Faith VanArsdale

Boyfriend May Be Involved With Death

November 14, 2006

(COLUMBUS) - Columbus police are interviewing the boyfriend of a woman found dead Sunday.

Forty-one-year old Dana Roberts is a suspect in the death of 39-year old Faith VanArsdale.

Roberts reportedly drove to Indianapolis following the killing and told city police where to find VanArsdale's corpse.

Police discovered the woman's body at her home, the apparent victim of strangulation.

Roberts is a convicted sex offender who had allegedly been violent towards VanArsdale in the past.

From the appellate decision:

On November 11, 2006, Roberts was living in Columbus with his girlfriend of eleven weeks, Faith Vanarsdale, and her two children, five-year-old T.R. and seven-year-old C.R. At approximately 11:30 p.m., Roberts returned home from work, the children were asleep on the couch, and Vanarsdale took a shower and went upstairs to go to bed. Roberts ate dinner, drank a forty-ounce beer, and went to the bedroom to go to bed.

When he got to the bedroom, Vanarsdale and Roberts began arguing. Vanarsdale slapped Roberts and began screaming. Roberts placed Vanarsdale in a chokehold until she lost consciousness. He wrapped his arm around Vanarsdale’s neck, held her face to the mattress, and put his weight on top of her. Vanarsdale weighed approximately 100 pounds, and Roberts weighed approximately 200 pounds. When Roberts released Vanarsdale, she was dead. Vanarsdale’s death was caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain and the inability to move air into her lungs. Roberts hid Vanarsdale’s naked body under the bed, left the house, and drove to Indianapolis.

In the early morning hours of November 12, 2006, Roberts called 911 and reported the death. The 911 operator informed Roberts that he should go to the City County Building and turn himself in. Roberts did so, admitting to a Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy that he had killed Vanarsdale. The incident was reported to the Columbus Police Department which eventually confirmed Vanarsdale’s death. During an interview with Detective Marc Kruchten of the Columbus Police Department, Roberts admitted to killing Vanarsdale.

On November 13, 2006, the State charged Roberts with murder. At trial, Roberts testified and again admitted to killing Vanarsdale. A jury found Roberts guilty, and the trial court sentenced him to sixty-two years.