Karen Barrett

Evansville Man Confesses To Killing Girlfriend

September 24, 2004

UPDATE, MON 10:23 AM: James Hape of Evansville is scheduled for an arraignment hearing at 1:00 p.m. in Posey County Circuit Court.

Hape has confessed to fatally shooting his girlfriend Karen Barrett, and leaving her body in the garage of her Posey County home.

UPDATE, SUN 9:50 PM: The Posey County Lead Detective Sergeant Dan Gaffney has informed Newswatch that after three hours of interrogation, James Hape has confessed to the murder of Karen Barrett.

They have also located the murder weapon. They found the pistol after searching through Hape's truck.

Hape is expected to be arraigned Monday in Posey County Court.

Police say that Hape's demeanor is calm and he is acting as if nothing happened.

UPDATE, SUN 5:15 PM: The suspect in this weekend's murder is in police custody. Police located James Hape in Fort Branch and he is being transported to Posey County Jail.

UPDATE, SUN 4:30 PM: Posey County police have named a prime suspect in this weekend's domestic homicide.

Police released a picture of James Hape, who is still on the loose Sunday evening.

Investigators say he allegedly murdered his live-in girlfriend Karen Barrett. Barrett was found in her garage, shot to death.

Police said that a motorist drove past on Friday and saw the open garage with Barrett's murdered body lying inside.

Police told Newswatch that Hape and Barrett were dating for only a year, and have had approximately six different domestic violence incidents within the past few months.

Investigators say Barrett's father has been concerned for his daughter's safety.

They said, "He was adamant about this was coming. This was going to happen ecetera ... Apparently Mr. Hape was known to be an extremely jealous individual and had a volatile personality."

Police believe Hape is driving a red 2004 Chevy pick-up. If you see Hape or the car, call Posey County Police or Indiana State Police.

EARLIER: The Posey County Sheriff's Office is investigating a homicide.

It happened Friday night just before 9pm in Wadesville, Indiana.

Emergency personnel responded to 8981 Winery Road, where they found 39-year-old Karen Barrett lying on the garage floor.

She had been shot multiple times in her upper torso and head. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for Barrett's boyfriend, 42-year old James Hape of Evansville. The Posey County Sheriff's Department has identified Hape as the lead suspect in the murder of Karen Barrett.

Police are searching for Hape. They believe he's driving a red, 2004 Chevy pickup extended cab or a purple 1998 Harley Davidson motorcycle.

If you have any information about James Hape's whereabouts, you should call the Posey County Sheriff's Office or Indiana State Police.

Vicki Hunt

13-Year-Old Boy Left Without Mom After Double Homicide

Ex-Boyfriend Charged With Two Counts Of Murder

September 16, 2004

NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- A 13-year-old boy is without his mother following an early-morning double homicide in southern Indiana Thursday.

Investigators said Vicki Hunt, 38, of New Albany, and 22-year-old DaJuan Clark, of Louisville, both were killed, WLKY NewsChannel 32's Natasha Collins reported.

Police also said Hunt's teenage son was in the house around the time of the crime. The boy somehow escaped and went to a neighbor's house, where police were called to the scene, Collins reported.

It happened at about 3 a.m. at Hunt's home on Hand Avenue in New Albany.

When investigators arrived, they saw a suspect run out of the home, Collins reported. They also found Hunt and Clark dead from multiple stab wounds inside the home.

Not long after, Kerry C. Wilson, 39, reportedly called police and arranged to turn himself in. While authorities wouldn't reveal what Wilson told them, it was apparently enough to charge him with the two homicides and place him in custody.

"The man that fled the house later made contact with police," New Albany Capt. Keith Whitlow said. "We located him. He's now in the Floyd County Jail, charged with two counts of murder."

Neighbors said Wilson and Hunt once were a couple and moved into the home on Hand Avenue in March, Collins reported.

"I didn't think it could happen here," neighbor Ivan Chambers said. "But it could happen anywhere, you know what I'm saying?"

Also:

In Floyd County, attorneys for Kerry Wilson negotiated a plea agreement that called for Wilson to plead guilty to the murders of Vicki Hunt and DaJuan Clark. In exchange for the plea, the prosecutor dismissed the death penalty request and habitual offender charge. At the time of the killings, Wilson was being held at a halfway house pending a revocation of his probation for a previous charge of battering Hunt, a former girlfriend. Wilson escaped from the halfway house and walked five miles to Hunt’s home, where he stabbed Hunt and Clark to death. Hunt’s thirteen-year-old son was in the home but was not injured.


To see post for dear friend DaJuan Clark please click here.

