Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A new attorney will be appointed for the woman charged in connection with a New Year's Day tragedy involving the double murder of a foster family and child abduction in Northfield Township.

42-year-old Shuvonne Vinson appeared in 14-A District Court in Washtenaw County for a preliminary exam.

WDIV Detroit reports a motion was granted to have Vinson’s attorney removed from the case due to an “attorney-client breakdown of communication.” The station reported that during the hearing, “her current attorney said that he no longer feels like he can effectively communicate with Vinson to help her with the case”.

Vinson also reportedly lifted up her jail shirt in the courtroom to show a t-shirt beneath that said: "I stand tall for Baby (name)."

The homicide and child abduction happened at a home on Nollar Bend Road.

Vinson is the biological mother of a 4-year-old girl who was being fostered and in the process of being adopted by Jeffrey and Jennifer Bernhard.

Vinson is accused of getting two co-defendants - 37-year-old Gregory Callhan (middle) and 60-year-old Keith Finley – to help her kidnap her daughter back. However; the trio murdered Jennifer and her 74-year-old father Stevie Smith, and wounded Jeffrey before taking off with both Vinson’s daughter and the Bernhard’s 10-year-old daughter. Both were later safely recovered at two separate locations in Ypsilanti.

The three face a lengthy list of felony charges that include open murder, assault with intent to murder, 1st degree home invasion, kidnapping, conspiracy, receiving and concealing a stolen motor vehicle, felony firearms, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person.

Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Amy Reiser earlier stated the three conspired to commit the crimes, and that the murders occurred in front of minor children. She described the case as “one of the most horrific crimes I’ve seen in my career.”

A new attorney will be appointed for Vinson by the public defender’s office and her preliminary exam was moved out to August 5th.

Finely and Callhan were earlier bound over and are due in Washtenaw County Trial Court for pre-trial hearings August 13th.

Bond has been denied for all three defendants, who remain lodged in the Washtenaw County Jail.