Mary Jane Frisby

Mary Jane Frisby

Lawyer Found Dead in Home After Suicidal Gunman Shoots at Downtown Indy Firm

Posted Aug 26, 2010 9:59 PM CDT
By Molly McDonough

The body of Mary Jane Frisby, 44, a former partner at the Indianapolis-based Barnes & Thornburg, was found in her home, the apparent victim of homicide.

Police discovered her body after her estranged husband, David Frisby, shot himself at a parking garage near the firm, which she'd recently left, reports Channel 6 in Indianapolis.

The news outlet reports that the couple was getting a divorce. Police went to Mary Jane Frisby's home after finding a tape recording apparently left by David Frisby in his car, WTHR Channel 13 reports.

Late Thursday afternoon, Barnes & Thornburg staff were under lockdown, told by police to stay away from exterior walls which had been penetrated by two bullets, firm partner Don Knebel told Indiana Lawyer.

Knebel told the publication that lawyers were getting news updates about the shooting on their BlackBerrys.

"Indiana Supreme Court public information officer Kathryn Dolan, who has an office in the 30 S. Meridian building across from the parking garage, said several people in the Division of State Court Administration heard the gunshots and saw the man shoot himself and then fall from the garage," Indiana Lawyer reports.

Frisby is believed to have fired six shots from the top floor of the parking garage before shooting himself, then falling to the ground below, according to several news reports.

"He turned and it's like he looked directly at us and fired two shots," Barnes & Thornburg lawyer Anthony Prather told Channel 6.

Channel 6 reports that David Frisby, 58, had posted a message on Facebook condemning the law firm, writing, "The bad lawyers at the Barnes & Thornburg law firm ... do not respect the institution of marriage and corrupted my wife Mary Jane (sex and drugs). Someone (maybe one of their good lawyers) please make them pay. Justice demands the truth out. It's a tragedy."

Barnes & Thornburg Managing Partner Alan A. Levin released a statement Thursday, saying, "The Barnes & Thornburg family is deeply saddened by the tragic incidents that occurred today. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of our beloved former partner, Mary Jane Frisby. Mary Jane was a valued member of Barnes & Thornburg for several years. She will be missed by all of us. This is a very sad day for the firm."

Last week, Mary Jane Frisby left the firm to accept a position at Cummins, according to Channel 13. Cached versions of her profile at the firm show that she was a longtime IP lawyer, who handled IP litigation and non-litigation enforcement matters.

The couple's adult son and high-school aged daughter were not believed to be at the couple's home at the time Mary Jane Frisby was killed.

Marjorie Bellows

Man Stabbed Mother, Left Her To Die

73-Year-Old Woman Left Bleeding In Home

POSTED: 4:10 pm EDT March 30, 2010

BROWNSBURG, Ind. -- A Brownsburg man has been arrested, accused of stabbing his mother during an argument.

Marjorie Bellow, 73, was found yelling for help in her home at 502 Douglass Drive Monday afternoon.

Bart Bellows, 49, who lived at the home with his mother, told police that they had been fighting Sunday night, and that he stabbed his mother when he thought she was going to shoot him with a shotgun.

Marjorie Bellow was found just after 3 p.m. Monday with several stab wounds to the face and arms. She was transported to Indiana University Hospital.  Police said no shotgun was found in the home.

Bart Bellows was preliminarily charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, battery with a deadly weapon, criminal confinement and interference.

Also:

Marjorie died April 15th of stab wounds to head and arms, inflicted by her son Bart in an attack on March 28th. He claimed he thought she was going to shoot him with a shotgun, but police found no other weapons in the house.

Angie Warnock

Man arrested in stabbing death of estranged wife

June 23, 2009 by Bruce Smith | Star staff

BROWNSBURG, Ind. — In the last minutes of Father’s Day, police believe, a Brownsburg man violently stabbed his estranged wife to death.

The couple’s two daughters, ages 8 and 12, slept with their mother as the attack began before midnight Sunday. The girls ran and escaped injury, police said.

