Jennifer Crumbley's trial starts Tuesday in Oxford High School shooting
PONTIAC, Mich. (FOX 2) - Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford High School shooter, will head to trial first on Tuesday in the high-profile probe of parents being charged in a mass shooting case committed by their child.
FOX 2's Charlie Langton confirmed with a source familiar with the matter that the defendant will go first. Her husband, James Crumbley, will go to trial later this year. The parents agreed to separate trials late last year.
The parents of the Oxford High School shooter were both charged with several counts of involuntary manslaughter after their son murdered four teens and injured several others in 2021.
The Crumbley parents were due to go on trial together on Jan. 23, 2024. However, last fall, the two requested to have their trials severed, which was granted by Judge Cheryl Mathews. With that decision, James and Jennifer Crumbley have gone from a united front to everyone for themselves.
An email from the court said that a decision was expected sometime Monday afternoon.
The Crumbley parents are both charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. They were arrested in early December 2021 when they were found in the basement of an art studio in Detroit after a chaotic week when they were believed to have gone on the run from charges. Their son had been arrested the same day as the shooting.
He admitted to the shooting in October 2022, when he pleaded guilty to murdering Hana St. Juliana, 14, Tate Myre, 16, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Justin Shilling, 17.
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- 'Biggest coward in Michigan history': Justin Shilling's father wishes pain upon Oxford High School shooter
- Justin Shilling would have been Oxford shooter's friend if he had only asked, his mom says
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced charges against the Crumbley parents on Dec. 3, 2021, four days after the shooting.
Over the past two years, evidence has come out during their court hearings and during the shooter's hearings as well that show that James bought the gun used in the shooting days before the shooting.
RELATED: "Ethan don't do it": Parents of Oxford High School suspect sent messages during shooting.
James and Jennifer Crumbley
Additionally, after their son was charged, McDonald said they drained their son's bank account and withdrew $2,000 from their account as well.
During the preliminary hearings, it was revealed that Jennifer ignored texts from her son about ‘demons’ he claimed to face.
Over the past 25 months, the Crumbley parents had largely argued together through court battles as they appealed charges all the way to the state supreme court. Last October, the Michigan Supreme Court refused to hear appeals the Crumbleys and the January court date was set.
Five weeks after that ruling, the parents severed their cases.
They are the first parents of a mass shooter to be charged for their child's crimes.
Their son was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on Dec. 8, 2023, after a full day of witness impact statements.
Chilling, heartbreaking testimony during Ethan Crumbley’s hearing
Thursday’s court hearing about Ethan Crumbley’s sentencing after pleading guilty to the Oxford High School shooting was chilling and heartbreaking — and included a 20-minute long recording that Ethan made the night before the shooting.