Jury selection to begin in murder of pregnant woman - WNEM TV 5

Jury selection has begun Wednesday in the case involving suspended Buena Vista Township police officer Kenneth Bluew.

He's the man charged with killing 32-year-old Jennifer Webb near a gun range in Buena Vista Township in August of 2011. Webb was pregnant at the time and just weeks away from delivering.

Bluew allegedly strangled Webb to death, killing her unborn son a little more than a year ago.

Prosecutors in Saginaw County said Bluew was the father of the unborn baby. Prosecutor Mike Thomas said they will bring in 40 to 45 potential jurors on Wednesday morning, followed by another potential 40 to 45 jurors this afternoon.

TV5's Liz Gelardi reported that one question the judge asked the potential jurors was if any of them had prior knowledge of the case. A majority of the potential jurors raised their hands, with only about seven abstaining.

Thomas said he is determined to seat a jury made up of Saginaw County residents. More potential jurors could be brought in on Thursday.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Bluew would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

TV5 obtained a copy of Bluew's personnel file from Tittabawassee Township.

We submitted a request for Bluew's file and emails related to his resignation under the Freedom of Information Act. The township's attorney sent Gelardi a letter that stated part of the email and file have been redacted. TV5 asked the township manager why some material was left out, he contacted the attorney for an answer.

Bluew left his position as police chief in February 2008. He served Tittabawassee Township for 15 months. In his resignation letter, Bluew stated he believed his skills were best suited for an "urban setting."

Webb was eight months pregnant when her body was discovered in late August near a police shooting range. DNA test results showed Bluew was the child's father.

Bluew has a long law enforcement history in the Mid-Michigan area.  He was employed with the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department from 1997 until being hired by Buena Vista in 1999.  He served as the chief of police for Tittabawassee Township from 2006 until February 2008 when he returned to the Buena Vista Police Department.

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