Stories from Friday, August 26, 2011

Duytschaver family says thank you for support To the Editor: The family of Rick Duytschaver would like to give special thanks to John Booher and family, James Meng and staff at Anderson Poindexter, the class of 1979 and all family and friends for all the support, food, cards and flowers...

Bill Barnes Video Productions, LLC is poised to release its newest documentary, "Goose Pond: The Story of a Wetland and Its Neighbors" in late September. Set in Greene County, this one-hour documentary centers on the largest and one of the most successful wetland restoration projects of its kind in U.S. history, the 8,000-acre Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area...

A Farmer's Market will come to Bloomfield starting in the spring of 2012, according to organizer Vickie Hatfield. "It is an event that brings people together. There is a lot of talent here in Bloomfield. It will be a venue for people to express that. It will be a great place to get fresh produce, fresh food ... and it will stimulate the community," Hatfield said...

Junk and treasure will be found in Worthington's annual "Around the Town" yard sale during Labor Day Weekend, Saturday, Sept. 3. The almost-two-decade old tradition will begin at 6 a.m. with a breakfast provided by the yard sale sponsor, the Lions Club...

Saturday Sunday, Aug. 28 Monday, Aug. 29 Tuesday, Aug. 30 Thursday, Sept. 1 Saturday, Sept. 3 Sunday, Sept. 4 Monday, Sept. 5 Tuesday, Sept. 6 Wednesday, Sept. 7 Thursday, Sept. 8 Sunday, Sept. 11 Monday, Sept. 12 Saturday, Sept. 17 Sunday, Sept. 18...

GREENE SUPERIOR COURT Civil Filings Toyota Motor Credit Corporation vs. Britney Ketchem, civil collection. U.S. Bank NA vs. Shannon Lagenour, Stephanie Lagenour, mortgage foreclosure. Criminal Filings State vs. Randy S. Lousllen, operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, operating a vehicle while intoxicated...

GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT JAIL LOG LINTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTIVITY REPORT The Linton Police log for Aug. 25 included: One fight case, one animal complaint, one harassment complaint, one theft case, two drug overdoses, two arrests on warrants, one domestic dispute, and four traffic stops...

Less than a week after the alleged murder of 28-year-old Stacey Jo Lawson of rural Solsberry, an arrest has been made. Three charges were filed against Randy Knapp, 52, of Bloomington, on Friday morning. On Friday afternoon, Greene Circuit Judge Erik Allen approved three criminal counts against Knapp -- including murder -- a felony; criminal confinement -- a class B felony; and obstruction of justice -- a class D felony. Lawson died of blunt force trauma to the head, and her body was found in a wooded area near the Newark Baptist Church Cemetery last Saturday afternoon. Police said the victim was killed by blows from a large geode rock that has been displayed on the grave of her younger brother, Brandyn Takoda Scott Beck, 10, of Solsberry. Beck passed away March 4, 2008 and he is buried in the cemetery. The victim frequently visited the gravesite, according to a 12-page probable cause affidavit filed by Greene County Sheriff's Department Deputy George Dallaire. A geode rock is a hollow rock with sparkling crystals inside and used for decorative purposes. Knapp is currently incarcerated in the Monroe County Jail in Bloomington. He is expected to be transported to Greene County early next week for an initial hearing, said Greene County Prosecutor Jarrod Holtsclaw. The arrest of Knapp was the result of a joint investigation by the Indiana State Police and the Greene County Sheriff's Department. Knapp has been in police custody since Saturday evening on a charge of Residential Entry, a class D felony. Knapp had been held in the Monroe County Jail. The Bloomington Police Department provided assistance in the apprehension of Knapp. In a prepared news release from Indiana State Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Curl Durnil, Holtsclaw said in an effort to maintain the integrity of the case, he will have no further comment on the case while it is pending. According to the probable cause affidavit, Lawson left her rural Solsberry residence about 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19, and told her boyfriend, Patrick Lewis, that she was going to get some money -- a few thousand dollars -- from Knapp. "Lewis said that he noticed that when Lawson entered Knapp's vehicle, she appeared to be upset and was slamming her hands on the dash," Det. Dallaire wrote. Lewis told police that when Lawson did not return home in a few hours, he became worried and went looking for her. He searched near her brother's grave, where she frequently went to visit, about 10 p.m., but did not see her body. Lewis told police that he spoke with Knapp several times while Lawson was missing. Knapp said he had no idea where she was and he claimed to have dropped her off down the road from Lewis' residence a short time after he picked her up. Lewis found the body about 3 p.m. on Saturday -- located in a wooded area a short distance from a trail behind where her brother is buried. ISP Crime Scene Technician Chris Lewis determined that Lawson's body was taken to the wooded area from the trail. Her head was cradled in a depression in the forest floor caused by the force of the trauma to her skull, according to court records. An autopsy performed Aug. 22 by Dr. Roland Kohr at Terre Haute Regional Hospital showed bruising and abrasions on Lawson's back and a deep, open fracture on the left side of her skull. Lawson's mother, Lorie Lawson, told investigators that she talked to her daughter about 1-2 p.m. on Aug. 19 and was told "that Randy guy" was going to take her to the former residence of Jeffre Allan Sims, in Bloomfield, to pick up some of her things. Lawson formerly lived with Sims, who was found dead about two weeks ago in a room at the Fairfield Inn in Bloomington from an apparent suicide. Knapp is the boyfriend of Sims' mother. According to the probable cause affidavit, Knapp entered the Bloomington residence of Lisa Marcum about 5 p.m. on Aug. 20 -- about two hours after Lawson's body was found -- and began to argue with her about Sims' published obituary. Marcum was Sims' godmother. Knapp was arrested for the residential entry about 9 p.m. on Aug. 20 at his father's residence on Tapp Road in Bloomington. During an interview with detectives, Knapp denied killing Lawson, but said he did take her to the church cemetery. He also provided police with his whereabouts and timelines. Police found those to be false after speaking with a number of witnesses, according to court records. Knapp also told police that he would test positive for methamphetamine, per the report. Police reviewed Knapp's cell phone records and found he was in the vicinity of the church cemetery between 4 and 5 p.m. on Aug. 19. Cell phone records also show that he returned to the cemetery about 1 a.m. on Aug. 20. Court records also show that Knapp, who was a close friend to Sims, allegedly made death threats to several people -- including the minister who performed Sims' funeral -- M. Aaron Strunk, Jeremy Walker, and Lawson. A cell phone call Knapp made to Walker at about 8:44 p.m. on Aug. 19 revealed the threats needed to be taken seriously. He wanted Walker to call him, according to the probable cause, and then said, "If not, I might not stop. I've got a lot of things I've got to do yet and it's getting dark and dark is payback time. Dark brings out the evil in people, like f------ money, you know what I'm saying, call me." Dallaire also wrote, "I believe that Randy Knapp was convinced that Stacey Lawson was involved in the death of her ex-boyfriend Jeffre Alan Sims. It appears Knapp planned to kill Stacey Lawson and enticed her into his vehicle with the promise of money." A funeral service for Lawson will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Jenkins Funeral Home in Bloomfield. Burial will follow at Newark Cemetery.