MI HEATHER KELLEY: Missing from Portage, MI - 10 Dec 2022 - Age 35 *ARREST*

Police: No explanation for disappearance of Portage mom of 8

Police are growing increasingly worried as they search for a mother of eight who has been missing since Saturday.

www.woodtv.com

Police: No explanation for disappearance of Portage mom of 8​

Police are growing increasingly worried as they search for a mother of eight who has been missing since Saturday.

Police identified the missing woman as Heather Kelley, 35, of Portage. The Portage Department of Public Safety and the Kalamazoo Sheriff’s Department started investigating after she was reported missing on Sunday.

“Since that time both agencies have been working shoulder to shoulder, pretty much around the clock to bring this to a conclusion,” Portage Public Safety Director Nicholas Armold said.

“Any time somebody is reported missing and especially four or five days into it, when there’s no reasonable explanation as to why they’re not around, is concerning,” he said. “I’m not willing to jump to any kind of conclusions.”

Word about her disappearance was spreading on the Missing In Michigan Facebook page.

But police were providing few details.

“There’s a lot of detail we’re not going to be able to go into,” Sheriff Richard Fuller said.

They confirmed that they recovered her vehicle, though they wouldn’t say where and wouldn’t say if it held any clues about her whereabouts.

“You go back to sometimes you can explain things and other times you can’t,” Armold said. “Right now we can’t exactly explain why we found her vehicle without her and we can’t find her, so yeah that’s concerning and that’s why we’ve put everything we have from both agencies onto this case.”

“Our real concern is to try to find this young lady for her family,” Armold said. “We know that they’re struggling with her being missing and it makes total sense. Hopefully we can bring this to a happy conclusion at some point. We just need more time.”

Police: No explanation for disappearance of Portage mom of 8

Police are growing increasingly worried as they search for a mother of eight who has been missing since Saturday.

www.woodtv.com

Police: No explanation for disappearance of Portage mom of 8​

Police are growing increasingly worried as they search for a mother of eight who has been missing since Saturday.

Police identified the missing woman as Heather Kelley, 35, of Portage. The Portage Department of Public Safety and the Kalamazoo Sheriff’s Department started investigating after she was reported missing on Sunday.

“Since that time both agencies have been working shoulder to shoulder, pretty much around the clock to bring this to a conclusion,” Portage Public Safety Director Nicholas Armold said.

HEATHER KELLEY: Missing from Portage, MI - 10 Dec 2022 - Age 35

Police identified the missing woman as Heather Kelley, 35, of Portage. The Portage Department of Public Safety and the Kalamazoo Sheriff’s Department started investigating after she was reported missing on Sunday. Police: There is no explanation...

www.crimewatchers.net

 

[Mel70]

Sorry. I apologize. I missed that. I wasn't trying put her down saying father(s). I missed the dynamics of the entire situation.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Heather Kelley's boyfriend out on probation day of her disappearance

The boyfriend, who was identified as a person of interest in the disappearance of missing Kalamazoo County woman,, left his probation home without permission.

wwmt.com

by Samantha May | News Channel 3
Saturday, February 11th 2023

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The boyfriend, who was identified as a person of interest in the disappearance of missing Kalamazoo County woman Heather Kelley, left his probation home without permission the day after Kelley went missing, according to court documents.

The suspect, who has not been charged in Kelley's case and therefore will not be named, was part of the Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program, or KPEP, after being released from federal prison in July 2022, documents read.

He was working as a busboy at the Park Club on Dec. 10, the day Kelley was last heard from, according to movement tracked by his GPS tether. The tether went dead around 9:30 p.m. that night.

According to court documents, he returned to KPEP around 2:45 a.m. the following day with what witnesses recalled as deep scratches on his chest and back.

He went absent from KPEP around 11 p.m. the following day, according to court documents. His tether was found on Schippers Lane, south of the KPEP facility on Chicago Avenue.

He was later apprehended in Battle Creek on Dec. 14, and brought to the Newaygo County Jail Dec. 16, according to documents.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

FBI: We need help finding this missing Michigan woman. She may have been killed.

