment on the park grounds. Forensic scientists at the state police crime lab in Lansing couldn't match the jagged piece of metal to White's death.
Siegel believes police have done everything they can. They've searched for the bullet, they've talked to people who were at the park, they've interviewed anyone who knew Bernita White.
"I can't think of anything that ought to be done now," Siegel said. "They can keep somebody on it, somebody to take tips from anyone who has information to shed light on it. But memories are starting to fade.
"The trail is getting colder and colder."
Victim's husband offers reward
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
Oct 18, 2001
Trooper back at work; he's still a suspect
South Bend Tribune [South Bend, Ind]
Oct 10 2001
Michigan briefs
LANSING
A state police trooper is back at work, but investigators say they still consider him a suspect in the fatal shooting of his wife near Lansing's zoo.
Detective Sgt. Artis White returned to work Monday after being placed on paid leave June 29 while Lansing and state police detectives investigated the June 23 shooting death of his wife, 41- year-old Bernita White, The Lansing State Journal reported Tuesday.
No one has been charged.
Credit: Wire Reports
Suspect in zoo killing returns to police job
Investigators still seeking information on June 23 shooting
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
October 09, 2001
By Adam Emerson
A state police trooper returned to work Monday, even though investigators consider him a suspect in the shooting death of his wife.
Detective Sgt. Artis White was placed on paid leave June 29 while Lansing and state police detectives investigated the June 23 shooting death of Bernita White at Potter Park.
Artis White remains on a short list of suspects who police believe had a motive to kill the 41-year-old Delta Township woman. No one has been charged with her death. Police won't reveal the other suspects.
State police officials wouldn't say why White was allowed to return to work. They would only release a written statement showing that the director of the state police, Col. Michael Robinson , ordered White to return to regular duty and full pay.
"My client is happy to be back at work," said David Clark , an Okemos attorney who has represented White in divorce proceedings and has spoken for him since the shooting. "Hopefully, he can put this investigative part of the case behind him and people can move forward and find the true killer."
Bernita White was shot once at about 3:15 p.m. while walking with her 5-year-old daughter toward the Potter Park Zoo entrance.
Police listed marital problems and a custody dispute involving the couple's children among the reasons why they believe Artis White had a motive to kill his wife.
After the shooting, investigators received several search warrants for the White's Delta Township home.
Artis White was at a northwest Delta Township park 15 minutes after the Lansing park shooting, Clark said.
He said White was with his wife just minutes before the shooting, and it would have been impossible for him to have fired the shot and be seen at the Delta Township park so soon after.
The Whites were married for 11 years.
Artis White is a detective in the private security and investigation unit. He's been with the state police since August 1988.
Lansing police officials, who have assigned six detectives to the Bernita White homicide, say Artis White is still a suspect and his return to work has little impact on the investigation.
"His employment status is not a concern to us," Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said. "That's the business of the state police. They have to make those types of decisions."
Appeal Filed by Artis White to quash subpoena for private investigator's records
September 24, 2001
Artis White appealed right from an order authorizing the issuance of an investigating subpoena by the Ingham County Prosecutor on a private investigator hired by Artis White to investigate the decedent - Bernita White - in a divorce proceeding pending at the time of Bernita's death.
In court papters filed the day before her death, Bernita White accused her husband of hiring a private investigator to follow her after she filed for divorce.
Bernita White also said her husband told her he had videotape of her at a motel with another man, and told her he would release the videotape unless she agreed to joint physical custody of the couple's two children.
FC: Woman stalked by Michigan cop via police databases is murdered
Seclists.org
From: Declan McCullagh
Detective says he checked on wife before her fatal shooting
August 8, 2001
BY M. L. ELRICK
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A State Police detective whose estranged wife was shot dead at the Potter Park Zoo admitted using police databases such as the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) to check on his wife and her acquaintances, according to Lansing police search warrant requests.
State Police Detective Sgt. Artis White is not suspected of shooting Bernita White, 41, on June 23 as she walked with the couple's 5-year-old daughter. But Lansing Police Detective Jon Priebe, who is investigating the case, alleged the requests that "Artis White had a motive and may have contracted someone to kill his wife."
Artis White said he did not tell police he abused the LEIN and referred all other questions to his attorney, David Clark. Clark did not return calls Tuesday.
The warrant requests, unsealed last week, portray White as obsessive.
Priebe wrote that White admitted hiring a private investigator to follow his wife and "that he had been inappropriately using police facilities such as Law Enforcement Information Network records to check on his wife and persons she was seeing."
Police say suspended cop abused database
Detective says he checked on wife before her fatal shooting
August 8, 2001
By M. L. Elrick
Free Press
http://www.freep.com/news/mich/lein8_20010808.htm
A State Police detective whose estranged wife was shot dead at the Potter Park Zoo admitted using police databases such as the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) to check on his wife and her acquaintances, according to Lansing police search warrant requests.
State Police Detective Sgt. Artis White is not suspected of shooting Bernita White, 41, on June 23 as she walked with the couple's 5-year-old daughter. But Lansing Police Detective Jon Priebe, who is investigating the case, alleged the requests that "Artis White had a motive and may have contracted someone to kill his wife."
Artis White said he did not tell police he abused the LEIN and referred all other questions to his attorney, David Clark. Clark did not return calls Tuesday.
The warrant requests, unsealed last week, portray White as obsessive.
Priebe wrote that White admitted hiring a private investigator to follow his wife and "that he had been inappropriately using police facilities such as Law Enforcement Information Network records to check on his wife and persons she was seeing."
The Free Press reported last week that more than 90 Michigan police officers, dispatchers, federal agents and security guards have abused the LEIN over the past five years to stalk women, threaten motorists and settle scores.
With as little as a name or license plate number, the LEIN allows users to see vehicle registrations, driving histories and confidential information such as whether a person applied for a concealed weapon permit or has a suppressed juvenile record.
State lawmakers and the LEIN policy council, which oversees the network, are trying to make police more accountable for improper use.
"Unfortunately, abuse of the system is taking place," said state Sen. Loren Bennett, R-Canton Township, who authored legislation that passed the Senate this year allowing regulators to lock out police who misuse the LEIN. The bill will go to the House in the fall.
"This is extremely private and delicate information that must be protected," he said.
State Police Lt. Dave Peltomaa said troopers have not determined whether White abused the LEIN. He said investigators' first priority is finding his wife's killer.
White, a 13-year veteran of the State Police, has been on a paid leave since June 29.
Peltomaa said the leave is not disciplinary, but meant to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. State police are assisting Lansing police in their investigation.
Although White is not suspected of pulling the trigger, Lansing police said, they believe he may know who shot his wife a month after she filed for divorce.
Priebe's search warrant requests seek permission to check White's computer and the computer of a Holt woman with whom he was allegedly having an affair.
"Evidence pertaining to the homicide of Bernita White may reasonably be present in the computer to be searched and/ or same may lead to other information identifying the person who shot Bernita White," Priebe wrote.
The warrants paint an unflattering picture of the Whites' crumbling marriage.
The warrants quote Bernita White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims of Detroit, as saying "Artis had her killed," when a trooper informed her of her daughter's death.
Sims died after getting the news. Mother and daughter were buried in the same week last month.
Lawyer says husband was miles away
Witnesses put man at Delta Twp. Park after zoo shooting
Published 8/8/01
By Adam Emerson
Lansing State Journal
http://www.lsj.com/news/local/010808ZOO.html
Witnesses place Artis White at a Delta Township park less than 20 minutes after his wife was killed on June 23, White's attorney said Tuesday.
Okemos lawyer David Clark said at least two witnesses told him the state police detective was at Delta Mills Park between 3:33 p.m. and 3:35 p.m.
Artis White left Potter Park just minutes before Bernita White was shot in front of her 5-year-old daughter at about 3:15 p.m. outside the zoo's entrance, Clark said.
"He'd have to leave the park, set himself up, wait for her to do something, shoot, get in the car, and leave and look calm and cool to everybody,'' he said. "And I-496 was closed."
Artis White went to the park at Old River Trail and Armstrong Road in northwest Delta Township to pick up the couple's 7- year-old daughter from a birthday party, said Clark, who represented Artis White in divorce proceedings before the shooting.
Clark was responding to police accusations in a search warrant that White might have killed his wife. The warrants, which had been sealed by a district court judge, were opened July 28.
The warrants allowed police to search the Whites' Delta Township home, computer files and Bernita White's office at EDS in Lansing.
Police wouldn't talk Tuesday about the time that elapsed between the shooting and Artis White's arrival at the Delta Township park.
"It's important to safeguard certain aspects of the investigation," Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Police believe that Artis White had enough time to fire the shot, the search warrants said.
Hall said investigators still consider Artis White a suspect in the shooting. No one has been charged in the killing.
The search warrant lists a pending divorce and a private investigator hired by White as possible motives in the killing.
But Clark said there was nothing unusual about the divorce - the Whites lived in the same house, a personal protection order was never filed and there were no allegations of physical abuse.
White did admit that he hired a private investigator to follow his wife. At a custody hearing for the couple's children, Artis threatened to show a videotape of his wife with another man.
"He said to her, if custody is an issue and adultery is an issue, we'll demonstrate you were having an affair, too," Clark said. Artis White told police he was having an affair with a Michigan State Police employee, search warrants showed.
