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Top inset: Charles Broomfield (Kent County Jail). Bottom insets, from left: Jacqueline Neill, Cameron Kilpatrick and Michael Kilpatrick (WXMI). Background: Police investigate triple homicide in Grand Rapids, Michigan (WOOD).
Authorities in Michigan allege a man fabricated a tale of a deadly home invasion after allegedly murdering his fiancee and her two sons. The suspect, 44-year-old Charles Broomfield, is accused of taking the lives of Jacqueline Neill and her teenage sons, Cameron Kilpatrick, 15, and Michael Kilpatrick, 13.
Law enforcement records obtained by Law&Crime reveal that Broomfield contacted Grand Rapids police at approximately 7:40 a.m. on a Tuesday, reporting a shooting incident at a residence on Worden Street SW. During the call, Broomfield was reportedly so agitated that dispatchers struggled to extract clear information from him.
Upon arrival, officers discovered Broomfield inside the house, standing next to Neill’s body. At this point, police noted that his demeanor was surprisingly composed. Further investigation led to the discovery of the two young victims, both found lifeless in their respective bedrooms. Broomfield informed officers that his 5-year-old son was in another upstairs bedroom, unharmed.
When questioned about the incident, Broomfield allegedly spun a narrative involving a home invasion. According to the complaint, he claimed that while ascending the stairs, he witnessed two armed intruders accosting Neill. He purportedly attempted to retrieve his firearm from the bedroom, only to have one of the intruders seize it before he could. Broomfield said he then heard gunfire originating from downstairs, where the boys’ bedrooms were situated.
When asked what happened, Broomfield allegedly concocted a story about a home invasion. Per the complaint, Broomfield said he was walking upstairs when he heard two armed men barge into the home and confront Neill. He said he ran to his bedroom to grab his gun but one of the home invaders grabbed the weapon before he could get to it. That’s when he claimed he heard gunshots coming from downstairs, where the teenage boys’ bedrooms were located.
He said he called 911 after the suspects ran away.
But cops said they found several inconsistencies with Broomfield’s story. Paramedics determined the victims had been dead for at least 40 minutes, which didn’t match Broomfield’s timeline. Investigators also found the gun that Broomfield said the home invasion suspects grabbed in his bedroom in an outside lockbox. There was only one set of footprints in the snow that led to and from the box, police stated. There was no indication that two people had entered the home as Broomfield suggested, cops said.
Detectives found the key to the gun box on Broomfield’s lanyard with a tag labeled “#1 Dad,” the affidavit said. A ballistics test confirmed that it was the gun used in the slayings, officers wrote.
After receiving his Miranda rights, Broomfield allegedly admitted he killed the three victims. He was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, among other charges.
The victims’ family released a statement to local media.
“The tragic loss of our beloved Cameron & Michael Kilpatrick, and their mother, Jacqueline Neill, to a senseless act of violence has left our family utterly devastated,” the statement said. “There are no words to adequately describe the heartbreak we feel over losing multiple family members.”
Broomfield is in the Kent County Jail without a bond. His next court date is set for Feb. 10.