THE parents of alleged Oxford high school shooter Ethan Crumbley were helped by a Detroit artist who reportedly let them hide in his studio’s basement after they were charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Andrzej Sikora, 65, has been identified as the connection between the Crumbleys and the building where police found them on Friday night, following a manhunt.
Sikora’s attorney Clarence Dass said his client had “voluntarily contacted” police after the Crumbleys were arrested.
“He maintains his innocence throughout this process and is fully cooperating with law enforcement to assist in their investigation,” Sikora said in a statement cited by Fox2.
While Sikora, an immigrant from Poland, has not been charged with any crimes, Detroit Police Chief James White said the artist is not in the clear.
“They didn’t break in. Somebody let them in,” White had previously said of the Crumbleys. “We don’t know the relationship yet. That’s active. That person could face charges.”
The Crumbleys were arrested following a manhunt and now each of them faces four charges of involuntary manslaughter.
They were found in a Detroit-area basement shortly after their vehicle was spotted by a citizen who called 911 to report it.
Police found the Crumbleys’ abandoned Kia before locating the parents.
“We believe they were assisted in that location to get there, to get in. We’re gathering that information, and we’re going to have the totality of that done fairly soon and present that to our prosecutor for potential charges, for either aiding and abetting or obstruction of justice,” Bouchard said after their arrest.
The Crumbley parents had withdrawn $4,000 from an ATM before police located them.
Ethan is accused of shooting dead four students and injuring more in an attack at Oxford High School last week.
On Saturday, officials revealed he and his parents were on suicide watch and are being checked on “multiple times an hour.”
The same day the Crumbley parents made their first court appearance in an Oakland County court.
Jennifer Crumbley appeared to break down in tears as a judge charged her and James on four counts each of involuntary manslaughter.
They both pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, and were each placed under $500,000 bond.
A district judge ruled the couple a “flight risk” during their arraignment hearing.
Sheriff Bouchard said James, 45, and his wife Jennifer, 43, were “obviously sullen” but added they hadn’t spoken much since they were detained.
The Crumbleys attorneys issued a statement ahead of their arraignment.
Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman said Saturday morning: “We understand that our clients were apprehended last night although we fully intended to turn them in first thing this morning for arraignment, contrary to the misinformation that has been rampant in the media.
“Unfortunately, this case presents the most unimaginable tragedy for every single person involved, including every member of the community.
“While it’s human nature to want to find someone to blame or something to point to or something that gives us answers, the charges in this case are intended to make an example and send a message.
“The prosecution has very much cherry-picked and slanted specific facts to further their narrative to do that.
“We intend to fight this case in the courtroom and not in the court of public opinion. We know that in the end the entire story and truth will prevail.”
Ethan Crumbley, a sophomore at Oxford High School, will be charged with one count of terrorism causing death and four counts of first-degree murder in the shooting that killed Hana St. Juliana, 14, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Tate Myre, 16, and Justin Shilling, 17.
He also faces seven counts of assault with intent to murder and 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Bouchard told reporters Saturday: “We have clear evidence this was premeditated and he was actually looking forward to it.”
According to prosecutors, the gun – a semiautomatic 9mm Sig Sauer – was stored in an unlocked safe inside Jennifer and James‘ bedroom.
Ethan reportedly got the weapon as an early Christmas present on the day after Thanksgiving.
The now-accused murderer, who will be tried as an adult, reportedly boasted about the weapon on social media, uploading a photo of it to Instagram and calling it his “new beauty.”
It has also emerged that James Crumbley called 911 40 minutes after his son allegedly shot four people dead to report a gun was missing from their home and that his son may have been the shooter.
In another revelation about the case, Crumbley told guidance counselors the disturbing drawings his teacher found were for a video game he was designing, school officials have said.
A teacher discovered a note on his desk with a drawing of a handgun pointing at the words, “The thoughts won’t stop, help me,” prosecutors said.
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