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Two County Murder Cases Moving Forward

Progress continues in two murder cases pending in Kosciusko Circuit Court. In one case, the defendant is seeking to be released from custody on bond.The other case has been set for trial in February. Jason Fisher, 23, of Middlebury, was set to appear in court Thursday for both a hearing on a motion for release on bail and a pretrial hearing.Fisher is charged with murder in the Jan.15 shooting death of Kathy Vroman, 48, of Milford.However, Judge Rex Reed continued the matter until 9:30 a.m.Feb.1 because there wasn't enough time on the calendar Thursday to address the issues to be considered. Bond was initially set for Fisher, but Reed ordered him held without bond since shortly after he was taken into custody last year. New charges against Fisher were recently filed.He now also faces charges of burglary and theft in connection with a December 2000 break-in to Rice Ford in Warsaw and the theft of more than $100,000 worth of vehicles from the lot.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Teen Faces Charges After Chase, Crash

A Warsaw teen injured in an auto accident Monday faces criminal charges. Derek Krichbaum, 15, of Warsaw, suffered a broken leg when the car he was driving struck a parked semi about 11:30 a.m.at a residence in Brookwood Addition. According to Ptl.Brian Hupp of the Warsaw Police Department, the car Krichbaum was driving was stolen moments before from Boggs Automotive.Hupp said he had just finished at the scene of an accident at the intersection of Tippecanoe Drive and Rieder Street and was southbound on Rieder Street when he saw the car Krichbaum was driving and another vehicle approaching him.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Syracuse Hears Updates On Town Activities

SYRACUSE - It was a packed house when the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Board met Wednesday, and it was a great place to hear what's happening, or about to happen, in town. High-schoolers Seth Beer and Lucas White reported that a camera surveillance system is operational in Wawasee High School all day, every day and everywhere.It was installed to guarantee safety of students and to prevent theft. They also reported that students will have picture IDs next year, that tickets to the girls sectionals are on sale, that "Fiddler on the Roof" will be presented this spring and that Saturday is the Sweetheart Dance. Phil Lund said Dana is cutting its second shift this week, moving all production people to first or third shifts and eliminating 14 to 18 non-production jobs.He also mentioned that the plant's energy bill went from $12,000 to $40,000 in just one month.
VIRGINIA NIZAMOFF SURSO Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Internet Business Shut Down By State Atty. Gen.

Warsaw resident Nikki Brindle has agreed to cease doing business and to an attachment of the first $500,000 of any and all personal property for restitution to more than 100 consumers in the United States and Canada. The civil agreement between Brindle and the Indiana Attorney General's office was reached Jan.16. "Brindle took advantage of unsuspecting consumers by misrepresenting that she would deliver products that they purchased," Carter said."This agreement is a step toward getting money back to those she took from and stops her from taking advantage of others." Brindle, of White Wolf Designs, 2603 E.Pine Drive, was arrested Oct.13 for fraudulently selling electronics over the Internet.She was subsequently sued on charges of Internet fraud by State Attorney General Carter.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Sidney, Jackson Twp. Residents Form Neighborhood Watch

SYDNEY - Town and Jackson Township residents met Saturday in the fire station to decide where Neighborhood Watch road signs will be posted. Citizens formed a watch program in November in cooperation with the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department to keep an eye out for vandalism, theft or break-ins. Volunteers are filling a calendar with dates they're available to patrol the town and township.If they see anything amiss, they are to call the sheriff's department.Volunteers work in pairs, driving the township roads and town streets.They do not confront anyone or any situation. Armed with cell phones, cameras and notebooks, the watchers will keep an eye on things.If something doesn't seem right, they'll report it. Local resident Ron Neal addressed 13 people Saturday saying the town purchased four of the watch signs and donations paid for the rest, a total of 17. The signs will be posted at various points in town and in the township.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Suspect Posts Bond, Details Emerge In Murder

One of the men arrested in connection with the murder of a Milford woman posted a $50,000 bond and was released from the Kosciusko County Jail. The surety bond for Ralph Freddrick Fisher, 46, Goshen, was paid about 8:30 p.m.Friday and he was released.A surety bond is one that is insured by a bondsman.Fisher or someone acting on his behalf must pay 10 percent of the cost of the bond to a bondsman who, in turn, guarantees Fisher's appearance in court.The bonding agent also provides the balance of the bond amount. Jason M.Fisher, 22, of Millersburg, remains in the Kosciusko County Jail on a charge of murder.His bond is set at $1 million, but Kosciusko County Prosecutor Chuck Waggoner has requested the court to revoke that and allow him to be held without bond. The elder Fisher was charged with assisting a criminal after allegedly helping his son dispose of the body of Kathy Vroman, 48.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Teen Faces Weapons Charge

