MUSKEGON, Mich. – One of two men accused of serially drugging and then raping women in Muskegon is heading to trial. Police say 25 alleged victims of the men have come forward.
Joshua Humphrey, 34, now faces two life felonies, charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct from October 2013. This is his second open case and he's now bound over to circuit court for trial.
Humphrey and co-defendant Larry Stiff, 31, are accused of drugging alcoholic drinks, often of women they met online and then brought to Muskegon bars, and then raping them.
Humphrey also refilled a prescription for the heavy painkiller Tramadol 22 times within a six-month period last year, according to court documents.
Wednesday morning in court, Judge Closz increased Humphrey’s bond to $500,000 and said:
“Bottom line, it’s a life felony, now two life felonies. We’ve got 25 allegedly victims in this case. I think the original bond is reasonable, therefore I’ll increase it to $500,000 cash or surety.”
Immediately after you could hear a quiet “yeah,” a reaction from courtroom packed with families of alleged victims.
FOX 17 spoke with several women who say they were sexually abused by Humphrey and/or Stiff. Four women, whose identities will remain anonymous, urge any other victims to please come forward and share any concerns with police.
“I met him once and it just happened, like I didn’t know him,” said one alleged victim.
“It took a long time for me to realize like what had happened, or let it sink in that it wasn’t my fault,” she said. “It’s hard to come forward, but there’s been girls who have come forward to us or other victims.”
Each were strangers to each other before any of this allegedly happened. Now they tell FOX 17 their support of one another is crucial.
“I even contemplated coming forward at all, but after seeing all the support, the difference it’s making, it helped,” said another alleged victim.
Several of these women say they met Humphrey or Stiff online and did not know them. Now they offer advice that could be life-saving: they say never leave a drink unattended, never meet someone alone.
“Always travel in packs, no matter what, don’t go alone,” said a third alleged victim. “That’s the mistake I made and I trusted this man, and look what happened.”
Each of these women continue to bravely ask other victims to come forward and report any concerns to police.
Humphrey is jailed in Ottawa County, serving a probation violation through Aug. 13, then he will be transferred to the Muskegon County Jail, according to his attorney.
Also, Humphrey’s mother, Lynette Humphrey, is charged with witness intimidation: she allegedly threatened to beat up a woman who says Humphrey abused her.
Stay with FOX 17 for developments.