Heather Mae Kelley called her children to say she'd be home soon, but she never returned, and her vehicle was found abandoned the next day.

www.freep.com

Tresa Baldas
Detroit Free Press
March 7, 2023

The FBI has launched a massive search for a Michigan woman who has been missing for almost three months, with authorities suspecting she may have been killed.

According to the Detroit FBI office, 35-year-old Heather Mae Kelley of Portage has been missing since Dec. 10.

"There is evidence to suggest that she may have been the victim of a homicide," the FBI said in a press release Tuesday.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Heather Mae Kelley: Blood Found in Missing Michigan Mother’s Car, FBI Says She’s Likely a Homicide Victim

The FBI continues to ask for tips in connection to the disappearance of Michigan mother-of-8, Heather Mae Kelly, whose blood was found inside her abandoned vehicle in December. The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office provided an update Tuesday after the FBI said there is “evidence to suggest”...

www.crimeonline.com

Heather Mae Kelley: Blood Found in Missing Michigan Mother’s Car, FBI Says She’s Likely a Homicide Victim​

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office provided an update Tuesday after the FBI said there is “evidence to suggest” 35-year-old Kelley is a homicide victim. Her family reportedly said that her boyfriend is a person of interest but he’s not been named as a suspect in her disappearance.

He’s currently being held on a charge unrelated to the case and is scheduled for jail release on April 26.

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Kelley was last seen in the Comstock Township area on December 10, 2022, a day before her cousin found her car abandoned and set on fire. Investigators said her blood was found inside the vehicle and police found some of her clothing nearby.

Kelley’s boyfriend was reportedly finishing up sentencing at a halfway house in Kalamazoo at the time she disappeared. Kelley’s cousin told police that the halfway house, located at 537 Chicago Ave., is a few miles from where she found Kelley’s car.

The cousin also saw a red pickup truck speeding away from the area the moment after she arrived, adding that she arrived shortly after someone set Kelley’s car on fire.

Police said on Tuesday that there is evidence that places a person of interest with Kelley before her disappearance, but declined to provide the person’s name. There is currently more than one person being investigated, the sheriff added.

“We know that it’s likely somebody helped with the burning of the vehicle and the possible destruction of other evidence. And so that person is also a person, or people are also a focus of this investigation,” the sheriff said during the press statement.

Court documents indicate that the boyfriend was serving the sentence for a murder-for-hire plot cocaine distribution charge, Wood TV reports.

DNA is currently being processed in the case, the sheriff added.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

FBI offers $20,000 reward for info on missing mom of 8

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to a missing mother of eight of believed to have been killed.

www.woodtv.com

by: Rachel Van Gilder
Posted: Mar 31, 2023 / 12:00 PM EDT
Updated: Mar 31, 2023 / 12:05 PM EDT

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — The FBI is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information that leads to a missing mother of eight of believed to have been killed.

The FBI announced the reward for information regarding Heather Kelley on its Twitter page Friday.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Cops never flagged for homicide suspect’s dead tether

A man under investigation in the death of Kalamazoo County mother of eight Heather Kelley has been indicted on a federal charge of escaping a halfway house at the time of her disappearance.

www.woodtv.com

by: Ken Kolker
Posted: Mar 31, 2023 / 05:14 PM EDT
Updated: Mar 31, 2023 / 06:19 PM EDT

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — A man under investigation in the death of Kalamazoo County mother of eight Heather Kelley has been indicted on a federal charge of escaping a halfway house at the time of her disappearance.

The 37-year-old man was scheduled to be released from federal custody on April 26 but the escape charge, filed this week in federal court, means the feds can continue holding him, giving police in Kalamazoo County more time to investigate. He’s being held in the Newaygo County Jail.

The indictment also raises questions about what happened to the ankle tether that was supposed to have tracked him the night Kelley, 35, of Portage, went missing in December.

<snip>
The tether went dead, court records show, about the same time Kelley was calling her kids to say she was meeting her boyfriend in Kalamazoo. Phone records show they were together that night at a Kalamazoo dinner club where the man worked.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Feds: Man escaped to avoid Heather Kelley murder charges

A color photograph in a federal trial brief shows Carlos Watts Jr. moments before his escape from the KPEP halfway house in Kalamazoo, where he was finishing up a sentence for an old cocaine case.

www.woodtv.com

Feds: Man escaped to avoid Heather Kelley murder charges​

A color photograph in a federal trial brief shows Carlos Watts Jr. moments before his escape from the KPEP halfway house in Kalamazoo, where he was finishing up a sentence for an old cocaine case.