A Warsaw teen-ager is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on a weapons charge after he allegedly stole guns from his grandfather's home. Chase Allen Elder, 17, of 3160 N.Stoneburner Road, was booked into the KCJ at 7:20 p.m.Thursday and is being held on $10,000 bond.He is charged with dangerous possession of a gun, burglary and theft.The weapons charge is an automatic waiver to adult court for juveniles who are at least 16 years old when the crime is committed. According to court documents, Elder and another juvenile broke into the home of Truman Yoder on Sept.23 and took a stereo, a black powder rifle and a .22-caliber rifle and later sold the items. Yoder is Elder's grandfather. Charges are pending in juvenile court against the other suspect, authorities said.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Vroman Charged In New York

The husband of a murdered Milford woman has been charged in New York with larceny and faces additional charges in Kosciusko County for allegedly writing bad checks to his landlord. William Vroman, 32, is accused of stealing at least $2,200 from the Herrings Village Fire Department in upstate New York.A warrant for Vroman was issued Wednesday.Charges also were filed this morning in Kosciusko Circuit Court against Vroman for check fraud, according to Kosciusko County Prosecutor Chuck Waggoner.That charge results from Vroman allegedly writing a nonsufficient funds check for his rent and involves $400 to $500, Waggoner said. William Vroman is the former fire chief at the Herrings Village Fire Department.His wife, Kathy Vroman, 48, was the department secretary. Kathy Vroman's body was found partially buried in the snow Jan.26 near Three Rivers, Mich., police said.
STAFF AND AP REPORTS- | July 28, 2016

Sixth Arrest Likely, Vehicle Recovered In Vroman Case

Police recovered the second of three vehicles taken from Rice Ford and may be targeting a sixth suspect in connection with the thefts that are believed connected to the murder of a Milford woman. The name of the potential suspect has not been released, but police believe that person may have driven the pickup that was recovered in Ocala, Fla. One of the suspects in the case, Lawrence Grant, 29, Shipshewana, allegedly fled to Florida after the murder of Kathy Vroman, 48, of Milford.The sixth suspect is not believed to have driven Grant to Florida.Grant is charged with auto theft, unlawful movement of a body and assisting a criminal.He remains in custody in Florida, where he surrendered to authorities shortly before the case began to unfold here. Local police have taken custody of Grant in Florida and were en route to Kosciusko County today.Grant is expected to be in jail here on Friday.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Retired Navy Officer Becomes St. Anne's 1st Woman Priest

The seventh woman to earn Naval Aviator wings in March 1976 also was the first woman aviator to assume command of an Atlantic Fleet carrier aviation squadron.She is the first woman naval aviator to command a Naval Air Station - NAS Key West. Prior to her retirement in October 2001, Capt.Linda Hutton served in the Pentagon on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. During her 27-year naval career, she accumulated nearly 400 day and night carrier landings and more than 4,500 flight hours.She holds a bachelor's degree from Florida State University and a master's degree in government and national security studies from Georgetown University (1982), and has been awarded two Legions of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, a Joint Service Commendation Medal and a Meritorious Outstanding Service Volunteer Medal.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Former County Employee Sentenced For Theft

After recently pleading guilty to theft, a former county employee was sentenced to work release last week in Kosciusko Superior Court I and ordered to repay nearly $36,000. Betty Ann Davis, 51, of 207 S.Graceland St., Claypool, was a secretary for the Extension office prior to her September 2001 arrest on charges of theft, a Class D felony, and forgery, a Class C felony.Through a plea agreement, the forgery charge was dismissed.She is no longer a county employee. Davis was sentenced for the theft to three years in prison, with two years allowed served in the Kosciusko County Work Release program and one year suspended for probation.She also was ordered to pay $35,908.14 in restitution; $15,477.23 has already been paid toward that debt and Davis must pay at least $100 per week toward the balance.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Employee Suspected Of Stealing From Syracuse Wilby's Store

SYRACUSE - An internal theft by an employee of the Syracuse Wilby's store allegedly resulted in a significant amount of money being embezzled. The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department and Syracuse Police Department are investigating the matter at the South Huntington Street business.Charges are expected against a 27-year-old woman. According to a KCSD report, the owner of the business contacted police after he noted irregularities in the store's reported activities.Discrepancies were discovered when the owner began an internal audit. The suspected employee reportedly entered the daily receipts into the books, with a larger amount noted for credit card purchases.She was allegedly taking the cash difference and the books appeared balanced. Police requested that the amount believed missing be kept confidential. The employee reportedly tendered her resignation when confronted about the matter by store officials.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Charges Brought Against Murder Suspect

Formal charges were filed Friday against four of the men being held in connection with the disappearance and death of a Milford woman. Only one of the men is facing a murder charge and another is charged with assisting a criminal.Two of the men are charged with both burglary and theft.All four men appeared before Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Rex Reed Friday afternoon.Pleas of not guilty were entered by the court on the behalf of each man. Officials said during a press conference Friday afternoon that the murder and auto thefts are believed connected, but "we don't know where the interrelationship is yet," according to Kosciusko County Prosecutor Chuck Waggoner, adding that it is premature to speculate as to a motive.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Autopsy Shows Vroman Suffered Head Wounds

