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Joint Effort by Authorities Leads to Double Homicide Arrest

Posted at 11:36 PM, Jan 19, 2013
and last updated 2013-01-20 18:59:10-05

FOX17 has learned that tips from an informant, along with a joint effort by several law enforcement agencies, led to the arrest of Javonte Higgins in Blue Island, Illinois on Friday.

Higgins, 22, was wanted in connection to the double homicide of David and Vivian Bouwman, a couple found shot and killed in their Kentwood home back on Jan. 5.

On Friday, detectives with the Grand Rapids Police Department began to receive tips that Higgins was in Blue Island, Illinois.  GRPD Detectives immediately began relaying information to the Blue Island Police Department’s day shift watch commander concerning Higgins’ location.

As officers with the Blue Island Police Department prepared for a possible arrest, the FBI Violent Crime Task Force contacted Blue Island officers saying they’d received the same information on Higgins’ possible location.

Agents from the FBI Task Force met with officers from the Blue Island Police Department in the vicinity of 1750 West Broadway Street, stopping a vehicle that Higgins was riding in.

Higgins initially resisted arrest following the traffic stop, but was eventually taken into custody.  Nobody was hurt during the confrontation.

Higgins was a passenger in the vehicle that was stopped, details on the driver involved weren’t immediately released.

Sources tell FOX17 that a gun was recovered during the arrest, but it’s unclear the role the weapon will play in the entire investigation.

Higgins is being held in Cook County, where he’s scheduled to attend a bond hearing on Sunday for resisting arrest in Blue Island.  Higgins will be turned over to the Cook County Fugitive warrant section for extradition proceedings following Sunday’s bond hearing.

At this point, Higgins faces a 4-count felony warrant out of Wyoming for prior offenses including home invasions and auto theft.

He remains a suspect in the Bouwman killings, which he will be questioned for by Kentwood Detectives.

Check back for new details as this case progresses.