White has cooperated with police, Clark said. He was interviewed for six hours after the shooting, and offered many items from his home and cars for police to look at even before search warrants were filed, he said.
In all, police have taken White's shoes, shirt, phone, video camera and cassettes, the family computer, compact discs and Bernita White's day calender, he said.
According to search warrants, Artis White admitted using the Law Enforcement Information Network to check on his wife's whereabouts. Clark wouldn't comment on that.
White is a state police detective in the private security and investigation unit. He's been with state police since August 1988.
He remains on indefinite paid leave from the state police while detectives from that agency assist Lansing police in their investigation.
State police involvement in the investigation angers White, Clark said. White filed a lawsuit against the state police on Feb. 8 alleging racial discrimination. The lawsuit claims White was refused a promotion because he's black.
State police Lt. Dave Peltomaa said the lawsuit, pending in Ingham County Circuit Court, has no bearing on the investigation into Bernita White's death.
"Our investigators are of the highest integrity and professionalism," Peltomaa said. "They're not going to let anything cloud the way they assist in this investigation."
Clark said White is frustrated by the police investigation.
"He knows the investigation has to go this way," he said. "He knows he would have been a logical suspect.
"But he knows he didn't do it. It hurts him a lot."
August 2001 -
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
The Circuit Court granted the Ingham County prosecutor's motion and reversed the August 06, 2001 order to quash the investigative subpoena for Artis White's private investigator's records. Charles Rettstadt was served with the subpoena to produce all records.
August 2001 -
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
August 06, 2001
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
August 06, 2001 - Artis White's motion to quash the Ingham County Prosecutor's investigative subpoena for his private investigator's records was granted.
Warrant: Husband had motive
Police list reasons detective is suspect in wife's shooting at zoo
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
August 02, 2001
By Adam Emerson
Police have shortened a list of suspects in the June 23 shooting death of Bernita White - and her husband is still on it.
Newly released search warrants list reasons investigators believe Artis White, a state police detective, might have killed his wife in Potter Park or hired someone to kill her.
"Artis White has not been eliminated as a suspect," Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Hall wouldn't discuss details of several warrants that allowed police to search the couple's Delta Township home, computers and Bernita White's office at EDS in Lansing. Lansing District Judge Patrick Cherry sealed the warrants for 30 days on June 28 to keep the sensitive investigation from public scrutiny.
Police wouldn't say when they searched or what they found. No one has been charged in the killing.
Okemos attorney David Clark, who represented Artis White in divorce proceedings and has spoken for him since the shooting, declined to comment on the search warrants Wednesday. His client - whom Clark says is innocent - has been out of town.
"I need to discuss this matter with my client first," Clark said. "I'll talk about this tomorrow."
In the warrants, detectives list reasons they believe Artis White had a motive to kill his wife:
* White didn't want the divorce his wife filed for on May 24 and hired a private investigator to follow her.
* Friends of Bernita White told police her husband might have eavesdropped on his wife's telephone calls and she was afraid her husband might kill her.
* At a custody hearing for the couple's children, Artis White threatened to show a videotape of his wife with another man.
* White initially told police he never had an extramarital affair. But he later admitted to police he'd been having an affair with a Michigan State Police employee, the warrants said.
* White admitted using the Law Enforcement Information Network to check on his wife's whereabouts, the warrants said.
Clark has said White didn't kill his wife of 11 years. He has said that the divorce and custody battle doesn't implicate his client. Eaton County Circuit Judge Thomas Eveland ruled on June 15 that the Whites would have joint custody of their two daughters.
Clark has pointed out that the couple were living in the same house, a personal protection order was never filed and there were no allegations of physical abuse.
White was shot once about 3:30 p.m. June 23 while walking next to the couple's 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo.
Artis White was with his wife and others for a party at the park but left to pick up the couple's 8-year-old daughter about 3:05 p.m. from a park in Delta Township, the warrants said.
He returned to Potter Park about 4:30 p.m. - one hour after White was shot. Detectives believe he had enough time to fire the shot, the warrant said. Police interviewed him for six hours the night of the shooting.
White is a state police detective in the private security and investigation unit.
White remains on indefinite paid leave from the state police while detectives from that agency assist Lansing police in their investigation.
State police Lt. Dave Peltomaa wouldn't discuss whether Artis White used the Law Enforcement Information Network to track his wife.
"We don't know if (Lansing police) found anything that could prove those allegations," Peltomaa said. "That's all they are - allegations."
Investigators still aren't sure whether a bullet fragment found in Potter Park on July 18 is the slug that killed Bernita White.
Test results in the investigation should be back within a week, Hall said.
Bullet found at zoo awaits tests
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Friday, July 27, 2001
LANSING -- Further tests are needed on a bullet fragment to determine if it's the slug that killed a suburban Lansing woman near the city zoo, police say. Such tests will take at least another week, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Police originally had hoped to know this week if it was part of the bullet that killed 41-year-old BernitaWhite of Eaton County's Delta Township who was shot June 23 as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter. BernitaWhite 's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed.
July 26, 2001
RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
July 26, 2001 - Artis White filed a motion to quash the Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 subpoena for the records of the private investigator - Charles Rettstadt - whom White had hired to follow Bernita after she filed for divorce in May 2001.
More tests needed on bullet found at zoo shooting scene
July 21, 2001
The Argus Press
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - Further tests are needed on a bullet fragment to determine if it's the slug that killed a suburban Lansing woman near the city zoo, police say.
Such tests will take at least another week, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall told the Lansing State Journal for a story Thursday.
The bullet fragment was found in Lansing's Potter park last week by a dog trained to sniff out human tissue.
Police originally had hoped to know this week if it was part of the bullet that killed 41-year-old Bernita White of Eaton County's Delta Township who was shot June 23 as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police have not commented on what type of gun fired the bullet, and have no one in custody.
Bernita White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed.
Police say more tests needed on park bullet
Investigators hope to find out if slug killed Bernita White
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
July 26, 2001
By Adam Emerson
Investigators still aren't sure whether a bullet fragment found in Potter Park last week is the slug that killed Bernita White.
Police had hoped to know Wednesday if they had the slug that shot through the 41-year-old Delta Township woman. But further testing will last at least another week, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
A dog trained to sniff out human tissue found the bullet fragment after a 15-minute search July 18.
Police disavow initial TV reports that the bullet being tested was the slug that killed White.
"We would appreciate if information or speculation was confirmed through this office before being broadcast to the public,'' Hall said. "Needless speculation is not in the best interest of the community or this investigation."
White, the wife of state police Detective Artis White, was shot while walking with her 5-year-old daughter toward the zoo's entrance about 3:30 p.m. June 23.
The bullet fragment the dog found had an outer covering of metal - what's called a full metal jacket.
Police have had no comment on what type of gun could have fired the bullet, but retired state police shooting reconstruction expert David Townshend has said such a shot would likely have come from a high-powered rifle.
Police have no one in custody.
Nor is anyone in custody for the shooting death of Lansing business owner Delayno Hudson, the city's first homicide victim this year.
Hudson was killed inside his cellular phone store in north Lansing two days before White was killed.
State police on to next era in crime analysis
July 21, 2001
Lansing State Journal
Zoo shooter gun-savvy, expert says
Retired police officer says person was well prepared
Lansing State Journal - Lansing, Mich.
July 11, 2001
By Adam Emerson
The person who fired the shot that killed Bernita White at Potter Park likely planned the attack thoroughly, a shooting expert said Tuesday.
The shooter knew what gun to use, what bullet was needed and measured the distance, said David Townshend, a retired Michigan State Police crime scene investigator and a specialist in shooting reconstruction.
"This isn't someone going into Kmart and buying a gun,'' said Townshend, who works in private forensic practice now.
"The scope was zeroed in, they knew exactly what firearm to use. They were familiar with what they were using."
White, 41, was shot once about 3:30 p.m. June 23 while walking next to her 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance of Potter Park Zoo.
Police believe the shooter was stationed along the park's fence, just east of the old Dakin Street overpass and about 100 yards away from the Delta Township woman.
The shot likely came from a high-powered rifle, but one that could be easily hidden, Townshend said.
"I can't see someone walking out of here with a full-size rifle,'' he said. "You could have had it in a shopping bag.''' The bullet shot past playground and picnic areas where at least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon. It struck White in the left arm, pierced her heart and came out her right side.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall wouldn't comment on many of Townshend's observations.
"There's more questions than answers,'' Hall said. "We can speculate, but we'd have endless speculation. This investigation is going to be grounded in fact."
Hall admitted, though, that the possibility that White was chosen randomly would be remote.
"It's more than likely she was the intended target,'' he said. "But it would be inappropriate not to explore every possibility and every possible scenario."
Townshend agrees that the shooting raises bizarre questions: Why did the shooter wait until White was walking? Why was the shot fired into a densely packed crowd? Why was the shot made from such a distance?
Targeting her would have been easier had White been standing still, Townshend said. White was walking shoulder-to-shoulder in a crowd. And a child or picnicker near the path of the bullet could have been struck if he or she had moved at the wrong time.
But the shot - from a gun with a scope - would only be difficult for someone unskilled with a rifle, Townshend said. Hall agreed.
But police don't have the gun that was used, nor the bullet that passed through White.
