Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
GOSHEN - A Nappanee man pleaded guilty to the October 1997 murder of his ex-girlfriend in Nappanee.
Tony DeBatty, 40, pleaded guilty to the murder of Elizabeth Hershberger, 27, of Nappanee.
A plea agreement in the case calls for a maximum sentence of 55 years, while DeBatty may ask for only 45 years in prison. The Elkhart County prosecutor agreed not to pursue other charges against DeBatty in the case.
DeBatty was arrested on Oct. 1, 1997, when he reportedly stabbed Hershberger at Newmar Corp. in Nappanee where she worked.
DeBatty reportedly entered the business, asked where Hershberger, the mother of his child, was working, and then stabbed her repeatedly with a hunting knife.
In the special hearing Monday, DeBatty asked to withdraw his not-guilty plea and enter the plea of guilty as part of the plea agreement.
DeBatty said that he stabbed Hershberger with the intention of killing her.
Judge Gene Duffin scheduled DeBatty to be sentenced May 14 at 9 a.m.
DeBatty tried to plead guilty to the stabbing in his initial court appearance Oct. 2, but the judge refused to accept the plea at the time. A July 20 trial had been set for the murder case.