Kathy Vroman died as a result of two gunshot wounds to the head. The body of Vroman, 48, of Milford, was found Friday near Three Rivers, Mich.An autopsy was performed Saturday in Grand Rapids, Mich., by a team of forensic pathologists headed by Dr.Stephen Cohle. The report was completed Monday, according to Jeff Middleton in the St.Joseph County, Mich., prosecuting attorney's office.Although Middleton has not seen the official report, he said he was given the information via telephone regarding the homicide. Middleton said it was determined that Vroman "was killed somewhere else - probably Milford, Ind.," and her body was dumped at the location in Michigan. A time or date of death could not be determined, Middleton said, because the body was frozen.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

2 Held After Armed Robbery

NORTH WEBSTER - Two men are in the Kosciusko County Jail this morning after allegedly robbing an American Legion employee of a bank deposit, possibly at gunpoint. David Walter Hawthorne, 24, of 8264 N.Syracuse-Webster Road, Syracuse, and Ray James Skelton, 32, of 10 EMS D18 Lane, Syracuse, are each charged with armed robbery, a Class C felony.Both are being held without bond. According to Detective Sgt.Tom Brindle of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, the first suspect was in custody 16 minutes after the 911 call came in at 9:57 p.m., and the second suspect was apprehended at 10:35 p.m. Hawthorne was located at his home and arrested without incident.Police said they also recovered part of the stolen money at Hawthorne's residence.Hawthorne was out on bond after a December arrest for burglary and theft.
RUTH ANNE LIPKA, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

New Banking Regs Test Bounds Of Privacy

If the federal regulatory agencies have their way, bank tellers will be brought into the nation's war on drugs. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., The Federal Reserve, the Comptroller of the United States and the Manager of the Currency have all signed off on a proposed national regulation that would require banks to monitor their customers' transactions and report any suspicious activity to bank regulatory agencies. According to Steve Katsanos, press liaison for the FDIC, the proposed "Know Your Customer" regulation would require banks to establish policies and procedures to obtain information on banking habits. "The rule is supposed to aid in the effort to combat illegal drug trade," Katsanos said. As proposed, the regulation will require banks to determine the identity of their customers, their sources of funds and what their normal and expected transactions are, and a system to monitor customer activity for transactions inconsistent with those expectations.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Commissioners Hear Report On E911 Usage During 2000

In case of emergency, a person should call 911. In Kosciusko County in 2000, there were 13,036 emergency 911 calls, according to statistics compiled from the Kosciusko Communication Center. Tuesday, county administrator Ron Robinson provided the county commissioners with a breakdown of the statistics. "It is amazing," said commissioner Avis Gunter. Most of the calls were made from the city of Warsaw, which had 5,943 911 calls in 2000.Second was Syracuse, with 1,226, and third was North Webster, with 928.South Whitley had no 911 calls in 2000, Plymouth had only five and Akron had 32. The majority of 911 calls were made in August (1,227) and July (1,220).The fewest 911 calls were made in November (909) and February (960). In addition, 40,704 service calls were made to local police, EMS and fire departments.Of the 40,704 service calls, 32,133 were for police, 6,454 were for EMS and 2,117 were for fire departments.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Kosciusko Police Release Annual Statistics

Fifteen fatal traffic accidents in Kosciusko County during 2002 claimed the lives of 17 people. According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department 2002 Annual Report, five of those accidents, or 29 percent, were alcohol related. Overall, alcohol-related accidents measured 4 percent, with 48 of 1,309 accidents investigated by the KCSD (including fatalities) deemed to involve alcohol. In an attempt to combat the number of alcohol-related accidents, Kosciusko County sheriff's deputies made 159 drunken driving arrests.A total of 576 such arrests were recorded among the law enforcement agencies serving the county, including Indiana State Police and Department of Natural Resources.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Speedy Trial Rule Forces Release Of Murder Suspect

A Millersburg man charged with murder in the death of a Milford woman was released on bond Wednesday. Based on an Indiana Supreme Court rule, Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Rex Reed ruled Wednesday that Jason Fisher, 23, should be released because his right to a speedy trial was violated in relation to the murder charge against him. Fisher was charged with murder and jailed without bond on Jan.25, 2001. Reed cited Criminal Rule 4 which mandates that defendants held without bond for a period in excess of six months must be released on their own recognizance. The rule also states that the defendent is subject to trial on those same charges if brought to trial within a year of the filing of the charges.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Guilty Pleas Entered From Indictments

Two of six people indicted in 2001 by a Kosciusko County grand jury have pleaded guilty in Kosciusko Circuit Court to charges pending against them. Kurt Owens of Silver Lake, admitted taking money collected through South Central Emergency Medical Service for victims of the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department received a Crime Stoppers tip in September 2001 indicating there was a possible mishandling of money by Owens, the then-director of SCEMS, and monitored the situation for a short time before the investigation became full-blown. SCEMS conducted a fund-raiser after the Sept.11, 2001, tragedies and collected more than $6,000 for the National Police and Fire Disaster Relief Fund.When Owens was questioned about a receipt for the money, he allegedly provided false documentation, including a nonexistent address for where the money was to be sent. Sentencing on the theft charge is set for June 2.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016
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