A man killed his fiancée and her two sons inside a Grand Rapids home and then made up a story about how they were killed during a home invasion, according to police.
Charles Broomfield, 44, is accused of killing his fiancée Jacqueline Neill and her two teenage sons, Cameron Kilpatrick, 15, and Michael Kilpatrick, 13.
Broomfield Called 911 to Report a Shooting, Sounded Hysterical
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, Broomfield called Grand Rapids police around 7:40 a.m. Tuesday to report a shooting in the 900 block of Worden Street SW. Dispatchers had a difficult time obtaining information from him because he was so hysterical.
When officers arrived at the scene and found Broomfield standing next to Neill's body. At the time, police noted the suspect as "calm and not upset." Police also found the two other victims dead inside their bedrooms.
Officers asked Broomfield if there were any other people in the home and he said his 5-year-old son was in another upstairs bedroom. The 5-year-old was unharmed.
Broomfield Told Cops Two Armed Men Barged into the Home and Shot the Victims
When asked what happened, Broomfield allegedly concocted a story about a home invasion. Per the complaint, Broomfield said he was walking upstairs when he heard two armed men barge into the home and confront Neill.
He said he ran to his bedroom to grab his gun but one of the home invaders grabbed the weapon before he could get to it. That's when he claimed he heard gunshots coming from downstairs, where the teenage boys' bedrooms were located. He said he called 911 after the suspects ran away.
Investigators Found Several Inconsistencies with Broomfield's Story
But cops said they found several inconsistencies with Broomfield's story. Paramedics determined the victims had been dead for at least 40 minutes, which didn't match Broomfield's timeline.
Investigators also found the gun that Broomfield said the home invasion suspects grabbed in his bedroom in an outside lockbox. There was only one set of footprints in the snow that led to and from the box, police stated. There was no indication that two people had entered the home as Broomfield suggested, cops said.
Detectives found the key to the gun box on Broomfield's lanyard with a tag labeled "#1 Dad," the affidavit said. A ballistics test confirmed that it was the gun used in the slayings, officers wrote.
After receiving his Miranda rights, Broomfield allegedly admitted he killed the three victims. He was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, among other charges. He is in the Kent County Jail without a bond. His next court date is set for Feb. 10.