Police believe the bullet exited White at an angle. Based on that exit wound, investigators searched the Red Cedar River for the slug just days after the shooting and they cut down a rotted oak tree that showed what they thought was a bullet hole.
But detectives never found the bullet.
Standing on the banks of the murky river, Townshend found it unlikely that the shot would have gone past the cars and trucks that packed the parking lot that day. It's more likely the bullet lodged in one of those vehicles.
Because of that, there remains hope that the slug could be found, he said. Once the bullet is found, the caliber and manufacture of the weapon can be determined.
"It gives them a lead,'' he said.
And a lead, police say, is what they need to crack a case that has attracted national attention. Six detectives from the Lansing police and five detectives from the state police work on nothing but the investigation into White's death.
"We've placed more resources in this case than we have in any homicide in memory,'' Hall said.
Police had said that anyone who knew White was considered a suspect, but Hall said the suspect list has narrowed. He wouldn't say if anyone is considered a prime suspect.
Police have made no arrests and have no one in custody. Ingham County prosecutors filed a warrant in Lansing District Court on June 28 to search the home of Artis and Bernita White.
Artis White, a state police trooper, was interviewed for six hours after the shooting. But David Clark, who represented Artis White in divorce proceedings and has spoken for him since the shooting, has said his client didn't kill his wife of 11 years.
Standing in the middle of the bustling park, Townshend said it's difficult to imagine that someone didn't see something that would lead police to White's killer.
"If you had that many people here - maybe someone did see something."
At the scene: This view of Potter Park, taken from the likely vantage point of the shooter, shows where Bernita White was shot and killed June 23. No arrests have been made. Police still have not recovered the bullet.
Expert: Retired state police crime scene investigator David Townshend stands near a fence in Potter Park where a shooter could have fired the fatal shot at Bernita White. Townshend said the shooter is someone familiar with guns who knew what kind of weapon to use.
Lansing police say the bullet that killed Bernita White came from the northern border of the park. It shot past the children's play area and picnic tables before hitting White. Police believe the bullet landed in the southeast section of the park but it hasn't been recovered.
News In Brief
The Marshall Chronicle
Saturday, July 7, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - A Lansing judge has sealed search warrants in the case of the fatal shooting of Bernita White at the city zoo, including a warrant that allowed police to search White's home.
Judges often seal warrants in high-profile homicide investigations. In this case, Ingham County prosecutors requested that the warrants be kept from the public because the investigation is ongoing.
They also said they wanted to avoid scrutiny for White's husband, Artis White, who is a suspect in the case. Artis White, who is a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police, has denied any involvement in the shooting.
Lansing police wouldn't say when or why the White's home was searched.
Judge Patrick Cherry agreed to seal the warrants on June 28, five days after 41-year-old Bernita White was shot as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police hunt for bullet
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Friday, July 6, 2001
LANSING -- Police are still searching for the bullet that killed a state trooper's wife as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police cut down an oak tree in Potter Park last week to investigate a bullet-size hole in the tree's side that was setting off metal detectors. But Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said Thursday that the hole yielded no bullet.
Hall said investigators from Lansing and the Michigan State Police are continuing almost daily searches of Potter Park. He said he doesn't know when charges will be filed for the murder of 41-year-old BernitaWhite , who was killed June 23 by a gunshot.
In May, BernitaWhite filed for divorce from her husband, Artis White , who is a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police.
Artis White has denied any involvement in the shooting
News In Brief
The Marshall Chronicle
Friday, July 6, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - Police are still searching for the bullet that killed a state trooper's wife as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police cut down an oak tree in Potter Park last week to investigate a bullet-size hold in the tree's side that was setting off metal detectors. But Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said Thursday that the hole yielded no bullet and was most likely caused by a drill.
Hall said investigators from Lansing and the Michigan State Police are continuing almost daily searches of Potter Park. He said he doesn't know when charges will be filed for the murder of 41-year-old Bernita White, who was killed June 23 by a gunshot fired from more than 100 yards away.
"We have no timeline for when charges are expected to be filed," he said. "We don't win points being quick. Our job is to do a thorough, meticulous investigation."
Hall added that police have collected other physical evidence in the case, but he wouldn't elaborate on the nature of that evidence.
White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed. Both women were buried last week.
Judge seals warrants in zoo shooting
One search occurred at home that victim, her husband shared Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Michigan
July 6, 2001
A Lansing District judge has sealed search warrants in the homicide investigation of a state trooper's wife.
At least one warrant allowed police to search the Delta Township home of Artis and Bernita White, court documents show.
Bernita White, 41, was fatally shot from more than 100 yards away about 3:30 p.m. June 23 while walking with her 5-year- old daughter toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo.
Lansing police wouldn't say when or why the White home was searched. Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III wouldn't say why his office made the request to seal the warrants.
Judge Patrick Cherry signed the prosecutors' request June 28 - five days after a bullet went through the woman's arm and heart.
In a court document, prosecutors listed these reasons why the warrants should be suppressed:
"A course of investigation is indicated through the several search warrants sought in this matter. If made public, that course of investigation may become known to a suspect, thereby allowing that person or persons to interfere with obtaining the information or obstructing the obtaining of the information sought.
"A present focus and purpose of the investigation is to eliminate the deceased's husband as a suspect. In order to do so, he must be treated as a suspect. Publication of some materials in these search warrants may be unduly humiliating or embarrassing if he is cleared as a suspect.
"The search warrants involve a murder investigation. No one has been arrested and all suspects remain at-large because no warrants have been issued pending further investigation. Sources which have been providing information are fearful because they have provided information about a suspect. If the fact they have provided information is made known, the sources may be harmed and/or provide no further information."
Police have made no arrests and have no one in custody. Investigators had said they're looking at Bernita White's relationships.
Investigators continue to look for the bullet that killed White after failing to find it in a tree they cut down last week.
The Whites were in the process of getting divorced. Okemos attorney David Clark, who represented Artis White in divorce proceedings and has spoken for White since the shooting, couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.
Mark Gribben, public affairs manager for the Michigan Press Association, said it's becoming more common for investigators to ask a judge to close a search warrant.
"I think it's a disturbing trend,'' Gribben said. "The idea that authorities would serve a warrant in secret - it sounds more like a tool used in a police state than a free democracy."
Gribben said judges are more likely to suppress a warrant during a high-profile homicide investigation. Often, investigators believe releasing details during such public scrutiny would hamper their work, Gribben said.
Police interviewed Artis White for six hours on the day of the shooting. Clark said his client didn't shoot and kill his wife of 11 years.
White is on paid leave be cause state police are involved in the investigation.
Police believe Bernita White was targeted - either randomly or by someone who wanted to harm her.
Investigators had said that anyone who knew her was considered a suspect.
"But we've eliminated potential suspects,'' Hall said. "There still remains a significant pool of witnesses that we will continue to interview and reinterview."
Bullet not yet recovered in zoo shooting investigation
The Argus Press
Owosso, Michigan
Fri., July 6, 2001
Dee-Ann Durbin
Associated Press
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - Police are still searching for the bullet that killed a state trooper's wife as she strolled toward the Lansing zoo with her 5-year-old daughter.
Police cut down an oak tree in Potter Park last week to investigate a bullet-size hole in the tree's side that was setting off metal detectors. But Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said Thursday that the hole yielded no bullet and was most likely cause by a drill.
Hall said investigators from Lansing and Michigan State Police are continuing almost daily searches of Potter Park. He said he doesn't know when charges will be filed for the murder of 41-year-old Bernita White, who was killed June 23 by a gunshot fired from more than 100 yards away.
"We have no timeline for when charges are expected to be filed," he said. "We don't win points for being quick. Our job is to do a thorough, meticulous investigation."
Hall added that police have collected other physical evidence in the case, but he wouldn't elaborate on the nature of that evidence.
White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed. Both women were buried last week.
In May, Bernita White filed for divorce from her husband, Artis White, who is a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. The two were still living together with their two children in Eaton County's Delta Township when Bernita White was killed.
In court papters filed the day before her death, Bernita White accused her husband of hiring a private investigator to follow here after she filed for divorce.
Bernita White also said her husband told her he had videotape of her at a motel with another man, and told her he would release the videotape unless she agreed to joint physical custody of the couple's two children.
Hall said Artis White, who attended a picnic with his wife before the shooting, is among the "Key witnesses" in the case. Police have interviewed him once and plan to interview him and several other people again next week, Hall said.
Search for fatal bullet to continue
Tests on oak tree fail to locate slug in shooting at zoo
July 04, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Katie Matvias
Investigators could head back to Potter Park as early as today to continue searching for the bullet that killed Bernita White.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said Michigan State Police examined a portion of an oak tree cut down Friday but found only metal fragments, possibly left from a drill.
"We are disappointed we haven't found the bullet to date. However, we continue to search for it and remain optimistic,'' Hall said.
' Police are asking anyone who parked their car at the park to check for any bullet holes.
Metal fragments left by the drill likely caused the metal detector to go off, he said.
"We looked at this tree and it had a perfectly round role consistent with a bullet hole,'' Hall said. "Apparently what it was - and we were concerned about it - is that it looks like a hole made by the Forestry Department."
