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A Dec. 12 trial date was set Monday in Whitley Circuit Court for the Pierceton man accused of murder in the death of a Warsaw man.
Eugene A. Nowak, 36, is charged with murder and felony murder in the death of 63-year-old Donald Sundheimer. The jury trial is scheduled for four days.
Sundheimer was killed July 23 and his body was located in a Whitley County cornfield on Aug. 16. The cause of death for Sundheimer was listed as blunt trauma to the head. Nowak allegedly struck Sundheimer in the head several times with a tire iron.
Sundheimer was reported missing after his vehicle was found abandoned July 23 north of Columbia City.
Also charged in connection with Sundheimer's death was Stephanie Smith, 27, of Pierceton, who reportedly was with Nowak when the murder occurred. She is charged with aiding in a robbery.
The three reportedly left a Warsaw bar together on July 22, the last time anyone saw Sundheimer alive. Sundheimer's bank accounts showed several attempts at automatic teller machine activity on July 23 and Nowak reportedly took money from Sundheimer's wallet after striking him in the head and dragging him into a cornfield.
A trial date has not yet been set for Smith.
Brad Voelze of Warsaw is the appointed counsel for Nowak.
Nowak remains jailed without bond and Smith is being held in lieu of $100,000 bond.
