The alleged jailhouse threats the father of the Oxford High School mass shooter made against the prosecutor handling his case are being investigated by local authorities, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
James Crumbley, 47, allegedly threatened Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald in jailhouse phone calls as he was awaiting trial for his role in the Nov. 2021 mass shooting carried out by his then 15-year-old son, Ethan. The alleged threats were made public during Crumbley’s trial when prosecutors asked to limit his communications in jail to only conversations with his attorneys.
Last week, he was found guilty of four charges of involuntary manslaughter after making a firearm accessible for his son, who used it to kill four people.
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“Those threats are serious, and they also reflect a lack of remorse and a continued refusal to take accountability for his part in the deaths of Hana [St. Juliana], Madisyn [Baldwin], Tate [Myre], and Justin [Shilling],” the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday.
Prosecutors added that those calls—which were allegedly “directly addressed” to McDonald and told “her what was going to happen to her when he was released”—are now “currently actively being investigated” by the sheriff’s office. Those alleged threats will also be included in his sentencing memo, where Crumbley faces at least 15 years in prison. His wife, Jennifer Crumbely, will also be sentenced for her conviction on similar charges.
Earlier this week, McDonald also spoke with a local news outlet about the threats, stating that while they were disturbing they remained focused on prosecuting the case. In one call reviewed by WXYZ, Crumbley said he was coming for McDonald and said she was “going to hell.”
“He actually said that he hoped I was listening. He hoped I was listening when he threatened me physically,” McDonald added. “One of the most disturbing threats was January of 2024, that was the same month, the first day of trial was set for one of the defendants. I consider that recent.”
