Loved ones of double homicide victims react to the arrest of suspect after four months

LANSING — Loved ones of a Lansing mother and daughter shot and killed in September say they can finally breathe a sigh of relief after the man charged in the double homicide turned himself into police earlier this week.

Brion Reynolds, of Lansing, was arraigned Tuesday in 54A District Court on seven felony charges — two counts of open murder, three counts of assault with intent to murder and two felony firearm counts. Reynolds had been wanted since Sept. 16 in connection with the killing of his children's mother and grandmother, 24-year-old Alexis Brown and her 46-year-old mother, Michelle Roper.

In a statement sent by text message, Steve Roper, Michelle Roper's husband of about 23 years and Alexis Brown's stepfather, expressed gratitude to all who have supported his family in recent months. Roper has assumed caretaking of Brown's four children.

"Justice has prevailed. This is where our nightmare ends and his begins," Roper said. "I really appreciate people keeping our story going."

Just two months before the double homicide, the Ropers had lost their eldest son, Vernon Brown, 28, in a motorcycle crash in Delta Township. Roper spoke of all three in his statement.

"You are all angels and blessings to me and my family. Thank you and we love you," he said. "I miss you — and family and friends do, too — Michelle Roper, Alexis Brown and Vernon Brown."

More: Lansing double homicide suspect Brion Reynolds in police custody

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Waking up to the news of Reynolds being in police custody was a relief, said Renay Smith, a friend of the Alexis Brown and her brothers for more than 15 years, in a text message.

"I cried my eyes out," Smith said. "(It had) been four months one day to the day that (Reynolds) was finally in custody ... I now know he isn't able to hurt anybody else whatsoever."

Smith said the whole Brown and Roper family deserves justice for what happened to them.

"Most of this is about these children," Smith said. "He took those children's, his own children's mother and grandmother from them. And for that alone, our whole group of friends will be at every single court hearing that happens."

Reynolds is scheduled for a probable cause conference at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 27 in front of Judge Cynthia Ward.

Two other people, Gavin Anspach and Monae Reynolds, were charged in September with accessory after the fact to a felony.

More: Three people charged in connection with Lansing double homicide of woman, mother

Anspach drove the car in which Reynolds left the scene of the shooting with the older two of Brown and Reynolds' three children. He told police at the time that Reynolds had offered him $20 to drive him to pick up his kids from their mother's house. Anspach was with his family, girlfriend and child at the time, so he took them along to pick up Reynolds, he told police.

Monae Reynolds, the sister of Brion Reynolds, told police at the time that her brother and Anspach had dropped the kids off with her and Brion's mother.

She told police her brother said he had shot up Brown's house. Monea Reynolds said she then picked up her brother from Perry, but Brion Reynolds got out of the car when she told him she was taking him to turn himself in to police.

Both Anspach and Monae Reynolds are slated for preliminary examinations in front of Judge Ward at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 28.

Reporter Kara Berg contributed to this report. Contact reporter Jared Weber at 517-582-3937 or jtweber@lsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Loved ones of double homicide victims react to arrest of suspect