Jackson, Mich. (WKHM) — 74-year-old Leonard Hugall (pictured above from the Jackson County Office of the Sheriff) has been bound over to Jackson County Circuit Court on murder charges related to the 1984 disappearance of his 13-year-old stepdaughter Kelly Jean Harris.
This comes after a preliminary exam was held on Wednesday in the courtroom of Jackson County District Court Judge Daniel Goostrey. During the exam, the court heard testimony from her aunt (who was the same age as Harris at the time), cousin, and best friend.
They all testified that they believe she was afraid of Hugall, claiming that there were instances of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse perpetrated by Hugall against the girl.
Harris’ aunt said that she spoke with her on the phone the morning of the day she went missing, and could hear Hugall yelling and cussing at her. The aunt said that she and her brother went to Harris’ house later that day to join her for a bike ride.
According to her testimony, they found that the house’s door was ajar, Harris’ room was very messy in an otherwise always tidy house, and found her bike behind the house.
The bike was later found in a different location after Harris’ disappearance.
Testimony was also given (over Zoom call) by a man who was incarcerated with Hugall in Florida, who said that he prepared an affidavit for him that included a confession to committing the homicide in exchange for the State of Michigan not pursuing legal action while he was in a Florida correctional facility.
According to his testimony, the affidavit that he and Hugall signed said that Hugall being concerned about his stepdaughter telling her mother about the sexual abuse was the motive for the homicide.
The affidavit was also said to detail Hugall despising the fact that Harris was a biracial child, calling it an impediment to his marriage to her mother. It was testified by Harris’ best friend that Hugall would use racial slurs against her, as well as physically kick her under their eating table.
The lead detective on the case from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office testified that he re-opened the investigation once it was known that Hugall would be released from prison in Florida.
He testified that he met with Hugall in Florida, who said that he had already tried to show law enforcement where Harris’ body was years ago. According to the detective, Hugall said that Harris was buried “shallow” in the ground.
Harris’ body was never found, and it was testified that no physical evidence was found that she had been murdered.
During closing arguments, Hugall’s defense attorney argued that there is no “independent” evidence of Hugall committing the homicide, asking for the case to not be bound over.
Prosecutors argued that the testimony provided to the court gave enough probable cause to send the case to Circuit Court.
Judge Daniel Goostrey ultimately found there was enough circumstantial evidence to bind the case over to Circuit Court, especially considering the testimony of the man who spent time with Hugall in Florida prison.
Future hearings are scheduled to occur in Jackson County 4th Circuit Court, and are planned to take place in front of Judge John McBain.
