Sullivan County—The Indiana State Police Putnamville District, in conjunction with Indiana Conservation Officers, has concluded a nearly two month long investigation into the disappearance of Dugger (Sullivan County) resident 36-year-old Shane R. Porter. 

On Monday April 1st, 2013, a body was seen floating in the Wabash River near Patton, Illinois which is approximately three miles north of Mount Carmel, IL. An autopsy was conducted in Vincennes, Indiana by Forensic Pathologist Dr. James M. Jacoby and utilizing dental records; the deceased was identified by Wabash County (IL) Coroner Larry Hodgson as Shane R. Porter. Coroner Hodgson has listed the preliminary cause of death as drowning pending toxicology results. Questions concerning the autopsy should be directed to the Wabash County (IL) Coroner’s Office at 618-262-4411. 

Porter was last seen at his residence on Friday evening, February 8th at approximately 5:15. Family members reported Porter missing to Indiana State Police after he failed to report for work later that same evening in Vincennes, or make contact with any of his relatives. Around 8:50 p.m. on the evening Porter was last seen, a man was spotted swimming in the Wabash River on the south edge of Vincennes. A 911 call to Vincennes Police from a bystander resulted in specially trained and equipped Indiana Conservation Officers searching the river by boat until a recovery was made on April 1st. Porter’s car was found abandoned on February 10th in a City of Vincennes public parking area near Memorial Bridge. 

Hundreds of Indiana State Police and Indiana Conservation Officer man-hours were used in this investigation. ISP troopers, detectives, and crime scene investigators, conducted several interviews, gathered physical evidence, and traced the final steps leading up to Porter’s disappearance. Indiana Conservation Officers assisted with search parties, conducted interviews, patrolled numerous miles of the Wabash River over several days, all looking for signs of Shane Porter.. 

Questions concerning the Indiana Conservation Officers search efforts for Shane R. Porter should be directed to ICO Joe Haywood at 812-890-6604. 

Questions concerning the ISP investigation should be directed to Sergeant Joe Watts. 

Family of the deceased has been notified. 

Assisting the Indiana State Police and the Indiana Conservation Officers were the Vincennes Police and Fire Departments, Vincennes Township Fire Department, Ohio Valley Search and Rescue, Wabash County (IL) Sheriff’s Office, Wabash County (IL) Water & Rescue Team, Wabash County (IL) Emergency Management Services, and the Wabash County (IL) Coroner’s Office.


SOURCE: Indiana State Police

Perry County: This afternoon at approximately 1:38 a Velpen woman was killed after she fell out of the vehicle she was riding in. 

The investigation reveals that Joseph W. Englebrecht, 30, Evansville was driving and Debra J. Harris, 54, Velpen was riding unrestrained in the right front area of a 2000 International Fed-Ex Ground truck. They had just made a delivery and were traveling west on Leopold Road east of Lavender Road enroute to make other deliveries when Harris fell out of the truck as it rounded a curve. 

Harris was taken from the scene by ambulance to an air ambulance and flown to Perry County Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead. 

Englebrecht was not injured and there was no damage to the vehicle. 

Deceased: (Family Notified) 
Debra J. Harris, 54, Velpen 

Investigating Officers: Sergeant Chad Dick and Trooper Mark Lehmkuhler 
Assisting Agencies: Perry County Fire and Rescue, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer and the Perry County Coroner’s Office


SOURCE: Indiana State Police 

Evansville Police are investigating a death at the Hampton Inn at 8000 Eagle Crest Blvd. 

Police were called to the hotel when an employee saw a man pushing an unresponsive woman on a luggage cart through the hotel lobby. 

The man placed the woman in a car, but was not able to leave before officers arrived. Officers checked on the woman and determined she was deceased. The man was detained by officers. The cause or manner of death are unknown at this time. 

The man and woman were registered guest at the hotel. Their names and where they are from are not being released at this time.

