NEWS RELEASE
****UPDATE****
DATE REPORTED: Saturday, June 18, 2022
LOCATION OCCURRED: 1500 block of Shakespeare Ave, Kalamazoo Township
INCIDENT SUMMARY: Just after 8:00 p.m. on June 18, 2022, the Township of Kalamazoo Fire Department responded to the report of a house fire in the 1500 block of Shakespeare Ave. in Kalamazoo Township. Upon arriving, fire personnel were able to quickly extinguish the fire and discovered an unresponsive person inside. The person was determined to be deceased.
The Township of Kalamazoo Police, assisted by the Michigan State Police, responded to the scene to investigate. James Travis was identified as the victim and after an autopsy performed by the Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner’s Office, Travis’ death has been determined to be a homicide.
On January 17, 2023, the Kalamazoo County Prosecutors Office authorized the following charges for Shawna Fay Kroeger:
- Felony murder
- Armed robbery
- Second degree arson
- Tampering with evidence
They also authorized charges for Andrew John McCormack for:
- Open murder
- Second degree arson
- Tampering with evidence
These charges are in relation to the homicide investigation of James Travis. McCormack was arrested at the Calhoun County Jail on January 17, 2023, and McCormack was arrested the following day by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety.
On January 26, 2023, Shawna Kroeger was arraigned before the Honorable Judge Beckett Jones who denied bond.
On February 7, 2023, Andrew McCormack was arraigned before the Honorable Judge Kathleen P. Hemingway who denied bond as well.
The Township of Kalamazoo Police Department is asking that anyone with information related to this event is asked to contact the Township of Kalamazoo Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Unit at (269) 381-0391 or Silent Observer at (269) 343-2100.
VICTIM INFORMATION: James Gregory Travis, 53-year-old man from Kalamazoo Township.
AGENCIES ASSISTING: Kalamazoo Township Fire Dept., the Michigan State Police, & Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety
FOR NEWS RELEASE BEGINNING: DATE: February 7, 2023 TIME: 12:00 p.m.
AUTHOR: Detective Sergeant Larry Haynor
SUPERVISOR APPROVING NEWS RELEASE: Chief Bryan Ergang