Former Huron Valley Student Killed and Raped by Brother

by Donna Gundle-Krieg as published on Examiner.com January 4, 2009

This week, a 19-year-old soldier from Highland, Michigan, Steven Kelsey, stabbed his 17-year- old sister Jesika Kelsey to death and then raped her. This happened while the family slept following a New Year's party they had all attended together.

Have you ever heard of a more horrible story?

This one really hits home to me. It happened just a mile away from my house, in our safe and tight community. Jesika was a well-liked student who used to attend Milford High School, which is in my backyard.

The story also hits home because the evidence was found in the dumpster at the Wendy's on M59 and US23, one of my favorite and most frequent fast food stops.

However, probably the most important reason that I have been so upset about this tragedy is that our family dynamics are similar to the dynamics of this family, who basically lost both of their children in the worst possible way.

We have a teenage boy named Steven and a girl who is just a bit younger. This could be us!

From what I have read, the "killer" brother was home for the holidays from basic training with the US Army. The family seems to be a typical all American family and they are devastated. I saw the mother on television when her son was being arraigned, and she looked close to having a breakdown.

According to the Milford Times, neighbors who live near the family in Highland Greens said the killing is particularly shocking because Jesika and her brother seemed to have had a close, friendly relationship, and that there was no indication of problems in the home.

"The whole family was polite, quiet and friendly," said Keith Hupp, who has lived next door to the Kelseys and Spencers for the past five years. "They are the best neighbors I have ever had."

Neighbors Lisa Chant and Kevin Wilson, who live two doors away, agreed that the family appeared to get along well and showed no signs of trouble over the years.

"We'd always see the brother and sister together - walking around or hanging out with friends. This is just so tragic," Chant said. "They are excellent people who didn't deserve this, and Jesika will be truly missed. She was beautiful, inside and out."

"This kind of thing just isn't supposed to happen," added Wilson. "You wonder what pushes someone over the edge to make them do something like this."

There was a nasty forum going on the Oakland Press website about this issue. Some people were judging, making hillbilly and trailer park trash jokes, and overall being cruel. Finally a family member got on and begged everyone to stop, but they didn't. Thank goodness others were giving tributes and good wishes. I asked the Oakland Press to take the forum down, as it violates their policy of fairness and decent conduct. To their credit, they did that immediately when they saw the comments.

We can all make judgments galore, but as one person on the forum remarked: "this could be my family." Another replied "not MY family."

Bull. We never know what's going on in any of our loved one's head. From what I have heard of mental illness, it often does not strike boys and young men until they are about the age of Steven Kelsey. Who knows what really happened? Who are we to make jokes and judgments?

I didn't know these two teens, but I feel like they are children of my community. I just can't stop thinking and praying for this family, who must be going through absolute hell.

The Kelsey Family needs help paying for the funeral. Last last night, on the Oakland Press forum, they posted "If anyone would like to help they can help us with Jesika's expenses. You can donate in her name at any CHASE bank. Any donations will only be used for Jesika's expenses."

Click here for the Jesika's funeral arrangements. I noticed that her brother's name is not listed among the survivors. It would be pretty hard to write that Steven Kelsey was the "loving brother of Jesika Kelsey." Yet testimonials from friends and neighbors say that these two were siblings who seemed to get along.

Click her for an update: "Could school have helped teen who killed and raped his sister?"

Authorities say brother admits to stabbing, raping sister

Saturday, January 3, 2009 11:57 PM EST

BY SHAUN BYRON
Of The Oakland Press

A family tragedy has begun unraveling as a 19-year-old soldier on leave appeared in court on accusations he killed and raped his 17-year-old sister.

Steven Kelsey, home for the holidays from basic training with the U.S. Army, stood mute on charges of first-degree murder and felony murder Saturday morning during an arraignment in Oakland County Circuit Court.

If convicted, he faces life in prison.

The body of his sister, 17-year-old Jesika Kelsey, was found Thursday in the bedroom of a mobile home in the 40 block of Grant Drive in the Highland Greens Mobile Home Park, off of Milford Road and north of Highland Road in Highland Township.

Steven — who has only been in trouble with law enforcement once before for a minor in possession citation — is being held in Oakland County Jail without bond.

Oakland County Sheriff’s Lt. James A’Hearn declined to comment on details of the case following the hearing, saying they are letting the charges speak for themselves.

It was prior to the arraignment when A’Hearn was swearing to the warrant that he gave testimony about what investigators suspect happened.

According to his testimony and law enforcement reports, family and friends had attended a party at a Grant Drive home on New Year’s Eve.

Since returning home, Steven had been sharing a bedroom with Jesika.

Believing everyone had “retired” for the evening, A’Hearn said Steven told investigators: “I got a knife and killed her.”

The U.S. Army private, in graphic detail, admitted to stabbing his sister at least once in the neck and head before sexually assaulting her.

Family members wept loudly at A’Hearn’s statements during the hearing.

Jesika’s mother, Jennifer Spencer, found her daughter the next day, according to police.

Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies reported being dispatched about 3:30 p.m. Thursday for a reported homicide at the home.

A’Hearn said Jesika, partially nude, was lying on her left side on a bed in a bedroom of the mobile home.

The handle to a knife blade was also on the bed, police said.

Surrounding law enforcement agencies were immediately notified to be on the look out for Steven.

Livingston County Sheriff’s deputies reported a backpack covered by a coat was found about 11 a.m. Thursday in the Dumpster of a Wendy’s at 1967 Blaine Road, located off of Highland Road and east of M-23 in Hartland.

An employee of the restaurant looked inside the backpack and found blood-stained knives, A’Hearn said.

