Delayed Justice

With the announcement of the arrests of Aurelias Jualious Marshall, 56, of Grand Rapids, on a charge of open murder and the arrests of Malcolm Xavier Jeffries 47, of Wyoming, Acey Marshall, 51, of Lithonia, Ga., and Sheila Reed, 57, of Grand Rapids on charges of perjury, Kent County Prosecutor Bill Forsyth says the end is in sight for solving the 1990 murder of 23-year-old Joel Battaglia. Aurelius Marshall was arraigned Friday, Dec. 19.

Battaglia was killed in the early morning hours of June 11, 1990, after he left Mulligan’s, an Eastown bar, and as he walked westward on Lake Drive. He was beaten to death before 1065 Lake; the fatal blow at the back of his head fractured his skull. Battaglia had also been beaten in his face, and his hands exhibited defensive wounds.

In the summer of 1990, Reed—with her children—lived across the street from the scene of the murder. Reed had told detectives that she heard something she described as “white voices” across the street, looked out, and went back to bed.

Shortly after the murder, Joel’s parents, Gail and Jerry, walked the neighborhood, meeting with residents. They asked Sheila Reed for her help in solving their son’s murder. She gave them no assistance.

At some point in the upcoming court process we’re likely to learn the links between Reed and the others.

The maximum penalty for perjury in a felony murder case is life in prison. The habitual offender notice could further enhance the penalty, up to twice the term for a fourth notice offender (that includes Jeffries, and Reed; Acey Marshall is a third offense habitual offender; Aurelius Marshall is a second offense habitual offender).

Preliminary hearing for Aurelius Marshall is scheduled for Friday Jan. 2, 2015. The case was originally under the direction of Detectives Gary Crum and Dave Benison. Before it was picked up again for this latest investigation by Detectives Pat Needham and Erik Boillat (who worked with Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Kellee Koncki), the case had been worked by the Kent Metro Cold Case Team and had been put before a grand jury.

Malcolm Xavier Jeffries

Aurelias Marshall

Acey Marshall

Sheila Reed