KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Before Sharon Boer delivered her statement to the court she propped up a photograph of her son Greg Boer holding and kissing his children. She then shuffled her papers and spoke to her daughter-in-law Janel.
“You had no right to kill my son,” she said. “He did nothing but believe you, taking you in and loving you. I can only hope that where you are going you get all of the attention you crave and more.”
Janel Boer stood between her defense attorneys and listened to Sharon’s statement during her sentencing. She was being sentenced for the shooting death of her husband Greg on Valentine's Day 2017. Back then, she initially told Kalamazoo deputies that he shot her and then turned the gun on himself. She also said that he had been violent toward her and that they were getting divorce.
“I want to go on record as saying that my son Gregory B. Boer was never an abusive husband,” she said. “Anyone who believes that story obviously never knew my son.”
Detectives immediately launched an investigation and found over time that Janel statement did not corroborate with the evidence found in the home. Janel was later charged with open murder until a few weeks ago. She entered a guilty plea for second-degree murder on January 11, 2018.
“Because of you, Greg will not see his kids graduate high school,” said Greg’s younger brother Chad during his statement. “He will not get to walk Lily down the aisle at her wedding. He will not get to teach Jason how to ride a two-wheel bike.”
Greg’s daughter Lily also prepared a statement saying that her father was her “everything.” Then her grandfather, Greg senior, spoke at the podium with Sharon by his side.
“He was a good soul with many friends,” his father said. “He succeeded time and time again to meet the challenges of life: fatherhood, a family man.”
Minutes after the statements wrapped, Janel Boer turned to the judge and apologized for “taking his life.” The judge then sentenced her to 17-19 years in prison as a part of the plea deal. The family stated that they’d hope she’d be behind bars for longer but the sentencing brings them closure.
“Nothing is ever enough,” said Sharon. “Nothing will ever bring my son back. Nothing will ever erase the anguish we’re all feeling from the loss of my son.”