DaJuan Clark

Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty in Double Murder

September 23, 2004

In New Albany, a prosecutor said he will seek the death penalty for an inmate charged with fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend and another man about an hour after escaping from a halfway house.

Jealousy may have been 39-year-old Kerry Wilson's motive, Prosecutor Keith Henderson said during a hearing Tuesday in Floyd County Superior Court.

Wilson, of Jeffersonville, is charged with murder in the Sept. 16 slayings of Vicki Hunt, 38, and Dajuan Clark, 22, at her home in New Albany. Both cities are just north of Louisville, Ky.

Court records show that Wilson has a history of domestic violence dating back at least 8 years. He was charged in April with choking and beating Hunt.

Wilson had been held since July 30 at the Dismas Charities Portland halfway house, which houses some inmates from Clark County to relieve jail crowding there. He was being held because Clark County prosecutors had filed a petition to revoke his probation.

Police said that Hunt's 13-year-old son was at home at the time of the attack but was able to leave the house without being injured.


To see post for dear friend Vicki Hunt, please click here.

Sharon Glass

RUBEN GREEN, Appellant-Defendant, vs. STATE OF INDIANA, Appellee-Plaintiff.

No. 49A05-0610-CR-557
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Ruben Green and Sharon Glass were involved in a romantic relationship from November 2003 to September 2004. On September 3, after the relationship had ended, Glass reported a computer and two DVD/VCR players had been taken from her home. The burglary upset Glass, so she and her new boyfriend, Robert Dunn, spent the night at a hotel. When she returned home the next day, she found her television had been stolen. That day, she reported Green had beaten her and told police she suspected he was involved in at least one of the burglaries. Dunn testified Green spied on Glass, called her frequently, and left a message stating she "was going to regret leaving me, bitch."

Robert Locke, a friend of Glass, was dating a woman who lived in the same apartment complex as Green. Locke was at the complex frequently. Green told Locke he had stolen some of Glass' property, and Locke saw him pawn some of the items. Locke told Glass that Green had her property, but did not tell her Green had pawned the items.

On September 13, Glass told Dunn that Green had called her, saying he was willing to return her property. Glass went to Green's apartment complex, where she saw Locke sitting outside. Glass told him that she had come to get her things from Green. She told him if she was not out in fifteen minutes, he should call the police.

Locke did not take her comment seriously and returned to his girlfriend's apartment. About fifteen minutes later, Green appeared at the door of Locke's girlfriend's apartment and told Locke that Glass had hit him in the head with a bottle. Locke and Green ran back to Green's apartment, where Locke saw Glass sitting in a chair. She was bloody and wearing only panties and a shirt. Her mouth was open and her eyes were rolled back in her head. Locke ran back to his girlfriend's apartment to call 911. Green also called 911 and began CPR on Glass as instructed.

Paramedics arrived to take Glass to the hospital, and she died en route. Green was taken into custody. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Green claimed Glass had hit him in the head with his clock and bit him, the attack was unprovoked, and he had hurt her in the course of warding off her attack.

Green was charged with murder and was originally tried in May 2006. During the trial, Detective Claire Hochman discovered she had relevant telephone records in her possession. They were not certified and had not been provided to the defense during discovery. Detective Hochman handed the records over to the prosecutor, who in turn gave a copy to the defense counsel. The State acknowledged they could not be admitted at trial. Neither party informed the judge of this situation.

While Detective Hochman was on the stand, a juror asked a question about phone records. Green's counsel attempted to object, but because the judge was unaware of the discovery violation, he cut counsel short and permitted questions about the records. Detective Hochman testified she had records of calls between Glass, Locke, and Green. When the prosecutor began to ask Detective Hochman additional questions, Green's counsel asked to approach the bench. Counsel was finally able to explain the situation to the judge, and a mistrial was declared.

Green moved to dismiss the charges, but his motion was denied. The case proceeded to a second trial in August 2006. The parties were told not to refer to the first trial and to instruct their witnesses accordingly. However, Glass' mother, Deborah Ellis, referred to "the prosecutor from the last trial" during her testimony.  Green did not object, but the judge admonished the prosecutor, who claimed he had prepared his witnesses and the reference was inadvertent.

By agreement, the parties played a tape of forensic scientist Judith Macechko's testimony from the first trial. The tape was to be edited to remove any indication the testimony was from a previous trial. Nevertheless, multiple comments on the tape indicated Macechko was testifying before a jury. Again, Green failed to object. When the judge admonished the State a second time, Green moved for a mistrial. The trial court denied the motion, but offered a curative instruction. Green declined to have the jury admonished. The second trial resulted in a conviction of murder.