It shows him reaching around a counter at KPEP and grabbing a pair of scissors that the feds say he used to cut off his tether.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in recently filed documents related to Watts’ escape case, accuse him of fleeing the halfway house to avoid prosecution in the Dec. 10 disappearance and presumed murder of Heather Kelley. Police have said they believe Kelley, a 35-year-old mother of eight, was killed that day. Her body has not been found. Watts, 38, has not been charged in the case.

Kelley left her home on Dec. 10 to pick up Watts, described as her on-again-off-again boyfriend, from his job as a busboy at the Park Club in Kalamazoo.

Watts’ tether, which he wore as a condition of his stay at the halfway house, stopped working just after 9 p.m. and didn’t come back on until just before 6 a.m. the next day. Police have said they believe Kelley was killed and her body disposed of during that 8.5-hour window.

On Dec. 11, the afternoon after the disappearance, Watts met with his brother, the U.S. Attorney’s trial brief says.

About three hours later, records show, police found Kelley’s car abandoned by the side of the road. They found her blood on the front and back seats. The feds say the driver’s seat was partially burnt with trace evidence of gasoline. They also found a small hole punched in the driver’s side window.

Police later found clothing in a field about half a mile away, including women’s underwear, women’s jeans, boots and a durag. Tests later determined that the jeans and durag had DNA from Kelley and Watts, court records say.

Police interviewed Watts that night at KPEP. The feds say he cut off his tether and escaped through an emergency exit early the next morning.

Police later stopped Watts’ brother and found pieces of car window glass, a screwdriver with glass embedded in the handle and two cigarette lighters, records show. They say the screwdriver appeared to fit the hole in Kelley’s car window.

Records don’t show whether the brother was arrested.

On Dec. 14, police arrested Watts after a two-hour standoff at a home in Battle Creek.

Police say Watts had scratches on his chest.

“After Defendant was found and arrested for escaping KPEP, police met with him on December 14 to execute a search warrant for evidence related to (Heather Kelley’s) disappearance and suspected murder – pictures of his body, including scratches on his chest, and DNA samples,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s trial brief. “Defendant talked throughout that process, including telling investigators that (Heather Kelley) was ‘promiscuous’ and that he could ‘help (investigators) find her.'”

Watts told investigators he left KPEP justifiably after Kelley’s brother sent him threatening messages “regarding the whereabouts and wellbeing of the man’s sister,” court records show.

But the feds argue that Watts’ motive “for cutting off his tether and escaping KPEP was not to (avoid) the victim’s brother, but to escape prosecution.”

Court records also show it’s not the first time Watts has escaped from federal custody. He also escaped 20 years ago from the same halfway house. Watts’ escape trial is set for next month.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Oh gee. Maybe he shouldn't have been out and in a halfway house to begin with. And who wasn't watching their scissors?

Imbeciles run this world. And make the laws or don't make the needed laws. It is a joke. But one that isn't funny.

 

[Mel70]

Oh gee. Maybe he shouldn't have been out and in a halfway house to begin with. And who wasn't watching their scissors?

Imbeciles run this world. And make the laws or don't make the needed laws. It is a joke. But one that isn't funny.

I completely agree. He finished his time for cocaine charges. But, You WOULD THINK he would be considered a flight risk because of the seriousness of murder, And be held. But it was another failure by the parole/Justice system.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Docs: Boyfriend of missing Portage mom pleads guilty in KPEP escape

The boyfriend of a missing Portage mother has changed his plea in a case involving his alleged escape from a halfway house in Kalamazoo late last year.

www.fox17online.com

By: FOX 17 News
Posted at 4:07 PM, Jul 03, 2023
and last updated 4:22 PM, Jul 03, 2023

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The boyfriend of a missing Portage mother has changed his plea in a case involving his alleged escape from a halfway house in Kalamazoo late last year.
Court documents say Carlos Vance Watts Jr. was staying at Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program (KPEP) on drug charges until he escaped Dec. 12, 2022, two days after 35-year-old Heather Kelley went missing.

