After learning that Thomas and Raymond Highers had been convicted of murdering Robert Karey, attorney Kevin Zieleniewski realized he had no choice but to take legal action on their behalf. When Robert was murdered, Kevin was living in Detroit, Michigan, and he recalled his former roommate John Hielscher mentioning being in the area the night of the tragedy. Kevin also recalled that Robert’s murder was discussed by John. The audience is guided through the horrific murder and given information about how Kevin and John participated in the investigation during “Dateline: Graduation Night.” Let’s investigate the circumstances surrounding the homicide and see if we can figure out where Kevin and John are right now, shall we?
Kevin Zieleniewski
Who are Kevin Zieleniewski and John Hielscher?
On June 26, 1987, a shotgun was used to kill Robert Karey, a well-known drug dealer from the city of Detroit, Michigan. Karey was shot at close range with the shotgun inside his own home. During this period, Kevin was attending law school in Detroit. He and his roommate at the time, John Hielscher, shared a room. Kevin discovered shortly after Robert’s murder that his roommate had gone to the victim’s residence on the night in question in order to obtain marijuana. This information came to Kevin shortly after Robert’s death. However, John explained that just when they were ready to ask for the drugs, they noticed a group of black people, including two individuals with guns, approaching the back door of the house. John said they decided not to ask for the drug. At that point, they decided to abandon their original intention to do drugs and go on a hasty exit. John and his buddies were trying to get away when they heard two shotgun blasts of thunder. After that, there was complete silence. However, neither John nor Kevin reported what they witnessed to authorities during the initial murder investigation. Instead, they kept their observations to themselves.
Meanwhile, a third eyewitness named Thomas Culberson came forward and said he saw two white men fleeing the crime scene immediately after the murder. A man named Jamie Lawrence came forward and said he heard someone named Thomas Highers talking about Robert Karey’s robbery and murder. This provided the police with an apparent additional breakthrough in their investigation. Jamie further stated that Thomas and his brother Raymond Highers owed the victim money, which provided them with a motive for murder. Raymond Highers has been named as the alleged perpetrator of the crime.
As soon as authorities took Thomas and Raymond Highers for questioning, both claimed they were innocent and claimed they had nothing to do with the incident. However, Thomas Culberson chose Raymond from a range of photographers and claimed it was he who was visibly observed fleeing the crime scene. Raymond was the only suspect Culberson could identify. As a result, the police were able to arrest Brother Highers and charge him with first degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. . The eyewitness accounts were very clear. After being taken to court, Thomas and Raymond initially pleaded not guilty, but were eventually found guilty on all charges. As a direct result of this, in 1988 they were each sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for first degree murder, in addition to a few additional years for their previous convictions. After that, the court would not overturn the convictions, no matter how many motions or petitions were filed against them.
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Where are Kevin Zieleniewski and John Hielscher today?
In 2009, Kevin Zieleniewski became involved in the case after reading about the incident in a Facebook post. The message describes how Thomas and Raymond were found guilty of the crime. He took note of the fact that the two individuals held in custody were white, but he was certain that John, his roommate, had mentioned other armed individuals who were black. After that, Kevin called John and tried to persuade him to testify on behalf of the brother. The episode indicates that John had initial reservations about the testimony, but eventually came to the conclusion that he should stand up for what he believed to be right. They presented the Highers brothers’ defense attorney with the evidence they had gathered, and that attorney quickly filed a motion for a new trial.
At the motion hearing, John and another person named James Gianunzio testified that they saw armed black men approach Robert’s door before the shot went off. John’s testimony was corroborated by the testimony of another individual named James Gianunzio. Ultimately, based on the testimony, the judge decided to allow a new trial, and even though Tomas and Raymond Highers were released on bail in 2012, the prosecution ultimately decided to drop the case in 2013, which acquitted them all of the charges.
Unfortunately, since then, John Hielscher has chosen to lead a life of isolation and maintains a low profile on social media, making it difficult to pinpoint his current whereabouts. On the other hand, Kevin Zieleniewski seems to call Washington, District of Columbia, his home at present, and he is still active in the legal profession. It’s likely readers will find it interesting to learn that Kevin was even a guest on the “Dateline” show, where he discussed his involvement in helping the Highers brothers clear their criminal records.
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