White, 41, was walking with her 5-year-old daughter at about 3:30 p.m. June 23 near the Potter Park Zoo entrance when she was shot and killed. Police have been searching for the single bullet that hit White and passed through her body.
Police believe the shot came from a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth - about 100 yards from where White walked when she was hit.
Lansing police were at the park Friday morning searching for the tree they believed held the bullet. The Michigan State Police showed Lansing police the area of the park where the bullet could have landed.
State police Detective Lt. Dave Peltomaa wouldn't comment on the tree that police cut down. Five state police investigators, with better technology and more resources, joined Lansing detectives last week to help with the case.
Police examined all the trees in that area of the park and cut down a tree that had a small round hole in it - the tree they hoped held a vital piece of evidence.
"The bullet is important in that all evidence is important in a homicide,'' Hall said. "It's not essential in order to prosecute but it's a piece of evidence that does have value and we will continue to search for it."
Hall said the police department might hire private organizations that specialize in find ing small pieces of evidence in large areas.
Lansing police investigate tree for clues in shooting
The Argus-Press
Owosso, Michigan
July 3, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - More than a week after a woman was fatally shot outside the city zoo, Lansing police aren't yet ready to name a suspect.
But Lt. Ray Hall said Monday that police will soon announce the results of their investigation of a bullet-sized hold in a tree near the Potter Park Zoo.
Hall said the tree was cut down over the weekend and taken to a lab to see if a bullet could be found inside it.
The bullet could be an important clue in discovering who killed 41-year-old Bernita White, who was shot once on June 23 as she was approaching the zoo with her 5-year-old daughter. Police have said the shot was fired from more than 100 yards away.
White's mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims died of a heart attack when state troopers in Detroit told her that her daughter had been shot and killed. Both women were buried last week.
In May, Bernita White had filed for divorce from her husband, Artis White, who is a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. The two were still living together in Eaton County's Delta Township when Bernita White was killed.
In court papers filed the day before her death, Bernita White accused her husband of hiring a private investigator to follow her after she filed for divorce.
Bernita White said her husband also told her he had a videotape of her at a motel with another man, and told her he would release the videotape unless she agreed to joint custody physical custody of the couple's two children.
Artis White's attorney, David Clark was on vacation and couldn't be reached for comment Monday. Clark has denied that his client was involved in Bernita White's shooting
Zoo shooting stirs uneasiness
But violent crime actually on decline in Ingham County
July 01, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Sharon Terlep
Teressa Blanchett knows her eastside Lansing neighborhood isn't more dangerous because Bernita White was killed.
But she can't shake the feeling of fear.
The mother of two daughters won't visit Potter Park Zoo, where White was fatally shot June 23 while walking with her 5-year-old daughter. Her family doesn't ride the bike trail that winds through the park.
"Not until we know what happened,'' said Blanchett, who lives in a tree-lined neighborhood a block away from the park.
"I don't think anything would happen. But I'm sure this person didn't expect anything either."
Blanchett's feelings are shared by others - but they don't match statistics that show violent crime is on the decline.
Attendance at the zoo is down 20 percent to 30 percent from last week, something officials say is at least somewhat connected to the shooting. The muggy weather and upcoming holiday also contributed to the drop, they said.
"It's going to take some time to get back to normal,'' said Murdock Jemerson, director of Lansing's Parks and Recreation department.
No one's been charged in the death of the 41-year-old Delta Township woman. On Friday, Lansing police cut down a tree they think may hold the bullet that killed her.
Lansing police spokesman Lt. Raymond Hall said results are expected back early next week. Police didn't conduct any searches Saturday.
Attacks like the one that killed White make communities uneasy, said Audry Martini, director of outreach for Michigan State University's school of criminal justice.
"You want to think that drug dealers are shot, that gang members are shot,'' she said. "But when good, upstanding citizens are shot minding their own business, you think, 'If she has done nothing to get shot, then it could happen to me.'''
People become afraid and are more likely to feel trapped, she said. And they're less likely to visit public places, such as the zoo.' "The psychological impact is great enough that it spurs action,'' Martini said. "That's why people leave the cities."
The reaction can come despite the realities of the crime, said state police Detective Dave Peltomaa.
"There's no indication that this is anything but an isolated incident,'' he said. "But people want to have certain areas where they feel safe. When something like this happens, it's an assault on that feeling of security."
Until last week, Lansing had no homicides this year - the first time that's happened since 1983. At this time last year, there were five.
And although the murder rate in Ingham County rose by 40 percent between 1994 and 1998, violent crime has decreased overall, according to the most recent statistics from state police.
"This is shocking that a life was lost in Potter Park Zoo,'' Hall said. "Before this, open alcohol was a major concern at the zoo."
Police have increased patrols at the park. Officers will go through in cars and on bikes and motorcycles, Hall said.
Hall said the park is safe for visitors.
"We would never open the park if we thought there was an immediate danger."
At the time of the shooting, Terry Cronk was at the zoo. Cronk, who lives in Coleman about 100 miles north of Lansing, stopped at the zoo after going to a powwow at Riverfront Park.
"I've always thought of the park as such a quiet and pristine place,'' said Cronk, who worked for 30 years at a Lansing Oldsmobile plant.
The shooting won't keep him from Lansing or from visiting the park, he said.
It still makes him feel vulnerable.
"I guess it can happen to anyone,'' he said. "All that someone has to do is pick you as a target and find someplace to hide.
"You're at their mercy."
Jemerson said business at the park has been steadily picking up. A birthday party and pavilion rental were canceled last week, but about 500 people visited Thursday despite the humid, near-90-degree heat, he said.
Merlin Jenkins brought his wife and 6-year-old step- daughter to the zoo Thursday. He said the shooting didn't faze him.
"I think it's brought some public awareness that this kind of thing can happen,'' he said.
"But I don't think it would ever happen again."
Woman shot at zoo is buried in Lansing; hundreds mourn
The Argus - Press
Owosso, Michigan
Sunday, July 1, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - The suburban Lansing woman who was shot and killed last week at the local zoo was memorialized Friday in a funeral attended by hundreds of tearful relatives and friends.
At least 400 people packed the Union Missionary Baptist Church as the Rev. Melvin Jones tried to explain the tragedy that took the life of Bernita White, a 41-year-old Delta Township woman.
"There are some who would suggest that this is God's will," Jones said. "I would suggest that this is not God's will."
"It is not God's will for Bernita to be in this box."
A police procession led the mourners to the Deepdale Memorial Park & Mausoleum where White was to be buried.
Meanwhile, Lansing police said they were still investigating the shooting, and had no new developments.
Detectives were paging through dozens of tips, photographs and videotapes, said Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall.
"They range from people who heard the shot to people who want to share a theory with us," Hall told the Lansing State Journal for a Friday story.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. last Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing the shooter.
The zoo remained closed through the weekend as police searched for the bullet and other evidence. It reopened Monday.
White's husband, Artis White, is a state police detective sergeant. He was with his wife and daughter earlier in the day and arrived half an hour after the shooting to pick them up, police said.
When state police troopers in Detroit told White's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, that her daughter had been shot and killed, she died of a heart attack.
Bernita White had filed for divorce last month, but still lived with her husband. They had two daughters.
Funeral services for White's mother were scheduled for Saturday in Detroit.
Missing bullet in zoo slaying may be in tree
Police plan to X-ray part of oak cut down in shooting probe
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 30, 2001
By Katie Matvias
Lansing police Friday morning cut down a Potter Park tree they hope holds the bullet that killed Bernita White.' "We are going to X-ray the section of the tree that we believe may have the bullet,'' Lt. Raymond Hall said. "We'll find out if it's there early next week."
The oak tree was about 75 yards from the front entrance of the zoo. The tree stump, about 20 inches wide, was cut close to the ground.
After studying possible flight paths, state police showed Lansing police an area where the bullet could have landed.
Lansing police were at the park for much of the day, Hall said.
"They had to meticulously examine each tree looking for a very small hole, and this tree had damage which is consistent with a possible bullet hole,'' he said.
Police cut down the tree after they realized it was rotted. They sent the portion where the bullet may be lodged to a state police forensics lab.
White, 41, was walking with her 5-year-old daughter about 3:30 p.m. June 23 near the Potter Park Zoo entrance when she was shot and killed. Police have been searching for the single bullet that passed through the Delta Township woman.
"We've been looking in the river. We've been looking at rocks. We've been looking in the grass and trees searching for this bullet,'' Hall said. "We're not going to walk away until we find it."
Police believe the bullet - probably fired from a rifle about 100 yards away - came from a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth.
Police are asking anyone who may have had their car at the park to check if the bullet may have lodged in a car or left a bullet hole. If they find something, residents should leave it alone and call police at 483-4600.
State police Lt. Dave Peltomaa declined to comment about the tree.
Police continue to interview people who knew White.
Her husband, state police Detective Sgt. Artis White, has been placed on paid leave while state police help Lansing detectives, Peltomaa said.' "The public deserves some assurance that the investigation is being conducted in an impartial manner, free from undue influence,'' state police Col. Michael Robinson said in a statement.
Lansing police interviewed Artis White for six hours after the slaying. Investigators maintain that anyone who knew Bernita White is considered a suspect.
Artis White's family attorney has said his client didn't kill his wife.
"This is not disciplinary,'' Peltomaa said of White's paid leave. "The public is just entitled to feel confident."
