Yep... Grandville Avenue Christian Reformed Church was, if I remember correctly, the last congregation in the CRC to still have one worship service each Sunday in Dutch. (Yes, I know I could Google to check it, but I’m doing something else right now.) The predominant language of that area on the southwest side of Grand Rapids had, of course, long since changed to Spanish rather than Dutch or even English; I was surprised at the time to learn that none of the Canadian CRCs still had weekly worship services in Dutch since they’re almost entirely post-WW2 immigrants. For whatever reason, that one small area in a part of Grand Rapids that was once Dutch had enough people still attending church there who wanted Dutch services long after most of the people had long since moved out of Grand Rapids and into either the cities of Wyoming or Grandville (not to be confused with Grandville Avenue — the road starts in the city of Grand Rapids and leads to the city of Grandville).
The victims who died (I don’t know how many total):
- Jennifer Marie Heeren, 29, Dantzler’s ex-girlfriend
- Kamrie Heeren-Dantzler, 12, daughter of Heeren and Dantzler
- Rebecca Lynn Heeren, 52, mother of Jennifer Heeren
- Thomas Heeren, 51, father of Jennifer Heeren
- Kimberlee Ann Emkens, Dantzler’s ex-girlfriend
- Amanda Renee Emkens, 27, sister of Kimberlee Emkens
- Marissa Lynn Emkens, 10, daughter of Amanda Emkens
A third woman who had taken out a protective order against him was spared.
Had a history of violence. Sounds like he killed at least one and maybe two of his own children.