‘Elkhart Four’ convictions put new spotlight on felony murder statute
Three teens convicted of felony murder have asked the Indiana Supreme Court to overturn their convictions because they did not directly kill the victim.
Murder
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Indianapolis man gets 37 years in Henry County killing
A 35-year-old Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 37 years in prison for using a shotgun to kill another Indianapolis man in Henry County.
No new trial for Indiana woman convicted in deadly crash
An Indianapolis woman convicted of killing six children and a man in a wrong-way, head-on collision along a state highway will not get a new trial, a judge has ruled.
Judge: No 2nd lawyer for defendant in Hartford City killings
A Blackford County judge has denied a request for a second court-appointed lawyer from an eastern Indiana man accused of killing a father and daughter.
Elkhart teens try to convince justices to revisit felony murder statute
An Indiana statute and a 16-year-old Indiana Supreme Court decision interpreting that statute are under review as three teenagers serving 45-year sentences asked the justices to overturn their convictions for felony murder.
Lawyers arguing mental illness in murder conviction appeal
The Indiana Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal of the conviction of a schizophrenic man serving a life sentence in the death of his mother.
Justices affirm death penalty for man who killed 2 children
A Vanderburgh County man convicted of the murders of his girlfriend’s eight- and five-year-old children after setting fire to hishome in 2010 will remain on death row. The Indiana Supreme Court declined to reverse his convictions or revise his sentence.
7th Circuit grants habeas relief for man on death row
An Evansville man sentenced to death for the 2001 murders of his wife and two daughters is not entitled to habeas relief on his claim of intellectual disability, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. But his petition should be granted because the state courts unreasonably applied federal due process standards in adjudicating his competency to stand trial.
COA orders new trial for woman who shot and killed pastor
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a guilty but mentally ill verdict against an Indianapolis woman who killed the pastor at her church because she believed he was part of a cartel that was pitted against her. The judges held Lori Ann Barcroft’s due process rights were violated when the judge entered that verdict.
Judge denies defense motions for Indy house blast suspect
The defense of a suspect in a 2012 Indianapolis house explosion that killed two people and damaged dozens of homes has been dealt a setback after a judge denied two of its motions.
Man’s conviction for murdering neighbor upheld
Citing a wide array of circumstantial evidence to support a Cass County man’s murder conviction in connection with his neighbor’s death, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction.
4th person faces murder charges in deadly house explosion
A man charged Thursday with murder and arson in a deadly Indianapolis house explosion was offered $5,000 to burn down the home two weeks before it was leveled by a natural gas blast, court documents allege.
Defendant in deadly Indiana explosion agrees to plea deal
One of three people charged in a deadly Indianapolis house explosion has reached a plea agreement, prosecutors said Friday — something an outside defense attorney said could mean a stronger case against the other two.
Competency could be key for death penalty in Indiana case
Indiana law experts say the mental health of a northwestern Indiana man charged with strangling two women and suspected of killing five others could complicate the case but shouldn't prevent the state from seeking the death penalty.
Ohio woman’s incriminating statements properly suppressed
An Ohio woman charged with murder and other crimes in Ripley County prevailed in the Indiana Court of Appeals Monday when the judges affirmed the grant of her motion to suppress incriminating statements she gave to police.
COA affirms 100-year sentence for 2 murders
A man with a history of mental illness was unable to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that his 100-year sentence for his role in the murder of two market employees in Elkhart is inappropriate.
Anderson man gets 65 years in cousin’s slaying
An Anderson man convicted last month in his cousin’s shooting death has been sentenced to 65 years in prison.
Man charged in parents’ killings held in contempt
A northwestern Indiana man accused of killing his parents was sentenced to 18 months in jail by a judge who found him in contempt of court for repeatedly interrupting a hearing on the charges.
Appeals court upholds teen’s 55-year sentence for murder
In a case of first impression, the Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the 55-year sentence imposed on a juvenile waived into adult court for the murder of a friend. The teen claimed he should have been sentenced under the alternative sentencing scheme available for juveniles.
Prosecutor to seek death penalty for mutilator
A prosecutor intends to seek the death penalty for a southern Indiana man who has confessed to fatally stabbing his girlfriend and mutilating her body, including cooking and eating some of her organs.