Left to Right: Lieutenant Kyle Bowman, Assistant Post Commander at the Michigan State Police Lansing Post and Lansing Police Department’s Captain Daryl Green have partnered to investigate the cold case of Bernita White who was shot and killed at Potter Park Zoo. TNCP PhotoLANSING, MI – One of Lansing’s most intriguing cold cases is the murder of Bernita White. It is being reviewed again by a new team of cold case experts. According to Lansing Police Department’s (LPD) Captain Daryl Green, unsolved cases are not re-opened because they are never closed.
Bernita White
On Saturday, June 23, 2001, Ms. White was murdered while attending a birthday party at Potter Park Zoo. Ms. White and her 5-year-old daughter were walking from the pavilion to the zoo’s west entrance when one loud crack of a gunshot was heard. The bullet struck her in the left arm and pierced her heart. The bullet has not been found. On the day of the murder it was sunny and there were over 300 visitors at the zoo. There were also other people visiting the picnic areas and the playgrounds around the zoo. The zoo is located in the 1000 block of S. Pennsylvania Avenue near Potter Park Road. To date there has been no real movement toward solving the case.
According to Captain Green, there have been no other murders in the park and it appears as though Ms. White was specifically targeted. It was determined that the shot came from a high-powered rifle. Captain Green lamented that the case has meant so much to a lot of people. He indicated as one the department’s infamous unsolved murders that even 12 years later they continued to get feedback.
Ms. White was only 41 years old at the time of her death and she also had a 7-year-old daughter. She had filed for divorce a month before the shooting took place and was working at Electronic Data Systems Corporation in Lansing, which is no longer in business. She was described as being a very loving person who was devoted to her children.
“People are still actively talking about this case. Ms. White was well known. For the LPD, it was the decision that this was a case that could be solved. When resources made themselves available to us we began to go over the file,” said Captain Green.
Green added that when it was decided to take an another look at the case, LPD contacted the Michigan State Police (MSP) for assistance. Both law enforcement agencies are involved with the White cold case. There are 14 individuals currently working on this case. The initial press release was in the Detroit area to widen the circle of media and to get the information out to the entire state. Ms. White was born in Detroit and moved to Lansing after she married her husband, Artis White.
At the time of the murder, Mr. White was a MSP trooper. He was an early suspect in the case. Mr. White stated that he did not have any comments about the case at this time and said that since he is still employed by MSP that he is not at liberty to make comments about open investigations.
However, Mr. White commented, “I am happy that MSP is taking over the case because they have a better chance of solving it. They have told me they plan to start fresh and nobody is considered a suspect later that’s fair. That’s all I ever wanted in the first place so I’m going to let them do their job.”
This case has been tragic for many. The pressure on law enforcement is overwhelming and the strain on the family is very evident. When Ms. White’s mother, 67-year-old Barbara Sims, was told that her daughter was murdered, she had a heart attack and died the same day as her daughter.
Captain Green said, “I very clearly remember when this happened, children were asking if it was safe to go to the zoo, we feel that Ms. White was specifically targeted and we have an obligation to do our best to solve this case. Ms. White also has family that needs some type of closure, our goal is for the right person to come forward with that critical piece of information.”
In plenty of unsolved murders, there are reluctant witnesses who are fearful of talking or someone may have information that was overlooked at the time.
Lieutenant Kyle Bowman, Assistant Post Commander at MSP’s Lansing Post could not agree more with Captain Green’s assessment.
“We are still looking for information from the public, tips have come in but nothing that would really move the case to the prosecutor’s office. We are just hoping with the highest regard that people will do the right thing. If you have information we are asking you to reach out to us,” said Lieutenant Bowman.
Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone who has information regarding Ms. White’s murder should call Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 1-800-SPEAK-UP or 1-800-773-2587. All calls and cash rewards are completely anonymous. Also you can call 517-290-9950 or email tips to whitecoldcase@michigan.gov.
This was printed in the June 30, 2013 – July 13, 2013 Edition