White's badge, gun and police identification were taken, which is standard procedure when a trooper is placed on leave. He'll be on leave for 15 days, Peltomaa said.
Police theory: A stump remains from a tree in Potter Park Zoo that police believe may have stopped the bullet that killed Bernita White. Police theorize that the shooter fired from the woods in the background, hitting White, who was in the same location as the family shown here. The bullet's flight path would have brought it to rest in the tree. Map: Steve Reed/ Lansing State Journal
Mourners say goodbye at funeral
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 30, 2001
By Adam Emerson
The Rev. Melvin Jones peered down at the flower- lined casket Friday and told the 400 people who packed his Lansing church what they already knew.
"It is not God's will for Bernita to be in this box."
Bernita White's family, friends and co-workers filled the Union Missionary Baptist Church to say goodbye to the mother of two.
White was shot once about 3:30 p.m. June 23 while walking next to her 5-year-old daughter toward the entrance to Potter Park Zoo. No one has been charged in her death.
Jones, accustomed with using faith to interpret horror, had trouble finding an explanation for why a bullet struck the 41-year-old Delta Township woman.
"There are some who would suggest that this is God's will,'' Jones said. "I would suggest that this is not God's will. God would have wanted her to live.
"But we are here."
One by one, family and friends stepped up to share their memories of White.
Artis White, Bernita's husband, paused briefly to compose himself between each sentence that described his wife of 11 years during his eulogy.
"Bernita was a loving, caring woman,'' said White, a state police detective. "Everybody knows that.
"Bernita has taught us all a lesson - live tomorrow today."
He also talked about news reports of his wife's death, a case that has drawn national headlines. And he talked about the police investigation.
"Despite the media and police basking in the glory of their sensationalism, God's will will be there."
Police interviewed White for six hours after the slaying. Investigators maintain, though, that anyone who knew Bernita White is considered a suspect. Artis White's family attorney has said his client didn't shoot and kill his wife.
A common question through the service: How could 5- and 7- year-old girls lose their mother and grandmother so quickly?
Bernita's mother, Barbara Sims, died of a heart attack after learning her daughter was shot and killed, six hours after White died.
Funeral services for the 67- year-old Detroit woman are 10 a.m. today at the First Tabernacle Church of Detroit.
At the church Friday, some people sat stonefaced. Some left their seats to weep outside the church. And children carried on fathers' shoulders fought back the tears welled up in their eyes.
Kim Lyons remembered the joy Bernita White felt when she arranged the photos of her daughters, marking their steady growth.
"You are my spirit lifter, my laughter shared, my soul sister,'' Lyons said of White. "You are my forever friend."
As the flowers followed the casket, small groups huddled to share their memories of White. A police procession then led the mourners to the Deepdale Memorial Park & Mausoleum where White was buried.
As Jones tried to help people make sense of White's death, he was mindful that violence is all too common.
"Too often, we've been visited with human tragedy,'' Jones said. "This won't be the last time.''' Contact Adam Emerson at 377- 1058 or aemerson@lsj.com.
"I would suggest that this is not God's will. God would have wanted her to live."
June 29, 2001RE: The Ingham County Prosecutor's June 2001 investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt, who had been hired by Artis White to follow Bernita.
Following Bernita's murder, police questioned Artis White. During their investigation, Artis admitted to hiring a private investigator - Charles Rettsdadt- to follow Bernita.
The Ingham County Prosecutor obtained an investigative subpoena to obtain the records of private investigator Charles Rettsdadt.
Public eager to help solve zoo killing
Police sift through dozens of tips in death of woman
June 29, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Adam Emerson
Detectives are paging through dozens of tips, photographs and videotapes that might help them solve the slaying of Bernita White.
"They range from people who heard the shot to people who want to share a theory with us,'' Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
The 41-year-old Delta Township woman was shot once about 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Potter Park while walking with her 5-year-old daughter toward the zoo's entrance. Her funeral is today.
But police don't have the bullet that went through White. A search for the slug Wednesday in the murky Red Cedar River at the park turned up nothing, Hall said, but detectives will soon return to the site.
Police believe the bullet - probably fired from a rifle about 100 yards away - came from a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth.
The park and zoo should remain open during the investigation. An officer who was assigned to patrol the zoo as a precautionary measure isn't there anymore.
"We've increased patrols in and around the park,'' Hall said.
Five state police detectives are helping Lansing investi gators in the case. But more could be assigned if Lansing needs more help, state police Detective Lt. Dave Peltomaa said.
White was Lansing's second homicide victim of the year and the second in a three-day period. No one has been charged in her death.
Funeral services for White, an EDS systems analyst, are at 1 p.m. today at the Union Missionary Baptist Church, 1020 W. Hillsdale St.
Funeral services for White's mother, Barbara Sims, are 10 a.m. Saturday at the First Tabernacle Church of Detroit. The 67-year-old Detroit woman died of a heart attack Saturday after hearing the news that her daughter was shot and killed.
Police search river for bullet
Zoo shooting probe continues
June 28, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Adam Emerson
A Lansing police dive team searched the Red Cedar River in Potter Park on Wednesday for the bullet that killed Bernita White.
The park and zoo remained opened as divers and crime scene investigators also looked for any evidence that might have been thrown in the river after Saturday's shooting, police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"Just imagine tossing a small stone in the river and trying to recover it,'' Hall said. "Even if you know where you threw it - you're talking about a small piece of lead."
Wednesday was the first time that police searched the river since the shooting.
The 41-year-old Delta Township woman was shot once about 3:30 p.m. while walking next to her 5-year-old daughter toward the zoo's entrance.
The bullet - probably fired from a rifle about 100 yards away - struck White in the left arm, pierced her heart and exited her right side, police said.
Investigators believe the shot came from a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth.
Joggers, bicyclists and park visitors looked on with curiosity Wednesday as detectives in dive gear slowly inched along the murky river and its banks, using a rope to guide them.
Hall wouldn't say how long police would search the river, or what, if anything was found.
"After a homicide, we go through a process of elimination,'' he said. "Eliminating any possibility now isn't appropriate."
The park and zoo should remain open during the investigation, said Murdock Jemerson, Lansing's parks director.
Lansing detectives were joined in their investigation Wednesday by five state police detectives, state police spokesman Dave Verhougstraete said.
It is common for state police, who often have more technology and detectives available, to assist local agencies with homicide investigations.
The detectives are coming from outside of Lansing, Hall said. Neither Lansing nor state police officials would say what those detectives would do.
Investigators continue to interview people who knew White, an EDS systems analyst. They've interviewed more than 20 so far.
Police maintain that everyone who knew her is a suspect.
White's husband, Artis, is a detective with the state police. Although Artis White was interviewed for six hours by police after Saturday's slaying, officials said there's no conflict of interest to have the state police involved in the investigation.
"We're handling this like we would any other case,'' state police Detective Lt. Dave Peltomaa said.
Okemos attorney David Clark, who is representing Artis White in divorce proceedings, said his client didn't shoot and kill his wife of 11 years.
Bernita White was Lansing's second homicide victim of the year and the second in a three- day period. She will be buried Friday.
Police say her death likely was no accident. She was targeted - either randomly or by someone who wanted to harm her, police said.
Although several dozen witnesses reported hearing the shot that killed the mother of 7- and 5-year-old girls, no one reported seeing who fired the gun.
About 10 p.m. Saturday, state police troopers in Detroit told Bernita White's 67-year- old mother, Barbara Sims, that her daughter was shot and killed.
The Detroit woman died of a heart attack after hearing the news. She'll be buried Saturday.
Visitation for Bernita White is 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today at the Riley Funeral Home, 426 W. St. Joseph St. Funeral services are 1 p.m. Friday at the Union Missionary Baptist Church at 1020 W. Hillsdale St.
Woman's gunshot death at zoo remains mystery
Ventura County Star (CA)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING Mich. (AP) -- As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case" Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
White 41 a computer systems analyst filed for divorce a month ago but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday police informed Benita White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims 67 of Detroit went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it" Sims' husband Bennie Sims told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet which struck White in the heart and exited her side has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on its trajectory someone meant to shoot the woman he said.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at zoo
Telegraph Herald (Dubuque, IA)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. (AP) - As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed BernitaWhite 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Woman killed by sniper’s bullet at zoo
Repository, The (Canton, OH)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. — As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper’s wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It’s a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White’s husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said.
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White’s mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet’s trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White’s husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
Police have few leads into investigation of murder at Lansing , Mich. zoo
Morning Sun, The (Pittsburg, KS)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. (AP) -- As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who has at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Woman slain at zoo; mom dies when told
Houston Chronicle
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich.- A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, was shot once Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the PotterParkZoo . Hundreds of people were in the park , and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although none reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White 's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," he said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park ."
Trooper's wife killed; mother hears news, dies
Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, the identity of the person who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo , but no one saw the shooter. The lawyer for White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed White 's mother of the killing.
Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at zoo -
Her mother died in reaction to news
Belleville News-Democrat, The (IL)
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
LANSING , Mich. --- As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Police search for person who killed mother at zoo
Husband investigated, but his lawyer insists he was not involved
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was killed by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 miles away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White's husband acknowledged his client under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Bernita White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs come time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Bernita White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Bernita White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities had ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park. He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo, closed for the rest of the weekend, reopened Monday. A normal crown of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo.