Watts changed his plea to "guilty," according to court staff.

<snip>

Recent filings say Watts may have been involved in Heather's disappearance. He has not been charged in that case, but federal attorneys say he met with his brother one day after Heather went missing.

Watts is scheduled to be sentenced Friday, Nov. 3.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a $20,000 reward in exchange for information on Heather’s location.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Boyfriend of missing Portage woman wants to withdraw guilty plea to escaping custody

Heather Kelley went missing Dec. 10, 2022, when she went to pick up her boyfriend. The boyfriend's GPS tether stopped responding that night.

www.mlive.com

Boyfriend of missing Portage woman wants to withdraw guilty plea to escaping custody​

The boyfriend of a missing Portage woman, who is presumed dead, wants to withdraw his guilty plea to escaping a residential probation center.

Six days after Carlos Watts Jr., pleaded guilty to felony escape of a prisoner in custody, he wrote two letters to federal Judge Robert Jonker, asking to withdraw his plea and fire his court-appointed attorney.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I had to review this entire case for it to ring bells.

Uhm why is it the father doesn't have the kids and her family does/did?

The guy in custody that was in a halfway house is a murder for hire guy right or was know to do susch?

They keep talking of investigating at least one other individual as well as this man.

It was I think the kids' father who claimed she was dating this guy. He and I guess his ex were cordial or were they? To know this or maybe he knew it from the 8 kids they shared or something.

Again, why isn't he raising his 8 children? Mom dies or disappears they go legally and naturally to dad don't they?

She was pretty young I wouldn't think they could have been split for long and have 8 children of these ages. I wonder who the second individual is they are looking at. Hmm.

I guess it could be the arrested guy's brother but no reason to think that, makes more sense it is someone else...

How'd she meet this murderer for hire?

Or do I have all my facts wrong? I didn't go into the links....

What did she or their dad (the 8 kids) do for work? I imagine child support for 8 kids is a lot.

Am I all wet here? It seems to me the tale and dots are there and provided by LE, they simply don't give a name...

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

New lawyer to be appointed to ex-boyfriend of missing mother Heather Kelley

Carlos Watts Jr. will be receiving a new lawyer.

wwmt.com

New lawyer to be appointed to ex-boyfriend of missing mother Heather Kelley
Carlos Watts Jr. will be receiving a new lawyer.

A motion to replace Watts Jr's lawyer was granted Monday after Watts Jr. sent a letter to Judge Robert J. Jonker asking to withdraw his attorney July 9.

According to Watts Jr., his attorney had been "ineffective for the following reasons to present all the 'evidence and witnesses' in my case."

"He and I also have had conflict of interests regarding my defense," he wrote. "Namely, convincing me to plead guilty against my better judgement. I hope that the court will take my request with the utmost seriousness as these matters weigh heavily on my mind and in my heart."

Along with replacing his lawyer, Watts Jr. requested to withdraw his July 3 guilty plea for escaping from Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program Dec. 12.

In the separate letter to Judge Jonker, Watts Jr. explained that he "was not in my right state of mind (demeanor) on that day."

"Upon further reflection newly gleaned information, I believe it is in my best interest to go to trial, whether it be jury or bench," he wrote.

Whoever is appointed to serve as Watts Jr's lawyer moving forward is expected to help Watts Jr. determine the risks and benefits of withdrawing his July 3 guilty plea, court documents showed.


Watts Jr. has not been charged with Kelley's murder, and Kelley's body remains missing nearly 7 months after her disappearance.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Brother of suspect in Portage woman’s disappearance arrested as ‘leverage,’ attorney says

The brother of a man suspected in the disappearance of a Portage woman was arrested in an unrelated case as leverage as police investigate the woman's presumed killing, his attorney said.

www.mlive.com

Brother of suspect in Portage woman’s disappearance arrested as ‘leverage,’ attorney says​

The brother of a man suspected in the death of a missing Portage woman contends he faces his own charges in an unrelated case as leverage in the homicide investigation.

