GUILTY MI - Mujey Dumbuya, 16, found murdered, Kalamazoo, 28 Jan 2018

[Gardener1850]

[h=1]Mujey Dumbuya’s family visits site where teen’s body was found[/h]

KALAMAZOO, Mich-- The family of Mujey Dumbuya gained a bit of closure Sunday morning, after visiting the site where the 16-year old’s body was found by hikers in Kalamazoo County in January.

"When people die they do get buried, but my niece was not buried she was dropped off, so this place is like a grave for us," says Jainya Sannoh, Mujey's Aunt.
Mujey's body was found in the 800 block of North Prairie on January 28th, four days after the 16-year-old was reported missing out of Kent County.

"It brought back a lot of memories and a lot of tears back to our eyes just to found out somebody drove all the way here to do this to her," says Sannoh.

While no arrests have been made in Mujey’s death, the Kent County Prosecutor's Office says Mujey was the victim in a sexual assault case that was set to go to trial later this year, the teen was supposed to testify in case.
The accused rapist, Quinn James, is currently behind bars, and has been called a person of interest in Mujey’s death. James is currently in jail on separate charges related to an assault case from 2014. He was a grounds and maintenance worker at East Kentwood Schools where Mujey was a student. The superintendent of the district says James was fired in late November shortly after Dumbuya reported her assault to the police.

http://fox17online.com/2018/03/11/mujey-dumbuyas-family-visits-site-where-teens-body-was-found/

 

[byo]

Death certificate shows Grand Rapids teen died of asphyxia, strangulation
Posted 1:36 PM, March 20, 2018, by FOX 17 News

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Officials in western Michigan have ruled a 16-year-old girl found dead in Kalamazoo was strangled.

MLive.com reported Tuesday that Mujey Dumbuya’s cause of death was listed as “asphyxia, including strangulation” on the death certificate.

(. . .)

Dumbuya was to testify against James, who has not been charged in her death, MLive reported.

 

[byo]

Rape suspect now charged with Grand Rapids teen’s murder
by Brody Carter and FOX 17 News, Updated at 04:23PM, April 11, 2018

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A man previously accused of raping a Grand Rapids teen is now charged with her murder.

Quinn James was arraigned Wednesday on murder, kidnapping and conspiracy charges in the death of 16-year-old Mujey Dumbuya.

Dumbuya was found dead in Kalamazoo on Jan. 28 after she disappeared from the Grand Rapids area on Jan. 24.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker announced Wednesday that James and another man were charged in connection with the case.

James, a former maintenance worker for Kentwood schools, was also facing four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving Dumbuya.

The East Kentwood High School Student reported to police in November that James had sexually assaulted her when she was 15 years old. She was set to testify in the case.

(. . . )

 

[Gardener1850]

[h=3]Police release 911 call reporting body of missing Michigan teen[/h]

The unidentified caller who spotted her body on Jan. 28 was calm, but he knew something was wrong. He told dispatchers he was out for a walk with his girlfriend when he saw her.

Caller: "I'm calling this morning to report what I believe to be a body in the woods. I'm not sure, I called to the person and they did not respond."

Dispatch: "And so it's in the wooded area of it? Is it wrapped in anything?"
Caller: "Nope, nope, like when we first saw it, it wasn't even clear it looked like a pile of clothes laying on the ground but then you could see her leg was bent to the left, she was laying on her back I could see the braids in her hair."

​

Investigators said the body was found on N. Prairie Avenue, which is close to James' childhood home.
According to authorities, James was identified on surveillance video near Prairie Avenue on the night Dumbuya disappeared.

http://www.wnem.com/story/37982572/police-release-911-call-reporting-body-of-missing-michigan-teen

 

[Deleted member 50844]

Every parent of that school system should be furious that this man was even hired there, obviously without a thorough background check.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Fiancee of man accused of murder to face trial for witness intimidation

On Tuesday, 27-year-old Tiara Burnett was bound over to 17th Circuit Court for two witness intimidation charges -- in one charge, she is accused of "threatening, intimidating, discouraging or attempting to discourage a (trial) witness from giving information."

In the other, she is accused of conspiring with her fiance to threaten and intimidate with a witness.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Kent County prosecutors are pursuing a perjury charge against a 26-year-old woman as part of a homicide investigation into the death of a 16-year-old East Kentwood High School student.

The Wyoming woman, Tiara Lakeya Burnett, is described in court documents as the fiancee of Quinn James, a man accused of sexually assaulting the teen last summer before she turned up dead in late January.

Perjury charge for fiancee of man accused of raping teen later found dead

 

[Indy Anna]

'Mom, my life is ruined:' Rape suspect's recorded jail calls played to jury

KENT COUNTY, MI - In recorded phone calls from jail, Quinn James, accused of raping an East Kentwood High student, told his distraught mother that he destroyed his life.

He is accused of repeatedly raping Mujey Dumbuya when she was 15 during summer 2017.