Also in the backpack were Steven’s military papers and identification, law enforcement reported.

Livingston County deputies found and arrested Steven about 6:30 p.m. in Tyrone Township after someone reported seeing a suspicious person.

He was given to Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies, who obtained a confession, A’Hearn said.

“Yes sir,” and “No sir,” were the only words Steven spoke during his arraignment.

Following the hearing, family members quickly left the courtroom, attempting to avoid media.

It is unknown if a defense attorney has been hired or assigned to the case.

A preliminary examination conference has been scheduled for Jan. 7 at 52-1 District Court.

Brother held in death of sister in Highland

Saturday, January 3, 2009

By CAROL HOPKINS
Of The Oakland Press

A young soldier — 19-yearold Steven Kelsey — is expected to be arraigned today for the stabbing death of his sister, Jesika Kelsey, 17, in Oakland County Circuit Court.

Oakland County Sheriff ’s Office deputies responded at 3:27 p.m. Thursday to the 40 block of Grant Drive of the Highland Greens Mobile Home Park in Highland Township on a report of a homicide.

When they arrived, they found Jesika Kelsey lying in a pool of blood.

With the help of Livingston County and Michigan State Police investigators, Steven Kelsey was arrested Thursday evening.

The crime of a brother accused of killing his sister has affected investigators.

“This is one of the more disgusting and disturbing cases I’ve seen in my 20 to 30 years,” said Sheriff Michael Bouchard, who was on the scene of the crime Thursday.

When asked if the brother had suffered a mental lapse or breakdown, Bouchard said he didn’t know.

“Nothing could excuse what he did to his sister,” he said.

Residents who live near the family of Jesika Kelsey’s death also have been deeply affected.

Keith Hupp stepped outside his trailer home door Friday into a frigid wind to remember his young neighbor.

“She was a good girl, she had friends,” he said sadly. “She never caused trouble. The whole family is awesome.”

Just down the street, neighbor Lisa Chant said she had known Jesika for the past eight years.

“She was super nice and super polite,” she said.

Chant said her brother was the same. She said the siblings looked alike.

Chant recalled the last time she saw Jesika.

“She was all dressed up. She had lost a lot of weight,” she said. “She walked by here and said, ‘Merry Christmas,’ ” Chant noted. Jesika’s MySpace Web page lists her as the “sour patch kid.”

The last log-in is dated Dec. 28. She listed her mood as “confused.” She includes a mysterious quote that reads, “What is the point if you are the only one who is trying?”

Rob Hamilton, an English and journalism teacher at Milford High School, had Jesika Kelsey in his 11th-grade world literature class last year.

“She was a very sweet girl,” he recalled. “She was a little bit reserved in classes, but overall a really nice girl.”

Hamilton said she had a close group of friends outside of school.

“She was well-liked,” he said.

Her death “will come as a real shock to this community. It’s very sad.”

Jesika Kelsey worked for Fish Window Cleaning and had plans to attend military school when she graduated from high school, friends told the Livingston Daily Press & Argus.

New Year’s Eve and Day

Before the trouble began, family and friends attended a party at a Grant Drive home on New Year’s Eve, according to reports.

In the early afternoon of Jan. 1, Jesika’s mother found her daughter lying in a pool of blood in her bed. The Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office stated Jesika had died of multiple stab wounds. Steven Kelsey was not home when investigators arrived. A break in the case may have come from an alert fast-food restaurant staff in Hartland Township. According to the Livingston Daily Press & Argus, an employee at a Wendy’s noticed something odd in the restaurant Dumpster around 11 a.m. — a backpack with a coat on of it top.

When manager Samantha Parrish looked around, she found a bag with the knives in it, she told the Daily Press.

The backpack also contained identification belonging to a U.S. Army recruit, allegedly Jesika’s brother, Steven.

“I was trying to find identification and I couldn’t find one. As soon as I found the knives, I stopped looking. The red looked like blood to me. When I saw it, it was just, I didn’t want to touch it because I didn’t know,” Parrish said.

Livingston County Sheriff Bob Bezotte said Thursday afternoon that it was not known if the several steak knives in the backpack were the murder weapons or were bloody, but blood was found on papers inside the bag.

Also found inside were military papers and identification belonging to Steven Kelsey, as well as baby wipes, the sheriff said.

Bouchard said investigators interviewed the man on Thursday evening and they had identified several motivating factors in the murder, which Bouchard declined to discuss.

“We believe based on the information we have at this point that he is our prime suspect,” Bouchard said.

Bouchard said police do not believe anyone else is involved in the case, although the investigation is still ongoing.

While Livingston County sheriff’s deputies contacted Oakland County sheriff’s officials for assistance with finding the person named on the identification card, they learned from Steven Kelsey’s mother that he was “out doing errands and would return shortly,” Bezotte said.

Then, Bezotte said, Livingston County authorities received information through the law information computers that the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office was looking for the man, described as “armed and dangerous,” in connection with the Jesika Kelsey’s homicide.

Livingston County deputies found Steven Kelsey at a Tyrone Township party store after a person there reported seeing a suspicious person. He was taken into custody without incident about 6:45 p.m. Thursday.

Bouchard said it is unknown how long Jesika Kelsey had been dead, but he estimated she was killed sometime in the morning.

Authorities said Steven Kelsey is on leave for the holidays from basic training with the U.S. Army. He was expected to return to basic training Friday, Bezotte said.

Bouchard noted the area around Highland Greens Estates is generally safe.

“This is atypical,” he said. “There is no reason for others to be concerned for their safety. It was very sad way to start the new year.”