Suspect Arrested in Elderly Couple’s Murder

Jim Burroway

November 18th, 2008

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police has announced that Michael Brown, 56, was arrested Saturday in San Diego. He was wanted for the murder of Eric Hendricks, 73, and Milton Lindgren, 70 in October.

According to court records, two murder charges were filed against Brown on Thursday and a warrant for his arrest was issued. While neighbors believed that the murders might have been a hate crime, police have not said what led to the deaths.

Lynn David

November 18th, 2008

Jim, I don’t think they were necessarily a ‘couple.’ Milt Lindgren had been caring for Eric Hendricks who was confined to a wheelchair.

As for why they were killed, it will not matter much here except to form a reason to link the murderer to the crime.

Stefano A

November 19th, 2008

In the original WRTV (News 6 Indianapolis) and the Indianapolis Star have both quoted Parick Bear, a friend of the victims,…

told 6 News’ Rick Hightower that he believed the men were targeted.

“I firmly believe it was definitely a hate crime. Milt was 70 and his partner was 73 and to go into someone’s home and do something like that, it’s just too coincidental,” he said.

What is disturbing is that Michael Brown, the man arrested, is also one of the two men who called the police to report the murder.

Stefano A

November 19th, 2008

Friends of the couple say they believe the slayings were a hate crime. They say that the men had been previously targeted by vandals. Phone and cable lines cut twice in the past few months, the friends say. They also say that homophobic graffiti was found on their front door in the weeks prior to the killings.

But investigators say they have found no evidence the killings are linked to the vandalism. They also say, however, there is no evidence the motive was robbery. Nothing appears to have been taken.

I doubt I’ve seen all of the coverage, so does anyone know what led the police to suspect Brown?

Since Brown was a friend of the two men it seems odd that he’d suddenly up and start vandalizing their home and then murder them for being gay, and since nothing was taken it wouldn’t appear he was after money.

I’ll be interested in finding out what the motive was.

AJD

November 19th, 2008

Even if it is considered a hate crime, Indiana doesn’t have a hate-crime law, let alone one includes sexual orientation.

Stefano A

November 21st, 2008

A memorial services was held for the two men yesterday. In the coverage of the memorial more information about Brown was revealed:

Police investigators found that the victims’ credit card accounts were being misused by Brown. In an affidavit, homicide detective Robert Flack said Brown, who once lived with the victims, had purchased thousands of dollars in merchandise using Hendricks’ credit cards.

The document also says that in February, someone tried to change Hendricks’ mailing address through the Camby post office to an address used by Brown. The victims learned about that in September and were upset, the document says.

Police were told by several people that Brown falsely claimed to be a doctor at Clarian West Medical Center in Hendricks County, according to the affidavit.

While it’s true that Indiana has no hate- or bias-crime laws that carry criminal penalites. . .

. . .Indiana does require law enforcement to report such crimes to the Indiana State Police. Those are defined as crimes motivated by hate for people based on their race, religion or sexual orientation.

Stefano A

November 21st, 2008

BTW:

They had been together as a couple since Lindgren’s divorce, said his daughter, Shahannah Roudebush.

“I accepted him and loved him for who he was,” Roudebush said before the service. “He didn’t go out and announce it, but he was comfortable with it.”

No mention, however, was made how long ago that was.

Jim Burroway

November 21st, 2008

Given this latest information, it looks like this wasn’t a hate crime.

Timothy Kincaid

November 21st, 2008

It may even be a situation of faked hate crime – a murder that was made to look like a homophobic hate crime in order to cover up a theft

Stefano A

November 21st, 2008

It may even be a situation of faked hate crime – a murder that was made to look like a homophobic hate crime in order to cover up a theft

That is my suspicion.

Janet Robinson

November 27th, 2008

WRTV owes Marcus Miller a public apology for splashing his name across TV as a suspect in the robbery. This was done before the police — from jail –discovered that he was not involed in the robbery and released him. WRTV this is irresponsible journalism, and until I, his grandmother, and his worried family understand WHY?, we willl continue to pursue this issue.

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