David McPike

David McPike

Victims Identified In Kokomo Triple Slaying

Police Release New Information In Killings

POSTED: 1:47 pm EDT April 10, 2010

KOKOMO, Ind. -- The identities of three people who were found slain in a Kokomo home on Friday morning were released on Saturday as police provided some additional details of the investigation.

The bodies of David McPike, 62, of Kokomo, Rebecca Berg, 57, and Jessica Berg, 28, both of Gas City, were found in a home in the 1500 block of South Courtland Avenue.Kokomo police Lt. Don Whitehead said Rebecca and Jessica were in Kokomo to attend a family member’s funeral and had spent the night in McPike’s home.

The bodies were found by someone who came to pick the three victims up for the funeral, police said. Jeremy Blanchard, 30, of Gas City, who police called a person of interest in the case, was taken into custody in London, Ky., on Friday night.

Police did not release information about how the victims died, but an autopsy was being conducted on Saturday, with results expected on Sunday. The bodies were found in different rooms of the home.

Blanchard was held on warrants for a probation violation and intimidation, but he was not arrested in connection with the slayings. According to Indiana Department of Correction records, Blanchard served four years in prison for a battery conviction in 1996, and was sentenced to 16 years in prison for several counts of attempted burglary and burglary in 2000. He was released in September 2009.

Neighbors told 6News that McPike had lived in the home for quite some time, and had recently retired."(He was a) super nice guy. Something you wouldn't expect to happen to him," said neighbor Lee Newcome.

Blanchard was the ex-boyfriend of Jessica Berg, officials said. A restraining order had been filed against him on Thursday in Grant County. Police asked anyone with information about the case to call Kokomo police at 765-456-7017 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.


Also see posts for Jessica Berg and Rebecca Berg.