September Trial Set For Man Accused In Murder Of Armada Teen
MOUNT CLEMENS (WWJ/AP) - A trial date has been set for a St. Clair County man accused of killing a 14-year-old girl along a popular Macomb County nature trail.
Macomb County Circuit Court records show the case was assigned to a new judge on Thursday and 33-year-old James VanCallis, of Goodells, is scheduled to stand trial on Sept. 15. A status conference in the case is July 15.
VanCallis is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and assault with intent to rape in the death of April Millsap.
Several witnesses testified they saw VanCallis, talking with Millsap on July 24 as she was walking her dog along the Macomb Orchard Trail in Armada, shortly before her body was discovered.
Millsap died of blunt force trauma to the head and asphyxia due to neck compression, according to a medical examiner's report; and authorities believe VanCallis beat her with a motorcycle helmet and stomped to death during a failed attempt to rape her.
A shoe print on Millsap's body matched the "unique" print of athletic shoe worn by the defendant, Prosecutor Eric Smith said. Along with that print, Smith said they'll present electronic evidence — including a text messages and a video — along with plenty of eyewitness testimony in the case.
VanCallis' lawyer has said there's no DNA evidence linking his client to the crime.
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