“Daddy stabbed Mommy,” one of the girls said in a 911 call after her father left early Monday. They hid in a closet about 20 minutes, police said.

Joseph L. Warnock, 41, is charged with murder in the death of Angela A. Warnock, 38. He was arrested about 9 p.m. Monday north of Brownsburg and taken to Hendricks County Jail in Danville.

Detectives said Angela Warnock was stabbed many times. Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Charles Morefield described injuries to her arms as “defensive wounds, like she tried to resist.”

“This looked like a crime of passion,” he said.

A judge had ordered Joseph Warnock to stay away from the family home in the 10400 block of Splendor Way in the Eagle Crossing subdivision, about a half-mile west of 56th Street and Raceway Road on the Hendricks-Marion county line.

Shortly before midnight, Warnock parked in a church lot about a quarter-mile from the home, walked through farm fields and broke in the patio door, investigators believe. He stabbed his wife with a steak knife, a weapon he apparently took to the house, detectives said.

Police and their dogs tracked Warnock to the church lot but didn’t find him during a search around Eagle Creek Park and nearby areas on the Northwestside of Indianapolis.

Sheriff’s officials said a caller reported seeing a man matching Warnock’s description sitting next to a utility box in the 10500 block of East County Road 600 North — about a quarter-mile from the Warnock home.

An off-duty officer working night security at Eagle Crossing arrested Warnock without incident, sheriff’s officials said.

“Our officers recognized him immediately,” Morefield said. “He just put his hands in the air and gave up.”

Warnock was shirtless and wearing shorts and tennis shoes. He was dirty and had light scratches on his body — the kind that might come from running through twigs, Morefield said.

Joseph Warnock filed for divorce Friday, the same day a court hearing discussed extending a protective order for Angela Warnock and the girls.

In a court document, Angela Warnock had asked for the family home. She had planned to take the daughters to live with her family in Hawaii within a few days.

Joseph Warnock had asked the court to prevent her from taking the children from Indiana, according to another document.

Angela Warnock had filed for the protective order in May. Neighbors said Joseph Warnock jogged through the Eagle Crossing neighborhood in recent days, though the protective order required him to stay away.

Angela Warnock — “Angie” to friends — worked at a Brownsburg beauty salon. Friends said she was active in her girls’ education, and both parents enjoyed sports with their children. Joseph Warnock sells tanning beds, and he coached a daughter’s basketball team.

Both graduated from Ben Davis High School. Joseph Warnock ran cross country and graduated in 1986. Angela Warnock, a 1988 grad, participated in track and field.

Cynthia L. Miller

Cindy Miller

Man Killed Wife After Hearing Divorce Plan

Authorities: 47-Year-Old Said He Couldn't Go On Without Spouse

April 14, 2004

A man suspected of fatally shooting his estranged wife this week had just learned she planned to divorce him, police said in a probable cause affidavit.

Police said John M. Mitchell, 47, called 911 Tuesday afternoon to say he had shot his wife, Cynthia L. Mitchell, 42, in their Brownsburg-area home. John Mitchell was arrested minutes later, and his wife was pronounced dead at the scene.

John Mitchell told an officer that Cynthia informed him that morning by telephone she planned to file for divorce this week, according to the affidavit. The couple had separated in October, and he was living at a different residence, police said.

He then made plans to have dinner with her and their six children, the affidavit said. Before dinnertime, he took two guns to the home and shot his wife five times, he allegedly told police.

When an officer asked John Mitchell what provoked the shooting, he replied he couldn't go on without his wife, according to the affidavit.

One of the couple's six children -- a 2-year-old boy -- was at the home when the shooting happened, police said. As a result of the shooting, the children are staying with other family members, RTV6's Jack Rinehart reported.

John Mitchell, charged with murder, was being held Wednesday at the Hendricks County Jail without opportunity for bail.  His trial is scheduled for July 12. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or a prison sentence ranging from 45 years to life.