KALAMAZOO (WKZO-AM) — The Michigan Court of Appeals has upheld the 2014 murder conviction of a man who killed a north Kalamazoo business owner during a botched robbery in 1993.
The attorney for Grady Shields argued that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to warrant the verdict.
The judges disagreed, saying Shields lived with his mother just two minutes away from Lois Cox’s business, K.C. Industrial Sales. They also said ammunition matching the gun used to kill Cox, whose bullet-riddled body was found in Three Rivers six days after her disappearance, was found in Shields’ rental vehicle.
The judges also dismissed an argument over the credibility of witness testimony.
Also mentioned during the ruling was an admission of guilt by Shields. Two letters penned by Shields were received by the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office that connected the man to the murder, the judges said.
Prosecutorial misconduct accusations were also thrown out.
Shields is serving a life sentence for the killing. The case had been cold for nearly 20 years.
– Anthony Pollreisz