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When Jason Paul Davidson goes on trial for murder, a special prosecutor will handle the case.
Davidson, 33, of Leesburg, is accused in the shooting death of Samuel J. Creekmore, 30, of Warsaw. Creekmore, who was the husband of Davidson's ex-wife, suffered five gunshot wounds in the May 2 attack at Creekmore's Melody Acres residence.
Davidson is charged with murder and a firearms enhancement. A trial date for the case has not yet been set.
Kosciusko County Prosecutor Charles Waggoner said one of the reasons for requesting a special prosecutor in the case is that he does not expect the matter to reach trial before the end of this year.
Waggoner failed in his bid for re-election in the May Republican primary.
R. Steven Hearn, of Warsaw, won the primary and no Democrat candidate filed for prosecutor. The deadline for filing has passed, so Hearn will run unopposed in the November general election and will take office Jan. 1.
Waggoner said the possibility of appointing a special prosecutor was discussed during a pre-trial hearing Friday. He also said he spoke with Hearn, Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Rex Reed and defense attorney Michael Miner, and the four agreed "it would be best" to seek a special prosecutor for the case.
The appointment was filed Monday in Kosciusko Circuit Court.
John W. Whiteleather Jr., prosecutor at Whitley County, and Matthew J. Rentschler, Whitley County chief deputy prosecutor, were appointed special prosecutor and assistant special prosecutor, respectively. Neither has filed an oath and acceptance, a requirement expected to take place by the end of next week. The appointments for both will be a two-year term.
The next scheduled hearing in the case, a pretrial conference, is set for 9:30 a.m. Nov. 1.