SOURCE: Evansville Police Department - Nixle

Evansville Police are still investigating a homicide in the 1700 block of S. New York Ave. 

Officers were originally sent to the location for an accident with injuries. As officers arrived, 911 dispatch received at least one call of shots being fired at the same location. Officers located a vehicle that had struck a tree at the corner of New York and Sweetser. A man was found deceased in the vehicle. 

Several witnesses told officers that after the wreck, shots were fired. Two men then ran from the scene. Witnesses gave descriptions of the two men. Both men, who had fled in different directions, were located within a few blocks of the scene. They are both being detained as part of the investigation. Investigators recovered a handgun near the scene. 

Investigators are not releasing names of any of the involved parties at his time.


SOURCE: Evansville Police Department - Nixle

New Castle – Pendleton District Investigators were summoned to the New Castle Correctional Facility last evening reference an inmate that had been found unconscious. Around 11:05 p.m. the inmate was found at the bottom of a stairwell inside the prison. 

The inmate, Jeremiah K. Taylor, age 37 of Ligonier Indiana, was transported by ambulance to Henry County Hospital then flown by medical helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where this morning he succumbed to his injuries. 

While it is early in the investigation, investigators believe the injuries were not the result of an accident, but were the result of Taylor having been battered shortly before being found in the stairwell. Taylor had been incarcerated at New Castle since July of 2012, and was serving eight years for a conviction on a Child Molest charge out of Noble County. 

The New Castle Correctional Facility is run by GEO, a private company contracted by Indiana Department of Corrections to run the facility. The investigation is ongoing, and this is all the information available for release at this time. 

SOURCE: Indiana State Police

Vanerburgh County Sheriff's Office News Release - January 10, 2013

UPDATED 3:30 p.m. - From VCSO: The identity of the driver who died earlier today in a crash at SR 66 and University Pkwy is Eileen H Grubb, 92, of Evansville

Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office News Release - Sunday, January 6, 2013:
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office was dispatched at approximately 10:55 a.m. to S.R. 66 and University Parkway regarding a crash with injury. When deputies arrived, they found a blue 2003 Chevy Impala and a white 20120 Ford Escape in the median of S.R. 66. The driver of the Impala was found to be dead at the scene by emergency personnel. The driver and passenger of the Ford Escape were transported to Deaconess Hospital with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.

A witness to the crash stated to deputies that he observed the Chevy Impala heading northbound on University Parkway. The driver failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection of  S.R. 66 and proceeded through the intersection. The driver of the Ford Escape, identified as Catherine E. Curtis was driving eastbound on S.R. 66 in the left lane. Mrs. Curtis was unable to stop in time and collided with the Impala.

Identification of the 92 year old female decedent will be released upon notification of the family. 

The crash remains under investigation.

Driver Impala (Deceased):
Eileen H. Grubb
W/F, 92 YOA
Evansville, Indiana

Driver Explorer:
Catherine E. Curtis
W/F, 76 YOA
New Harmony, Indiana

Passenger Explorer:
Kenneth R. Curtis
W/M, 81 YOA
New Harmony, Indiana

Evansville Police Department News Release:  
At 7:10pm tonight, officers responded to a 911 call in the 500 block of S. Denby for a person who had been shot. Officers arrived and found the victim in the front yard of 511 S. Denby. Officers attempted lifesaving measures on the victim, but he succumbed to his injuries.

Officers went to 505 S. Denby as part of the investigation. They interviewed several people who were at the address, including the person who fired the shot. During the interviews, detectives were given information from several witnesses that were consistent with the statement given by the shooter.

Investigators learned that all of the people involved in the incident were in the home at 505 S. Denby. A 17 year old female got into an argument with a 19 year old male. The male threatened to assault the girl and also threatened to use a “stun gun” on her. She ran from the house and the male chased her. He caught her in the yard and began beating her. The girl’s 79 year old grandfather was in the home and came outside to help her. He told the 19 year old male to stop beating his grand-daughter.