Grand jury indicts brother of missing Portage mother's boyfriend on sex crimes

A grand jury indicted Jordan Watts, 31, on three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to U.S. Attorney Mark Totten on Thursday.

wwmt.com

Grand jury indicts brother of missing Portage mother's boyfriend on sex crimes
A grand jury indicted Jordan Watts, 31, on three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, according to U.S. Attorney Mark Totten on Thursday.

Jordan Watts was previously charged July 26 with sexual exploitation of a child, a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison and over $250,000 in fines, according to court documents.

That charge was related to an incident with a 16-year-old girl.

Two additional charges announced Thursday stem from alleged sexual conduct between Jordan Watts and a 17-year-old girl, records show. He allegedly filmed the acts on his iPhone.


Jordan Watts' brother, Carlos Watts Jr. is the boyfriend of a missing Kalamazoo County mother of eight, Heather Kelley.

During the investigation into Kelley's disappearance, detectives said they discovered a cell phone call made by Carlos Watts Jr. from within the Newaygo County Jail to his brother Jordan Watts.

In the call, Jordan Watts admitted to having sex with the victim, a 16-year-old girl, according to federal court documents. He claimed the victim was 20 years old.

However, text messages between Jordan Watts and the victim show he was aware of her being a minor, documents reveal.

Detectives obtained the cell phone when Jordan Watts' was arrested May 10 as a person of interest in assisting his brother after Kelley's disappearance, detectives said.

After obtaining a search warrant, they found evidence of the child pornography on the same cell phone, documents show.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Portage marking one-year anniversary of Heather Kelley’s disappearance

PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) -- Sunday marks one year since Heather Kelley of Portage disappeared. The following i...

wkzo.com

Portage marking one-year anniversary of Heather Kelley’s disappearance​

Sunday marks one year since Heather Kelley of Portage disappeared. The following is a statement from the city about the anniversary:

December 10, 2023, marks the solemn first anniversary since the disappearance of Heather Kelley. The community continues to mourn this tragic loss and stands in solidarity with her family and loved ones affected by this heart-wrenching event. Heather Kelley, 35, whose sudden vanishing shocked our city a year ago, remains a poignant reminder of the urgent need for justice in our society. Despite exhaustive efforts and collaborative endeavors by numerous law enforcement agencies, dedicated volunteers, and the unwavering support of our community, answers still elude us in this case.

Heather Kelley left her home in Portage, Michigan on December 10, 2022, at approximately 9 p.m., driving a white 2015 Toyota Venza. Ms. Kelley, a mother of eight children ranging in ages from 6 to 18, was last seen at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Sprinkle Road in the City of Kalamazoo. On December 11, 2022, at approximately 7 p.m., Ms. Kelley’s Toyota Venza was recovered parked and on fire along the side of the road in the area of East Michigan Avenue and Sprinkle Road, within the jurisdiction of the Kalamazoo County Sheriff Department.

Facts and circumstances surrounding the whereabouts of Ms. Kelley and the recovery of her vehicle led investigators to determine that Ms. Kelley was the unfortunate victim of a homicide. As of now, Ms. Kelley or her remains have not yet been found.

Through the course of this investigation, it was determined that at the time of her disappearance, Heather Kelley was with her boyfriend Carlos Vance Watts, a 35-year-old Kalamazoo resident. Mr. Watts was identified as a person of interest in the disappearance of Heather Kelley and is currently in federal custody on unrelated charges.

The passing of one year brings into sharp focus the importance of perseverance, empathy, and the tireless pursuit of truth. As we honor the memory of Heather, we renew our commitment to aiding the investigation and ensuring that those responsible for this heinous crime are brought to justice.

The Portage Department of Public Safety along with our county, state, and federal partners reiterate our determination to exhaust every lead and explore all avenues to uncover the truth. We implore anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation. The FBI continues to offer a reward of up to $20,000, along with a $5,000 reward from Silent Observer, for information that leads to the location of Heather Kelley.

Today, we not only remember Heather but also highlight the resilience and unity of our community in the face of adversity. Let us stand together, united in seeking closure and justice for Heather and her grieving family.

