The Detroit artist who owns a studio where Ethan Crumbley’s parents were caught had no idea the couple stayed overnight, his lawyer said Sunday.
Andrzej Sikora, 65, had a “friendly relationship” with James and Jennifer Crumbley, but was clueless to the involuntary manslaughter charges brought against them on Friday — the same day the pair showed up at his workspace, attorney Clarence Dass told the Associated Press.
“There was a lot of confusion and the Crumbleys went to him for safety,” Dass told the news service.
“He didn’t know about the charges. They were there in the daytime. He left in the early evening. He didn’t even know they were still there,” the lawyer said.
Sikora reached out to police Saturday upon learning of the parents’ capture, according to Dass and Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe.
The artist has not been charged and is expected to be interviewed by police Monday afternoon, McCabe said.
The couple’s 15-year-old son is being held without bail on charges of first-degree murder, terrorism and assault with intent to murder for allegedly killing four students and wounding seven others in a shooting at Oxford High School last week.
The teen’s parents on Black Friday purchased the 9mm semi-automatic handgun used in the attack and allegedly allowed him access to it while being aware of deeply troubling recent behavior by the boy.
After charges were announced against the couple on Friday, authorities said, they fled to escape capture. But the attorneys have said they didn’t intend to flee.
The parents were nabbed at Sikora’s studio early Saturday and are being held on $500,000 bail each.
With Post wires