According to the people interviewed, the 19 year old then turned his attention to the grandfather. He threatened to use the stun gun on him as well. The 19 year old came towards the 79 year old, who was armed with a handgun. As the 19 year old got closer, he was reaching for his pocket. The 79 year old told him old several times to stop.

The grandfather told investigators he knew he could not defend himself against the bigger, younger attacker and feared the stun gun could kill him due to his heart condition. He told investigators he has a pace maker and a defibrillator. When the 19 year old continued to advance, he fired one shot. The 19 year old then ran to the front yard of 511 S. Denby and collapsed.

The gun was recovered from the home at 505 S. Denby. Investigators recovered a stun gun in the 19 year olds pocket.

The 19 year old was transported to the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office for positive identification and to establish an official cause of death.

At this time, no charges have been filed in this case. Investigators will complete a case file and forward it to the Prosecutor’s Office for review.

The name of the shooter will not be released at this time because he is not a suspect in a crime and has not been charged with any crime.

At approximately 12:03 a.m. today, the Evansville Police Department was dispatched to the Marathon station located at 2905 Broadway Ave in reference to a criminal mischief report. The reporter alleged that the suspect had smashed a window in his car with a golf club. Upon arrival, EPD officers determined that the alleged incident had occurred at 6011 Short Selzer Road which is outside of the Evansville city limits. 

At approximately 1:03 a.m. today, deputies of the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the Marathon station to take the report. After meeting with the victim of the criminal mischief, deputies went to the 6011 Short Selzer Road address to follow up on the complaint and look for the suspect, who has been identified as Lindal M. Johnson (DOB: 12/27/56) of the Short Selzer Rd address. The first deputy arrived at the Short Selzer Road address at approximately 1:35 a.m. and the second deputy at 1:38 a.m.

Based upon the initial review of the crime scene, information obtained from involved persons and other sources, it is believed that while the two deputies were talking to the suspect of the criminal mischief, he became agitated and aggressive. The suspect was positioned where he had access to a large array of items that could be and were used as weapons.

While in this aggressive state, the suspect attacked the deputies with a variety of objects including a hatchet.   During the attack the deputies deployed their taser devices. The taser devices were not effective in stopping the suspect's aggressive actions. At 1:54 a.m., one of the involved deputies called "shots fired" from the scene. During the altercation, both deputies fired their weapons at the suspect fatally wounding him.

An American Medical Response ambulance and Perry Township Suburban Fire Department were both dispatched to the scene to render emergency medical care to the suspect. Medical personnel determined on scene that the suspect was dead and they would not be able to revive him. 

The Vanderburgh County Coroner's Office is scheduled to conduct an autopsy on the decedent today. 

The deputies involved were Deputy Kevin Hertweck and Deputy Tony Toopes. In accordance with VCSO guidelines, both deputies were relieved from duty for the remainder of the shift. 

At the culmination of the investigation, a case file will be delivered to the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office for their review. A separate administrative investigation is being conducted regarding the deputies actions and their compliance with VCSO policy. 

The investigation is ongoing. There is no further information available at this time. 


SOURCE: Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office News Release - December 4, 2012

Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office News Release:
At approximately 10:00 a.m. today, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the University of Southern Indiana campus for a person found unresponsive inside a vehicle. The car was parked near the Health Professions Building on the west end of campus. 

When responding deputies arrived, they found USI security personnel along with firemen from Perry Township Fire Department rendering aid to the person in the vehicle. The individual later identified as Adrien Mowery, was pronounced dead at the scene by the coroner's office. 

An autopsy was performed at the Vanderburgh County  Coroner's Office. The nature of death was ruled to be natural (heart condition). No foul play is suspected.

 Mr. Mowery was a student at USI. 

Deceased:
Adrien J. Mowery, Age 20 of Evansville