Woman's death at zoo still a mystery
The Albany Herald
June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Bernita White, 41, a computer systems analst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adament that he had nothing to do with it," Attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Bernita White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
Woman slain at crowded zoo
The Facts
Brazoria County, Texas
June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two small children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
Mom killed by sniper's bullet a Michigan zoo
The Daily News
Northwest Florida
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall and authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, includiong Ms. White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park. He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo, closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo.
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park. "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Investigators remain mystified as to who, why of zoo murder
The Altoona Mirror
Altoona, PA
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago but the couple still was living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't undestand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, had not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
Police continue to investigate shooting at zoo
The Daily Globe
Ironwood, Michigan
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - Last Saturday was warm and brillant, a perfect day for Artis, Bernita White and their 5-year-old daughter to visit the city zoo.
After enjoying a picnic with friends in the shade of wooded Potter Park, Artis White left to pick up the couple's 7-year-old, who was at another park.
Bernita White and her daughter strolled toward the zoo's ticket booth.
That's when Bernita White was suddenly, fatally struck by a bullet, which entered her arm, struck her heart and came out her right side.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the wooded area north of the ticket booth, but no one saw the shooter.
The family's tragedy didn't end there.
Seven hours later, state trooper reported the shooting to Bernita White's mother, Barbara Sims of Detroit.
The 67- year-old Sims went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
On Tuesdaay, police were still trying to identify the killer of 41-year-old Bernita White, a system analyst with EDS who lived in suburban Lansing. The buller has not yet been found.
Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall said police have ruled out the possibility that someone was randomly firing into the air.
Based on the distance of the shooter who was more than 100 yards away, and the trajectory of the buller, whoever struck Bernita White meant to strike someone.
Hall said he didn't know when police would name a suspect.
"This is a tough case," he said.
Among the 20 people who have been questioned is Artis White, a detective sergeant with the Michigan State Police. Hall said Artis White returned to Potter Park and found his wife dead about an hour after the shooting.
Bernita White filed for divorce from Artis White on May 24, but the two were still living together.
The sheriff's department in Eaton County, where the Whites lived, said police had never been called to the residence for any problems.
Artis White is referring all questions to attorney David Clark, who said his client is busy preparing for the funerals of his wife and mother-in-law.
"Mr. White is adament that he had nothing to do with it," Clark said of the shooting. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two small children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Clark said a funeral for Bernita White is expected to be held Saturday. Funeral arrangements for Sims were unknown.
The zoo remained closed through the weekend but reopened Monday.
Carol Webster, the zoo's executive director, said she was relieved that a regular crowd of about 400 people showed up on Monday.
"People who talked to us said they loved the zoo and they weren't going to quit coming," she said. "People called us to make sure we were open and then just came down. They don't seem to show any fear."
A police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo as a precaution. That will continue indefinately, Hall said.
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," said Jeanne Walser of Holt, who was watching her three boys play in the park on Monday.
"But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at Michigan zoo
The Gaston Gazette
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted that he was not involved.
White, 41, a computer systems analyst, filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying, police informed White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who was at another park. He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
Woman killed by sniper at zoo
The Daily News
Galveston, TX
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
State trooper's wife shot at zoo
Aiken Standard
Associated Press
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. - A state trooper's eife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park Zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
Whte's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park."
Sniper bullet kills woman at Mich. zoo
The Chronicle Telegram
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
Witnesses told police one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation, but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at zoo
The Salina Journal
Salina, Kansas
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation, but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
Police have questioned 20 people, including White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
Lawyer: Husband not shooter
Police question many who knew victim of Lansing zoo killing Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 27, 2001
State police Detective Sgt. Artis White didn't shoot and kill his wife, Bernita, at Potter Park, White's attorney said Tuesday.
David Clark said Lansing police interviewed the trooper for six hours after Saturday's slaying at the south Lansing park and zoo.
But Clark says Bernita's husband of 11 years is no more a suspect than the other people detectives are questioning in a case that drew national headlines.
"My understanding is there are a lot of suspects,'' he said.
Detectives have interviewed more than 20 people who knew Bernita White, Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Lansing Police Chief Mark Alley wouldn't say Tuesday whether anyone is considered a prime suspect.
Police say everyone who knew the Delta Township woman is a suspect.
Hall said detectives are disappointed in a letter from Clark asking them to refrain from interviewing White for 14 days.
The break will let White "grieve, bury his wife and try to explain this tragedy to his children,'' Clark said.
Hall said investigators respect that.
"But it's disappointing he's chosen to delay talking to investigators,'' he said. "We have one objective: to solve this crime. We're going to need Mr. White's assistance."
Bernita White, 41, was Lansing's second homicide victim of the year and the second in a three-day period. She will be buried Friday.
No one reported seeing who fired the gun.
Hall said a videotape by a park patron Saturday has been very helpful to investigators. He wouldn't say what was on the tape.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. while walking next to the couple's 5-year-old daughter toward the zoo's entrance.
Artis White told investigators he'd dropped off his wife and 5- year-old daughter at Potter Park Saturday, Clark said. He left to pick up their 7-year-old daughter at a birthday party in a Delta Township park.
He arrived at Potter Park at 4:30 p.m., expecting to pick up his wife and daughter. Instead, police told him she was dead.
White's death was likely not an accident. And whoever shot her is "more than likely proficient with a rifle,'' Hall said.
"You've got a moving target, and the person or persons were about 100 yards away,'' he said.
Investigators haven't found the bullet - probably fired from about 100 yards away. The bullet hit Bernita White in the left arm, pierced her heart and exited her right side.
The park and zoo reopened Monday after it was closed for two days while police searched for the slug.
Investigators haven't focused on a motive.
Police are saying little about their investigation, but they're looking at Bernita White's relationships.
She filed for divorce on May 24, according to Eaton County Circuit Court records.
Bernita sought full custody of their two children pending the outcome of the divorce. Artis wanted joint custody, according to court records. Circuit Judge Thomas Eveland ruled on June 15 that the Whites would have joint custody.
The divorce and custody battle doesn't implicate his client, Clark said.
"They were living in the same house, there was never a personal protection order, there were no allegations of physical abuse,'' Clark said.
Artis White is a detective in the private security and investigation unit, state police spokesman David Verhoegstrate said. He's been with the state police since August 1998.
Verhoegstrate wouldn't com ment on the Lansing police investigation.
About 10 p.m. Saturday, state police troopers in Detroit told White's mother, 67-year- old Barbara Sims, that her daughter was shot and killed. The Detroit woman died of a heart attack after hearing the news.'
Visitation for Bernita White is from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Riley Funeral Home, 426 W. St. Joseph St. Funeral services are 1 p.m. Friday at Union Missionary Baptist Church, 1020 W. Hillsdale St.
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at zoo
Wednesday, June 27, 2001
CJ Online
The Associated Press
By Dee-Ann Durbin
http://cjonline.com/stories/062701/new_zoosniper.shtml
LANSING, Mich. -- As Bernita White and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo, the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods at Potter Park Zoo, but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Bernita White's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing.
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Bernita White's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Bernita White in the heart and exited her side, hasn't been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Bernita White's husband, Artis White, a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who has at another park. He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo, closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo.
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park. "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Woman killed by sniper's bullet at Michigan zoo; investigators say who fired the shot is a mystery
Associated Press Archive
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Author: DEE-ANN DURBIN, Associated Press Writer
As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
"It's a tough case," Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
"Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it," attorney David Clark said. "He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation."
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
"She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it," Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. "It killed her. It almost killed me."
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who has at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
"It's not good to go through life being afraid," Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . "But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before."
Woman Shot at Crowded Michigan Zoo
Associated Press News Service, The -
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING , Mich. (AP) - As BernitaWhite and her daughter walked toward a ticket booth at the city zoo , the state trooper's wife was cut down by a rifle bullet fired from more than 100 yards away.
On Tuesday, who fired the deadly shot and why remained a mystery.
''It's a tough case,'' Lansing police Lt. Ray Hall said.
Witnesses told police that one or two shots came from the woods atPotterParkZoo , but no one saw the shooter.
The lawyer for Ms. White 's husband acknowledged his client is under investigation but insisted he was not involved.
Ms. White , 41, a computer systems analyst, had filed for divorce a month ago, but the couple were still living together in suburban Lansing .
''Mr. White is adamant that he had nothing to do with it,'' attorney David Clark said. ''He needs some time to be alone with his family. He has two children who don't understand the gravity of the situation.''
Seven hours after the slaying Saturday, police informed Ms. White 's mother of the killing. Barbara Sims, 67, of Detroit, went into cardiac arrest and died.
''She couldn't take it. She couldn't handle it,'' Sims' husband, Bennie Sims, told WDIV-TV. ''It killed her. It almost killed me.''
The bullet, which struck Ms. White in the heart and exited her side, has not been found.
Hall said authorities have ruled out the possibility that the bullet had been fired randomly into the air. Based on the bullet's trajectory, someone meant to shoot the woman, he said.
Police have questioned 20 people, including Ms. White 's husband, Artis White , a detective sergeant with the state police.
He and his wife were in the park with their 5-year-old daughter when the trooper left to pick up their other daughter, 7, who has at another park . He returned about an hour later to find his wife dead, Hall said.
