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Classmates named on 1999 hit list speak about US soldier charged with killing 2

Posted at 12:28 AM, Jul 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-12 00:52:33-04

Justin Walters, 9th grade yearbook photo. Courtesy photo.

HOLLAND, Mich. – The man who police say shot and killed his wife and  New York State Trooper was also expelled from his middle school in 1999 after plotting to attack it.

Justin Walters was a ninth grader at Macatawa Bay Middle School when he reportedlymade a 'die or dead list’ with another student. Several of his fellow classmates on that list.

FOX 17 spoke with two students who were on that list. Now adults, they're not shocked to hear about Walter's alleged crimes.

“He just was kind of creepy,” says Jennifer Rozela, a student who was on the hit list. “He was quiet, wore all black clothes and had long hair.”

Jennifer say she barely knew him and never thought she would be a target of his hit list.

"I was surprised he even knew my name to write it on a list, because we didn’t know each other personally," Rozela said.

Nikki Devries was also on the list. The list was found shortly after the deadly shooting at Columbine High School. She says she stayed home for about a week.

“I remember taking a couple days off of school,” Devries said. “My parents wanted to switch me to schools, but I had just moved there and made friends so I didn’t want to switch schools.”

Both women say they’ll never know why their names were included on the kill list, but say it’s something that’s stayed with them over the years.

Justin Walters is behind held without bail in connection to the shootings in New York.