Goshen Man Pleads Guilty To Murder
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
A Goshen man pleaded guilty to murder Tuesday one day after he was arrested in Elkhart County.
Two other Goshen residents were arrested and charged in connection with the murder.
Brandon Ennis, 24, pleaded guilty to murdering Steven M. Strycker, 21, of Goshen.
At the probable cause hearing Tuesday, the police were supposed to show the court whether they had sufficient cause to accuse Ennis of the murder. Instead, Ennis told the judge he was guilty of the murder.
Appearing before Circuit Court Judge Gene Duffin, Ennis said he wanted to plead guilty immediately. According to state law, the judge must enter a plea of innocent for Ennis, who can change the plea in 20 days. Judge Duffin agreed to accept Ennis' plea during the hearing.
Strycker's body was found by hunters Thanksgiving morning in a cornfield behind the Timberbrook Mobile Home Park in Bristol east of Elkhart County Road 19. It had been in the field since Nov. 24, according to Ennis.
Ennis told the court that he, Strycker, and Richard J. Johnson, 19, were back-seat riders in a car. Amanda Pietro, 19, sat in the front seat. While they were driving, someone suggested Strycker was a drug informant for the police.
Ennis said he kicked Strycker several times, even though he said he barely knew Strycker. Then, Johnson and Ennis allegedly took turns punching Strycker.
Ennis said he watched from the car parked along CR 19 as Johnson stabbed Strycker in the neck with a knife. He described how he approached the two and kicked Strycker several times and knocked him to the ground.
Then he testified that he used a 4-inch nail file to stab Strycker in the chest. He said he wanted to put Strycker out of his misery.
Ennis admitted he drank champagne and beer and smoked marijuana before the incident.
Johnson was arrested at a bus terminal in Oklahoma City, Okla., around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. He will be extradited to Elkhart County and charged with murder.
Pietro was arrested in Elkhart and charged with assisting a criminal, a Class C felony.
The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department is continuing the investigation.
Strycker worked at Camp Mack in Milford from April to October of this year. His family said he attended night classes at Wawasee High School so he could obtain his high school diploma. [[In-content Ad]]
A Goshen man pleaded guilty to murder Tuesday one day after he was arrested in Elkhart County.
Two other Goshen residents were arrested and charged in connection with the murder.
Brandon Ennis, 24, pleaded guilty to murdering Steven M. Strycker, 21, of Goshen.
At the probable cause hearing Tuesday, the police were supposed to show the court whether they had sufficient cause to accuse Ennis of the murder. Instead, Ennis told the judge he was guilty of the murder.
Appearing before Circuit Court Judge Gene Duffin, Ennis said he wanted to plead guilty immediately. According to state law, the judge must enter a plea of innocent for Ennis, who can change the plea in 20 days. Judge Duffin agreed to accept Ennis' plea during the hearing.
Strycker's body was found by hunters Thanksgiving morning in a cornfield behind the Timberbrook Mobile Home Park in Bristol east of Elkhart County Road 19. It had been in the field since Nov. 24, according to Ennis.
Ennis told the court that he, Strycker, and Richard J. Johnson, 19, were back-seat riders in a car. Amanda Pietro, 19, sat in the front seat. While they were driving, someone suggested Strycker was a drug informant for the police.
Ennis said he kicked Strycker several times, even though he said he barely knew Strycker. Then, Johnson and Ennis allegedly took turns punching Strycker.
Ennis said he watched from the car parked along CR 19 as Johnson stabbed Strycker in the neck with a knife. He described how he approached the two and kicked Strycker several times and knocked him to the ground.
Then he testified that he used a 4-inch nail file to stab Strycker in the chest. He said he wanted to put Strycker out of his misery.
Ennis admitted he drank champagne and beer and smoked marijuana before the incident.
Johnson was arrested at a bus terminal in Oklahoma City, Okla., around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. He will be extradited to Elkhart County and charged with murder.
Pietro was arrested in Elkhart and charged with assisting a criminal, a Class C felony.
The Elkhart County Sheriff's Department is continuing the investigation.
Strycker worked at Camp Mack in Milford from April to October of this year. His family said he attended night classes at Wawasee High School so he could obtain his high school diploma. [[In-content Ad]]