Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The death of a Ridinger Lake man Jan. 13 has been ruled a homicide by the Kosciusko County coroner.
Martin A. Johns, 34, of 259 EMS R4D Lane, died while wrestling with his half brother, John W. Groves Jr., 32, of the same address.
Coroner Larry Ladd said the initial autopsy on Johns indicates that he died from strangulation. He noted, though, that while the death has been ruled a homicide, "that doesn't conclude it's a murder."
Detective Sgt. Sam Whitaker of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department said he is still in the interview process of the investigation and no charges have yet been filed.
Whitaker said much of his investigation hinges on the results of the final autopsy report, which isn't expected to be completed for several weeks.
Johns and Groves were reportedly fighting for an unknown reason when the two had each other in a headlock. Groves told police the night of the incident that Johns suddenly became limp and that CPR was started before Johns was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital, Warsaw, where he was pronounced dead.
The police report filed in regard to the incident noted that there were blood stains on the carpet and the ledge of a space heater in the men's home and that two half-gallon bottles of whiskey that each of the brothers was reportedly drinking from were found in the home.
