On day of victim's funeral, an alleged stalking victim comes forward

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A West Michigan teen considers herself lucky.

She says the man who killed another teen, and himself, once stalked her.

Friends and family said their goodbyes Thursday to 16-year-old Tanika Heard in Kalamazoo. Heard was shot and killed in that murder-suicide last week. Police say her killer, Nicholas Arbutina, then turned the gun on himself after killing her.

Tanika had worked for Arbutina for about a year, doing chores around his Galesburg home.

We've learned of new allegations against Arbutina. At least one teen may have been stalked by him.

We didn't find anything to support these allegations at the Kalamazoo County Courthouse. Nicholas Arbutina's criminal record only includes several driving violations. He also pleaded guilty to soliciting a prostitute back in 2004.

This girl says her story also starts then. She was a 15-year-old waitress and Nicholas Arbutina was a customer.

"He would get two eggs, toast and a coffee," said Megan Lewis.

But Megan Lewis says that regular customer at the Old Sandbar Grill wanted to hire her as a cleaner.

"He offered me a lot of money to come to Galesburg and clean his house," said Lewis.

Lewis says he offered $25 an hour. Her mother convinced her to say no.

"No child of mine was going to go to an older man's house by themselves," said her mother, Victoria Thornton.

When Lewis took a job at Culver's, she says that customer followed and he had the same offer.

"I just told him I wouldn't come alone, I'd either want my mom or my boyfriend at the time to come," said Lewis.

Lewis says she only recalled what happened four and five years ago last week.

"It was just the Galesburg address that clicked," said Lewis.

We told Lewis and her mom the killer's name: Nicholas Arbutina.

"He just really gave me the creeps," said Thornton.

Then we showed them his picture. "That's the same jacket he always wore," said Thornton.

Thornton was in tears from seeing that face again, thankful her daughter listened back then, didn't go to Galesburg alone and didn't become a victim.

"My heart is broken for that family," said Thornton.

"I think that there are a lot of girls out there that have been either harassed by him or stalked like I was," said Lewis.

Lewis says Arbutina also advertised for young girls to clean his house in the local Kalamazoo Gazette.

The Kalamazoo Sheriff's Department told us Thursday about the possibility of other victims.