ALBION - For his involvement in the murder of Laurel Jean Mitchell in 1975, John W. Lehman, 69, Auburn, was sentenced Friday to eight years in the Indiana Department of Corrections on the charge of conspiracy to commit murder, a Class A felony.
Noble County Circuit Court Judge Michael J. Kramer gave Lehman 613 actual days credit for time already served.
As part of the plea agreement, the charge of murder against Lehman was dismissed. He also must pay $190 in court costs and fines.
Fred Bandy Jr., 69, Goshen, was found guilty of the first degree murder of Mitchell Tuesday by Kramer after a bench trial on Monday. Bandy’s sentencing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Oct. 22 in Noble Circuit Court.

    Laurel Jean Mitchell
  

On Aug. 6, 1975, Mitchell, 17, was dropped off at Epworth Forest Church Camp to work her shift at a snack bar. Around 10 p.m. that night, after her shift had ended, she was seen walking in Epworth Forest to meet her friends at Adventureland Amusement Park on the north side of North Webster. This was the last time Mitchell was seen alive.
Around 4:16 a.m. Aug. 7, 1975, a missing person report with the Indiana State Police was filed for Mitchell. At 10:30 a.m. that same day, two fishermen discovered Mitchell's body in the Elkhart River.
An autopsy was performed on Mitchell, which revealed she had made "a violent struggle to survive." Her cause of death was ruled to be drowning. All of the clothing and belongings found on Mitchell's body at the time of her death were preserved for testing.
Recent testing of these items led authorities to Bandy and Lehman, as well as years of testimony from those who know the men.
Mitchell's clothing was resubmitted for DNA testing in 2019. In February 2020, a Certificate of Analysis was generated by the ISP Laboratory Division that showed a male DNA profile was developed from the clothing.
On Dec. 5, 2022, a voluntary DNA sample was collected from Bandy and submitted to the ISP Laboratory Division.
Results were received by authorities on Jan. 13, 2023, in a Certificate of Analysis that revealed Bandy was 13 billion times more likely to be the contributor of the DNA found in Mitchell's clothing than any other unknown person.
Lehman was arrested Feb. 6, 2023, and pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and provided recorded testimony and a deposition to Kramer for review.
At Lehman’s sentencing on Friday, his legal counsel, Bart Arnold, spoke on Lehman’s behalf, saying Lehman didn’t just cooperate in Bandy’s trial, but also cooperated from the beginning when law enforcement approached him. Arnold said Lehman had a statement to make to the court, and when he told Lehman that Bandy was found guilty, Lehman was glad.
Prosecuting Attorney James Mowery notified Kramer that there was a victim impact statement to be given, too.
In his comments, Lehman said he was sorry that he ever let this happen. He was sorry that he didn’t intervene to stop Bandy, but he acted out of fear.
“I don’t expect forgiveness because I can’t forgive myself,” Lehman said, but he hoped that Mitchell’s friends and family find comfort that justice has finally been served. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Sarah Mitchell Knisley, Laurel Jean’s sister, then read her victim impact statement.
“Your Honor, I would like you to know what John Lehman’s actions did on August 6, 1975, to me and my family, extended family and the entire town of North Webster and beyond. Though he claims he didn’t kill my sister, he didn’t do anything to stop it either. In my opinion, that is just as bad as actually killing her. He could have gone to the police and told them what happened and it probably would have worked out better for him in the long run. But he chose to remain silent and put us through hell for his own selfish gain. I can say that karma has caught up with Mr. Lehman,” she said.
“My parents’ hearts were broken that day beyond repair. They were never the same after that day. They both passed away in 2012, so they didn’t get to see his arrest. Though people say we have closure or justice, we don’t. There is no closure and no justice because she can’t be given back to us. So we will settle for punishment.”
Knisley said she was 12 years old that day and was playing softball when a neighbor came to the ball field to pick her up and take her home. The driveway was lined with police cars and she was excited because she thought they had brough her big sister home.
“My dad met me at the door, crying, and told me she was dead. I was so angry that this had happened to my parents and my brother and myself. I’m still angry. I told the police that day that they better get him before I did because I would kill him myself,” Knisley stated. “I sincerely wish he were eligible for the death penalty because I would love to pull the switch. I can only hope the rest of his life is as miserable as ours has been for the last 49 years. He had 49 years to graduate, get married, have children, grandchildren and live a normal life. We got pain, anger and depression because she didn’t get to do any of those things.”
She said what made her the saddest was that Laurel Jean didn’t get to grow up and be the amazing person she was sure she would have been.
“I’m sure she forgave him even as she was taking her last breath, because that was the kind of person she was. Me, not so much. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness. What he did was unforgiveable,” Knisley said.
She told the judge about her nightmares for decades, which she was sure her parents and brother had, too.
“We never really talked about it. We were just doing our best to survive the pain and get on with the rest of our lives. My mom did tell me one day years later that she didn’t have time to fall apart and give in to grief because she still had me to raise. I am so glad I had such a strong mother that made me the strong woman I am today,” Knisley continued.
The whole town of North Webster was affected that day, she said.
“Laurel babysat for a lot of the kids in town and I had no idea how it affected one of them until Lehman’s arrest was announced and his dad told me he broke out in tears when he heard. It changed the way her friends raised their children and how they raised their children. They didn’t have the freedom we had before Laurel was killed. No one’s kids got to live the innocent lives that we did until that day. Everyone’s world changed that day. You blew up my whole family and many others that day.”
Knisley asked Kramer to give Lehman the maximum sentenced allowable.
Mowery reminded Kramer that he heard Lehman’s testimony. Forty-eight years too late, Lehman chose to tell what happened to Mitchell, he said, asking the court to accept the plea agreement.
Kramer told Lehman he appreciated his comments on accepting his responsibility and his remorse. He also appreciated Lehman’s cooperation with law enforcement and his testimony.
“I just wish you had done this before law enforcement approached you and handcuffed you,” Kramer said, adding that he wished Lehman had come forward before Laurel Jean’s parents had died. He said he wished Lehman had done something to protect Laurel Jean instead of walking away while Laurel Jean was assaulted. He wished Lehman had helped her. Maybe, Kramer suggested, he and Laurel Jean could have overpowered Bandy together to stop him.
Kramer then accepted the plea agreement.
After the sentencing, outside of the court room, Knisley said of the eight years Lehman received, “I don’t think it’s enough, but considering what we needed, we chose the lesser of two evils because had we not taken the plea, he might not have testified. It could have been a whole different ball game.”
She reiterated she would have liked for him to get the death sentence.
The eight years was based on the sentencing Lehman could have received back in 1975 when the crime was committed.