He later killed her to prevent her from testifying, authorities say.

A Kent County Circuit Court jury on Wednesday, Oct. 24, is expected to begin deliberations in the sex-assault case against James, 43, after the prosecution rested its case.

more...

 

[Angleterre]

How about just not using the runaway label at all, no mater the circumstances?

This is not directed at you "always reading" or anyone in particular but this rant has been forming in my mind for a while. Even teens who "only" runaway are vulnerable and possibly in danger. In fact, I think the frequent runners who come back after a few days each time are in more danger because of apathy. Family might be hesitant to report them after several times, figuring they will come home in a few days, and police less likely to expend resources to find them. A perception that no one cares just encourages them to stay away from home longer and/or makes them vulnerable to anyone in their lives who wants to harm them and claim they "just ran away again". By using the runaway label it not only minimizes the investigation the police may do, it also minimizes public concern for their well being. People don't take it as seriously and may not look for them or may not bother calling police if they see them. In the meantime that "runaway" teen may have been taken in by a trafficker, drug dealer or gang members and be in serious danger because of their life on the street or the adults who took them. Maybe instead or using the runaway label when teens go missing we should figure out what factors make teens most likely to runaway and work to educate teens today on what kind of dangers they are in if they do runaway from home. And also more help for teens that have gone missing to help them readjust when they come back. Missing teens seems to be an epidemic because of the internet and the ease with which predators can use it to convince teens to "run away". Just because they chose to run away doesn't mean they are not victims-- many "runaways" leave home at the encouragement of an adult who has ulterior motives. Choosing to run away does not mean they don't regret that decision later. When teens come back home after being labeled "a runaway" they don't easily lose that label. They may take it to heart and be more likely to run again because that has become part of their identity and what everyone expects of them. They may self harm because they don't want to tell their peers about what really happened to them. Or if nothing too bad happened they may think it's a joke and run again-- staying away longer the next time and putting themselves in more danger. Bottom line is, there is nothing good coming from the runaway label, so why use it at all? How about extending equal public concern to every missing teen? JMVHO.

**Stepping down off my soapbox**

:truce: **Sorry for the off topic rant**

Absolutely agree !!!

 

[JerseyGirl]

Boyfriend of slain teen testifies in suspected killer's rape trial

 

[JerseyGirl]

Jury deliberates in rape trial of teen's suspected killer

 

[Indy Anna]

Jury convicts teen's suspected killer of rape

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Quinn James is accused of murdering Mujey Dumbuya so she would not be able to testify in the trial where he was accused of raping her.

But his alleged plan did not work, as a jury on Thursday found him guilty of four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. That is a felony that has a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, but with this defendant’s criminal record, the penalty could go even higher.

[...]

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10. No date has been set yet for the homicide trial.

 

[Indy Anna]

Man who raped teen months before her killing ‘deserved what he got’ at sentencing

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – After Quinn James was sentenced to prison for raping her daughter, Fatmata Corneh collapsed, sobbing, outside of the courtroom.

She called out for her daughter, Mujey Dumbuya, 16, who was killed after accusing James of rape.

James, 43, was sentenced Monday, Dec. 10, to 20 to 30 years in prison for third-degree criminal-sexual conduct. He awaits a February trial in the Kentwood teen’s killing.

more...

 

[iulia]

Quinn James trial, opening statements set to begin Tuesday morning

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A former West Michigan district employee is on trial for the murder of East Kentwood High School student 16-year-old Mujey Dumbuya.

Opening statements are set to begin in a Kent County Circuit Court Tuesday morning.

Quinn James, 43, is charged with first-degree murder in the killing of the teen girl who accused him of rape.

Investigators allege James killed Dumbuya to prevent her from testifying against him in the rape case.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Jury seated in East Kentwood student murder trial

A jury has been seated in the trial of Quinn James, who is accused of murdering an East Kentwood High School student he is convicted of raping.

James is facing a murder charge in connection to the death of 15-year-old Mujey Dumbuya, who was found dead in a wooded area in Kalamazoo last January. She had reported the rape to law enforcement and was waiting to testify against James.

In December, James was sentenced to at least 20 years in prison on four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

 

[Baciagalupo]

This is such a sad and infuriating case.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Murder trial testimony focuses attempts of suspect to clean DNA evidence

 

[JerseyGirl]

Long-time friend of Quinn James testifies against him during murder trial

 

[Gardener1850]

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Testimony continued Friday in the murder trial of Quinn James.
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Prosecutors Friday presented phone calls where James was apparently trying to get a gun in the months before his rape trial.

The trial will go into next week. James is already serving a minimum of 20 years in prison for rape. He would face life in prison if convicted for her murder.

Convicted rapist’s murder trial continues

 

[iulia]

Jury deliberates in Mujey Dumbuya murder trial

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The fate of a man charged with murdering an East Kentwood High School student is now in the hands of a jury.

Jury deliberations began Wednesday afternoon in the trial of Quinn James.