The zoo , closed for the rest of the weekend, was reopened on Monday. A normal crowd of about 400 showed up, said executive director Carol Webster. As a precaution, a police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo .
''It's not good to go through life being afraid,'' Jeanne Walser said Monday while watching her three boys play in the park . ''But I've probably been a little more cautious. I'm looking around more than I would've before.''
Rifle Shot Kills Woman At Zoo; News Kills Mom
Watertown Daily Times (NY)
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING , Mich. - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the PotterParkZoo .
White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White 's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting to pick them up.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, but they still lived together.
Woman slain at crowded Michigan zoo; mother dies when informed of slaying
Jefferson City News-Tribune (MO)
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING , Mich. (AP) -- A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the PotterParkZoo . There were hundreds of people in the park , and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White 's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo 's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park .
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
The bullet hadn't been found, he said.
Fatal shooting at zoo no accident, Lansing police say -
The victim had filed for divorce from her husband, a state trooper, last month.
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING -- The shot that killed the wife of a state trooper at the PotterParkZoo over the weekend was not fired accidentally, Lansing police said.
Investigators have determined that the shot fired Saturday came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo 's ticket booth, police Lt. Raymond Hall said Monday.
But police couldn't find the bullet that went through BernitaWhite , 41, of Eaton County's Delta Township.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park .
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
The bullet entered White 's arm, struck her heart and came out her right side, Ingham County interim medical examiner Dennis Jurczak said.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo 's ticket booth.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing the shooter.
The zoo remained closed through the weekend as police searched for the bullet and other evidence. It reopened at 9 a.m. Monday.
A police officer has been assigned to patrol the zoo as a precaution. That will continue indefinitely, Hall said.
White 's husband, Artis White , is a state police detective sergeant. He had dropped off his wife and daughter earlier in the day and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
About 10 p.m. Saturday, state police troopers in Detroit told White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, that her daughter had been shot and killed .
The Detroit-area woman died of a heart attack upon hearing the news, state police Capt. Jack Shepherd said.
Artis White 's attorney, David Clark of Okemos, said Monday that BernitaWhite had filed for divorce last month, but the couple still lived together. They had two daughters.
Clark said he knows police are investigating his client.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," he said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Hall said Artis White has been cooperating with investigators.
Woman killed at zoo ; mother dies upon hearing news
Charleston Daily Mail (WV)
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
LANSING , Mich. - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
BernitaWhite , 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the PotterParkZoo . There were hundreds of people in the park , and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White 's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White 's husband, Artis, a state police sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark. "They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said.
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a nearby wooded area, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park .
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
Woman killed at zoo
The Fredrick Post
Fredrick, Maryland
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park Zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
Mrs. White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
Mrs.White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
Woman slain at zoo; mother dies when informed of slaying
The Paris News
Northeast Texas and Southeast Oklahoma
Associated Press
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Lansing, Mich. - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Investigatyors have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking at the park.
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be thier target."
The bullet hadn't been found, he said.
Police: Zoo shooting likely intentional
Trajectory of bullet indicates fatal shot intended for victim
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 26, 2001
By Adam Emerso
Shooting victim's husband had ties to Shiawassee area
The Argus-Press
Owosso, Michigan
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Lansing [AP] - A woman died of cardiac arrest after learning that her daughter was shot and killed at a Lansing zoo over the weekend, Michigan State Police confirmed Monday.
State Police Capt. Jack Shepherd said the mother of Bernita White died after state troopers called her Saturday night to report White's death. Shepherd did not release the mother's name.
It's just adds to the tragedy," he said.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said police have not one in custody and don't know where the shot came from that struck White as she walked Saturday with her daughter toward the ticket booth at Potter Park Zoo.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White's acquaintances and her husband, Artis White, who is a state police trooper. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Shepherd said state police are assisting Lansing police in the investigation.
Along with her husband, Bernita White is survivied by two daughters.
Artis White has close ties to the Owosso area. He was stationed at the Owosso Post of the Michigan State Police prior to 1996 and he has performed on stage in several shows - one this past year - with the Owosso Community Players, mostly in the group's musicials.
The zoo remained closed through the weekend as police searched for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood, reopening at 9 a.m. Monday.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth.
At least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon in the park and the zoo at the time of the shooting.
"Before this, open alcohol was a big deal in Potter Park - loud mustic was a common call," hall said. "This is just as shocking to law enforcement as it is to the public. We just don't see this type of violence."
At least 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team combed the area soon after the shooting.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing who fired the shot.
Mother dies when told of daughter's shooting at Michigan zoo
By Associated Press
06/26/01
Boston.com
http://www.boston.com/news/daily/26/zoo_death.htm
LANSING, Mich. -- A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park Zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
"They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him," Clark said. "But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it."
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
"We're confident the shooter was a long distance away," Hall said. "Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park.
"She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target."
The bullet hadn't been found, he said.
Woman Shot at Crowded Michigan Zoo
Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Crosswalk
http://www.crosswalk.com/503680/
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A state trooper's wife visiting a crowded zoo with her daughter was killed by a rifle shot fired from a nearby wooded area. Her mother died of a heart attack when she was told of the shooting.
The trooper's lawyer acknowledged his client is under investigation in the shooting but said he wasn't involved.
Bernita White, 41, was shot once in the heart Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends at the Potter Park Zoo. There were hundreds of people in the park, and witnesses reported hearing one or two shots although no one reported seeing the shooter, police said.
White's mother, Barbara Sims, 67, died of a heart attack when she was told of her daughter's death, police said.
White's husband, Artis, a state police detective sergeant, had dropped off his wife and daughter at the park and arrived half an hour after the shooting expecting to pick them up, police said.
White had filed for divorce from her husband last month, although the couple still lived together, said his attorney, David Clark.
``They tell us they're looking at all kinds of leads, but we know they're looking at him,'' Clark said. ``But let me set it straight. He absolutely didn't do it.''
Artis White has been cooperating with investigators, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
``We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect,'' he said. ``We've eliminated no one.''
Investigators have determined that the fatal shot came from a rifle in a wooded area north of the zoo's ticket booth, Hall said Monday.
``We're confident the shooter was a long distance away,'' Hall said. ``Based on the trajectory of the bullet, we can rule out that the shot was fired in the air and randomly struck someone walking in the park.
``She was either chosen randomly or there's a person or persons with a motive and intended for her to be their target.''
The bullet hadn't been found, he said.
Lansing police probe shooting at city zoo
Daily Globe
Ironwood, Michigan
Monday, June 25, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - The city zoo remained closed through the weekend while police investigated a shooting that killed a 41-year-old woman.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said police don't know where the shot taht struck Bernita White came from as she walked with her daughter on Saturday.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White's acquaintances, and her husband, who is a state police Trooper. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. We've eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, White is survived by two daughters.
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
The park and zoo opened at 9 a.m. today.
Police search for zoo shooter
Muskegon Chronicle, The (MI)
Monday, June 25, 2001
The city-owned Potter Park Zoo remained closed through the weekend while police investigated a shooting that killed a 41-year-old woman.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said police have no one in custody, and don’t know where the shot that struck BernitaWhite came from as she walked with her daughter on Saturday.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White’s acquaintances, and her husband, who is a state police Trooper. But investigators haven’t been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We’re considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We’ve eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, White is survived by two daughters.
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
The park and zoo opened at 9 a.m. today.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo’s ticket booth.
At least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon in the park and the zoo at the time of the shooting.
"Before this, open alcohol was a big deal in Potter Park — loud music was a common call," Hall told the Lansing State Journal for a story today. "This is just as shocking to law enforcement as it is to the public. We just don’t see this type of violence."
At least 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team combed the area soon after the shooting.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing who fired the shot.
Zoo shooting still unsolved
Grand Rapids Press, The (MI)
Monday, June 25, 2001
LANSING -- The city zoo remained closed through the weekend while police investigated a shooting that killed a 41-year-old woman.
Lansing Police Lt. Raymond Hall said police have no one in custody, and don't know where the shot that struck BernitaWhite came from as she walked with her daughter Saturday.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White 's acquaintances, and her husband, who is a state police trooper. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, White is survived by two daughters.
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
The park and zoo are expected to reopen today.
Lansing zoo shooter sought
The Argus-Press
Owosso, Michigan
Mon., June 25, 2001
Lansing, Mich. [AP] - The city zoo remained closed through the weekend while police investigated a shooting that killed a 41-year-old owman.
Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said police have no one in custody, and don't know where the shot that struck the Bernita White came from as she walked with her daughter on Saturday.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White's acquaintances, and her husband who is a state police Trooper. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect," he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, White is survived by two daughters.
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth.
At least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon in the park and the zoo at the time of the shooting.
"Before this, open alcohol was a big deal in Potter Park - loud music was a common call," Hall said. "This is just as shocking to law enforcement as it is to the public. We just don't see this type of violence."
At least 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team combed the area zoon after the shooting.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing who fired the shot.
Police seek clues in zoo shooting; no arrests made
Officials close park in search of bullet that killed woman
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Mich.
June 25, 2001
Potter Park Zoo remained closed Sunday while police scoured the grounds searching for the bullet that killed 41-year-old Bernita White.
