Higgins a no-show in Illinois court

Bouwman suspect missed resisting arrest appearance

Just one day after appearing in a Chicago courtroom on an extradition hearing, Javonte Higgins was a no-show in a suburban court on a charge of resisting arrest.

Higgins, 22, is the main suspect in the homicides of David and Vivian Bouwman inside their Kentwood home on Jan. 5. He was arrested last Friday in Blue Island, Illinois on felony charges related to a December home invasion and stolen vehicle.

In that incident, he crashed the stolen pickup and suffered multiple injuries.

On Tuesday, he opted to fight extradition back to Michigan to face those charges. Higgins has not yet been charged in the Bouwman case.

Wednesday, he was expected to appear in a Markham court - a suburb of Chicago - on the resisting arrest charge from last week. Court officials told 24 Hour News 8 they beefed up security because they deemed him a "security risk."

But more than 90 minutes after his scheduled 9 a.m. court appearance, it was announced Higgins would not appear, citing an unknown medical condition.

A Chicago-area law enforcement source told 24 Hour News 8 Higgins complained of a charley horse in his leg Tuesday night and on Wednesday claimed he had fallen and hurt his leg. This same source said Higgins appears to be trying to play the system to delay his inevitable return to Michigan.

Cook County prosecutors want to wrap up the extradition hearing and get him back to Michigan, and said this is "a priority for us."

Cook County Judge Thomas Carroll rescheduled Higgins' court appearance for 9 a.m. Thursday.

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