Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Several local residents arrived this morning for service on a grand jury panel in Kosciusko Circuit Court.
The grand jury, which convened at 8:30 a.m., will review evidence against a suspect in the Crystal Gayle Homister case. The name of the suspect has not been released by the Kosciusko County Prosecutor's Office.
Homister's remains were found in a wooded area off CR 1050N, near Syracuse, on April 6 - three months after the 22-year-old from Elkhart disappeared. The burned skeleton was identified as Homister's by a Fort Wayne forensic odontologist through the use of dental records. Police recovered 85 percent to 90 percent of the skeleton and said the case is being investigated as a homicide.
The grand jury was requested by Kosciusko County Prosecutor Charles Waggoner based on information gathered by local investigators. The 12-person panel is expected to meet today and Wednesday to review evidence and, if necessary, another day or two next week, according to information related by Waggoner in June.
The Homister case has been under investigation by both Kosciusko and Elkhart county authorities. No information has been released as to whether investigators believe Homister died where her remains were found or was killed elsewhere and her body dumped at the location near Lake Wawasee.
Investigators will likely be among those testifying before the grand jury, but a witness list was not made available.
A grand jury is responsible for determining whether there is sufficient evidence to formally charge someone who is suspected of a crime.