Police have no one in custody, and don't know where the shot that struck the Delta Township woman came from as she walked in front of her daughter Saturday, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
Police have interviewed at least a dozen of White's acquaintances, and her husband, state police Trooper Artis White. But investigators haven't been able to focus on any leads, Hall said.
"We're considering anyone who knew our victim to be a suspect,'' he said. "We've eliminated no one."
Along with her husband, Bernita White is survived by two daughters.
Artis White declined to speak with a reporter outside his home Sunday.
Neighbor Cathleen Airola has known Artis and Bernita White for about five years. She heard of White's death Sunday morning.
"She was a very generous woman - a wonderful neighbor,'' Airola said. "We would all meet in the street to chat. All our kids played together.
"She loved to bake. She would send cookies over. Just the small things that make a difference in a neighborhood."
Officials had hoped to reopen the park and zoo Sunday. But state police crime investigators needed an extra day to search for any evidence that could help pinpoint where a gunman may have stood.
The park and zoo are expected to reopen today.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth.
Investigators remain dumbfounded by the shooting. At least 300 people were enjoying a sunny afternoon in the park and the zoo at the time of the shooting.
"Before this, open alcohol was a big deal in Potter Park - loud music was a common call,'' Hall said. "This is just as shocking to law enforcement as it is to the public. We just don't see this type of violence."
Park officials say they can't remember a similar event that forced an evacuation in Potter Park's history.
Adam and Brandy Thompson drove to Potter Park to enjoy a Sunday picnic. But they were turned away by an officer behind yellow police tape.
"I was a little surprised,'' said Brandy Thompson, brushing her yellow Labrador at nearby Sycamore Park. "I was just there three weeks ago with my nephew.''' Police had said that the shooting appeared random. "But we're not ruling anything out,'' Hall said.
"Statistically speaking, there are few homicides that are truly random,'' he said. "In most cases, what appears to be random - upon investigating the crime - a motive develops."
Police received several dozen phone calls Sunday from people who were at the park and heard gunfire, Hall said.
At least 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog-tracking team arrived at the park to comb the area soon after the shooting. The investigation moved slowly into Sunday without progress.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one reported seeing who fired the shot.
White's death marks Lansing's second homicide in three days - its first two of 2001.
On Thursday, Lansing's Delayno Hudson, 39, was shot and killed Thursday at his cellular phone store.
State police experts help in investigation
June 25, 2001
Lansing State Journal
By Katie Matvias
Lansing police turn to the Michigan State Police for their expertise and technology when it comes to complex homicide scenes.
State police are assisting in the investigation of Bernita White's shooting - the city's second homicide of 2001.
White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. Saturday while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the Potter Park Zoo ticket booth.
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance. No one has reported seeing who fired the shot.
Lansing's Crime Scene Investigation unit was at the scene Saturday collecting physical evidence, including photographs and blood specimens, Lansing police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
But they couldn't determine where the shooter was when White was killed and have been unable to locate the bullet, Hall said.
That's why Lansing turned to the state police for assistance. The state police can gather information beyond Lansing's capability, said Lansing police Chief Mark Alley.
"It's about being able to have an expert in trajectory of a bullet,'' Alley said. "When you need that, you need it now.''' Using a measuring tool called a total station, experts can determine where the bullet came from - and where it could have landed, said Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Reinhard Pope, who works in the agency's firearms unit.
For example, investigators might start with where a victim's body fell or where two cars collide in a traffic accident.
They use an infrared beam and a pole equipped with a prism to measure distance, angles and elevations from different locations.
Investigators press a button on the device to record the data from each location.
"And when you're done, it will make a scale drawing of the whole area. It's really similar to survey equipment,'' Pope said.
The total station measurements are much more accurate than using measuring tape, he said.
The state police helicopter also flew over the zoo to give investigators a better look at the area.
Lansing zoo scoured after mom shot dead
Detroit News
Mike Martindale
Sunday, June 24, 2001
LANSING -- Police are looking for the person who fatally shot a Lansing woman at the Potter Park Zoo on Saturday afternoon.
Bernita K. White , 40, was walking into the zoo with her 8-year-old daughter and several friends at about 3:30 p.m. when she was hit by a bullet apparently fired randomly from an unknown location, Lansing Police Lt. Ray Hall said.
"They had been in a picnic and tot-lot area with friends and were going in to look at the animals when there was a loud noise and she dropped to the ground," Hall said. "Some people at first thought it was a firecracker, but when it spread there had been a shooting, people poured out with their children."
White was taken to Sparrow Hospital, where she was pronounced dead of a single gunshot wound. Meanwhile, police evacuated hundreds of visitors from the park, which was still being searched Saturday night.
White 's husband learned of her death when he arrived at the zoo about an hour after the shooting with another daughter to pick up his family.
Hall said police have no motive for the shooting and had not determined where the gunshot had been fired.
"We've talked with her friends and were told there were no incidents, arguments or confrontations at the zoo," Hall said. "They were out enjoying a summer day when this happened."
Hall said the zoo area is a relatively crime-free area where "an open container of alcohol would be considered a big deal."
Investigators want to talk to anyone who was at the zoo on Saturday. They can be reached at (517) 483-4600 .
Woman shot dead outside Lansing Zoo
The Blade
Toledo, Ohio
Associated Press
Sunday, June 24, 2001
Lansing - A 40-year-old woman was shot dead yesterday as she waited for her husband to pick her up in front of Potter Park Zoo, according to a Lansing broadcaster.
The woman was with her daughter near the entrance of the zoo when she was shot about 3:15 p.m., according to television station WLNS. No suspect was in custody and no motive was known.
The zoo was evacuated, and employees were asked to leave. Police were scouring the park to look for the suspect and for clues, WLNS reported.
No other details were immediately available.
Zoo officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Woman dies after shooting at zoo
Hundreds evacuated from Potter Park as police seek assailant
June 24, 2007
Lansing State Journal
By Adam Emerson
Police evacuated hundreds of people from Potter Park on Saturday after a 41-year-old Lansing woman was shot and killed outside the zoo.
Bernita K. White was shot once just after 3:30 p.m. while walking with her daughter and friends from a picnic area toward the zoo's ticket booth, police Lt. Raymond Hall said.
White was pronounced dead at Sparrow Hospital about an hour later. Her death marks Lansing's second homicide in three days and second of the year.
Police have no one in custody and no suspects.
"You never assume anything, but this appears to be a random shooting,'' Hall said. "We don't have a motive. We don't have a shooter.
"There's a lot of unanswered questions."
Witnesses reported hearing one or two shots, possibly from a wooded area north of the zoo entrance, Hall said. No one, though, saw who fired the shot.
Lansing Parks Director Murdock Jemerson said he couldn't remember an evacuation in the park's history. At least 300 people were believed to be in the park and zoo, enjoying a sunny afternoon.
"This is the first time we've ever had anything like this,'' Jemerson said. "This just doesn't happen here."
White and her daughter were dropped off at the zoo by her husband. He arrived a half- hour after his wife was shot, expecting to pick them up.
Officers ushered a fleet of cars out of the park's main entrance off Pennsylvania Avenue. The park was roped off by police tape about 4:15 p.m. Nearby Sycamore Park also was shut off.
About 20 officers, six detectives and every available dog- tracking team combed the park, the zoo and surrounding neighborhoods. A state police helicopter performed an aerial search.
Some parkgoers scattered when they heard the gunfire. Others, believing they'd heard firecrackers, stayed at the park - until a bevy of police cars sped through.' Abandoned food and water bottles remained on picnic tables near where White was shot. Yellow police tape cordoned off the pathway near the children's play area.
Families scurried quickly, hand-in-hand, to waiting cars that whisked them away.
Lansing's Elena Paizana heard a shot as she walked through the park with her 9- year-old son, Antonio.
"It was loud - really loud,'' said Paizana, standing with her son near the entrance at Pennsylvania Avenue, waiting for her husband to pick them up.
"We were just going for a walk,'' she said. "About 15 cop cars came through. They just told everybody to get out."
Alan Gurski was at the zoo with his friends when he heard park officials over an intercom order everyone to leave.
"We were just ready to walk out,'' Gurski said. "We saw the area roped off right outside the zoo."
The park and the zoo were closed for the rest of Saturday, Jemerson said. The park and zoo will be open today.
All animals in the zoo were fed just before 5 p.m. and placed in their pens. A zookeeper went back by 8 p.m. Saturday to check on them.
Ithaca's Rick Umlauf was riding his bike along the River Trail over Pennsylvania Avenue just after the shooting. He rides the trail about once a week when he works in Lansing.
"This is where people bring their families on the weekends, their kids,'' Umlauf said. "What happens when you can't come to the zoo?''
Although police believe the shooting was random, they'll interview White's family and friends to see if anyone may have wanted to harm her.
"This could be anything from an accidental discharge to an intentional homicide,'' Hall said.
"But they'd have to be one hell of a good shot.''' Contact Adam Emerson at 377- 1058 or aemerson@lsj.com.
"We don't have a motive. We don't have a shooter."
Lt. Raymond Hall , Lansing police spokesman
How to help
Anyone who heard gunfire or has information about Saturday's park shooting is urged to call the Lansing Police Department at 483-4600.' Potter Park Zoo will be open today.
"They knew exactly what firearm to use"
Lansing State Journal