While law enforcement continues to be in contact with the family, a representative for the family has asked that members of the media and the public please respect their privacy. Our hearts and thoughts remain with the family and friends of Heather Kelley as we continue to pursue answers and justice in this deeply tragic and unresolved case.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Court docs: Man ‘involved in murder’ of Portage woman hours before escape

Federal court documents reassert investigators’ argument that a man who cut his tether and escaped from a halfway house did it because he murdered his girlfriend.

www.woodtv.com

Court docs: Man ‘involved in murder’ of Portage woman hours before escape​

Federal court documents reassert investigators’ argument that a man who cut his tether and escaped from a halfway house did it because he murdered his girlfriend.

Kelley, a 35-year-old mother of eight from Portage, went missing on Dec. 10, 2022. While no remains have been found, investigators believe she was killed. The Kalamazoo County prosecutor is expected to provide an update on the case at a Wednesday morning news conference.

Carlos Watts Jr. has not been charged in the case, though court records have identified him as a suspect. He is behind bars awaiting sentencing on a federal escape charge.

In a sentencing memorandum dated Monday, federal prosecutors rejected Watts’ claims that he escaped because he was being threatened by Kelley’s brother, identified in the document as TK, and said he did it because he killed Kelley.

“(H)ours before his escape, Defendant was involved in the murder and disappearance of TK’s sister. Defendant’s escape from (the halfway house) was not done to avoid a harm from TK but to avoid the ensuing police investigation,” the document reads in part. “Defendant was escaping criminal liability for murder, not avoiding perceived threats against him from his victim’s brother.”

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Boyfriend of missing Heather Kelley charged with murder

Over one year after Kalamazoo County mother of eight Heather Kelley disappeared, her boyfriend, Carlos Watts Jr., has been charged with murder.

wwmt.com

Boyfriend of missing Heather Kelley charged with murder
Over one year after Kalamazoo County mother of eight Heather Kelley disappeared, her boyfriend, Carlos Watts Jr., has been charged with murder.

If convicted, Watts Jr. could either spend the rest of his life behind bars without parole or could face up to life in prison with the possibility of parole, according to Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting Wednesday.

"These charges will allow for an orderly transfer from federal custody to state custody of Mr. Watts after that sentencing occurs," Getting said. "He will remain in federal custody until that time, until the federal authorities have completed that hearing."

An arraignment for the murder charge has not yet been set. However, Watts Jr. is scheduled to be federally sentenced on a felony escape charge Friday.


Silent Observer is offering a reward up to $5,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to Kelley's whereabouts, according to the sheriff's office.

 

[Kimster]

I saw this arrest coming a mile away!

 

[GrandmaBear]

Boyfriend of missing Heather Kelley charged with murder

Over one year after Kalamazoo County mother of eight Heather Kelley disappeared, her boyfriend, Carlos Watts Jr., has been charged with murder.

wwmt.com

Boyfriend of missing Heather Kelley charged with murder
Over one year after Kalamazoo County mother of eight Heather Kelley disappeared, her boyfriend, Carlos Watts Jr., has been charged with murder.

If convicted, Watts Jr. could either spend the rest of his life behind bars without parole or could face up to life in prison with the possibility of parole, according to Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting Wednesday.

"These charges will allow for an orderly transfer from federal custody to state custody of Mr. Watts after that sentencing occurs," Getting said. "He will remain in federal custody until that time, until the federal authorities have completed that hearing."

An arraignment for the murder charge has not yet been set. However, Watts Jr. is scheduled to be federally sentenced on a felony escape charge Friday.


Silent Observer is offering a reward up to $5,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to Kelley's whereabouts, according to the sheriff's office.

Thank God.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Boyfriend of missing Heather Kelley to spend time behind bars on federal escape charge

The boyfriend of missing Kalamazoo County mother Heather Kelley has been sentenced to serve time behind bars on a federal escape charge.Carlos Watts Jr., 38, of

wwmt.com

by Samantha May | News Channel 3
Fri, January 12th 2024

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The boyfriend of missing Kalamazoo County mother Heather Kelley has been sentenced to serve time behind bars on a federal escape charge.

Carlos Watts Jr., 38, of Kalamazoo was sentenced to 14 months incarceration for escaping a halfway house two days after Kelley disappeared, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.


Watts is also facing a charge of murder in the death of Kelley, who disappeared Dec. 10, 2022.

Upon completion of his federal sentence, Watts will be transferred to state custody to face that charge.