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Huntington County Cold Case Solved: ISP Cold Case Unit Identifies Killer Huntington County, IN – Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit has identified the killer from a 1997 cold case. On Sunday December 21st, 1997, 23-year-old Angela Saco was found deceased on Huntington County Reservoir property off County Road 100 East north of County Road 100 South in Huntington County. The Huntington County Coroner’s Office, Huntington County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Conservation Officers, and the Indiana State Police responded to the scene and a murder investigation ensued. An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death was stab wounds. Witnesses reported that Angela was last seen at her place of employment in Fort Wayne during the early morning hours of December 21, 1997. Angela lived in Fort Wayne and had a 2-year-old son. Nearly 100 people were interviewed during the initial investigation; however, detectives were unable to develop enough probable cause to charge anyone with Saco’s murder. As the years passed, law enforcement continued to investigate the case. The Indiana State Police spent extensive time over the next twenty-nine years continuing the investigation. In 2024, the Indiana State Police formed their Cold Case Unit, and a renewed focus was placed on Saco’s murder utilizing advancements in DNA testing. Twenty-eight years after Saco’s murder, evidentiary items collected and preserved at the crime scene were submitted for testing with Identifinders International, a forensic genealogy company in California founded by Colleen Fitzpatrick. A DNA profile was developed using Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) DNA testing. In February 2026, forensic genetic genealogists identified Stephen L. Shlater as a candidate suspect; he was later confirmed through STR testing as the contributor of the DNA at the crime scene. Stephen L. Shlater was 50-years-old at the time Angela Saco was murdered. Ironically, he had been released from federal prison on another case in the Spring of 1997, just five months before Angela’s murder. Shlater died in 2021 in Huntington County. His last known residence was in Markle, Indiana. Huntington County Prosecutor Jeremy Nix advised that if Stephen L. Shlater were alive today, he would be charged with the murder of Angela Saco. Colleen Fitzpatrick stated, “Identifinders International is proud to have supported the Indiana State Police to bring long overdue answers to Angela’s family. This case is another example of a case that would have not been solved without the use of forensic genetic genealogy.” The work ethic of detectives from the agencies combined with the assistance of numerous witnesses, the Huntington County Coroner’s Office, the Huntington County Prosecutor’s Office, plus advancements in scientific technology enabled the detectives from the Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit to assemble the pieces of this nearly thirty-year-old puzzle. Left photo - Angela Saco Right photo - Stephen L. Shlater

Bloomington Man Arrested on Numerous Charges Following Pursuit on I-65 BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY — Sunday, May 24, 2026: A Bloomington man was arrested Sunday evening after fleeing from an Indiana State Trooper on Interstate 65 and later striking two vehicles before coming to a stop. Senior Trooper Ryne McMahel, who works out of the Sellersburg Post, was on his way home from working the Indianapolis 500 when the incident began. The incident began around 7:36 p.m. near the 77‑mile marker on I‑65 southbound when a maroon passenger car nearly sideswiped McMahel’s patrol vehicle while traveling at a high rate of speed. The driver, later identified as Joe Dylan Hacker, 23, of Bloomington, fled when a traffic stop was attempted, prompting a brief pursuit that was terminated after approximately two miles for safety due to heavy traffic and wet roadway conditions. A short time later, dispatch reported that the same vehicle had crashed farther south on the interstate. State police radio advised that the driver had allegedly been boxed in by other motorists after colliding with two vehicles. Troopers later confirmed Hacker had struck two other vehicles, both resulting in property‑damage‑only crashes, before coming to a stop near the 61‑mile marker. When McMahel made contact, Hacker allegedly failed to comply with repeated commands, leading Trooper McMahel to deploy his Taser before safely bringing the suspect into custody. During the investigation, officers also learned the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Marion County. Hacker was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital, where he was medically evaluated and later cleared. As a result of the ensuing investigation, Hacker was transported to the Bartholomew County Jail. In addition to several traffic infractions, he faces the following charges: Felony Charges: • Resisting Law Enforcement with a Vehicle, Level 6 Felony • Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Level 6 Felony • Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle Used in a Crime, Level 6 Felony • Obstruction of Justice, Level 6 Felony Misdemeanor Charges: • Resisting Law Enforcement, A Misdemeanor • Operating While Intoxicated (Endangerment), A Misdemeanor • Theft (All Other Larceny), A Misdemeanor • Aggressive Driving, A Misdemeanor • Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Crash, B Misdemeanor • Reckless Driving Causing Property Damage, B Misdemeanor • Operating While Intoxicated, C Misdemeanor • Refusal to Identify, C Misdemeanor Trooper McMahel was assisted by Trooper James Herbert and Logan Gray of the Versailles District as well as Deputy Bryant with the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department. @93wibc

Ozzy Osbourne’s Son Defends AI Avatar After Fan Backlash bit.ly/4uC1piq

$50,000 Powerball Ticket Sold in Indiana Sparks Search for Winner bit.ly/4dJ4UfI

Diego Morales: Elina Kupce was “Legally Authorized to Work at All Times” in his Office bit.ly/4dO3SiC

Trash, Tents and Surprises: Indy 500 Cleanup Turns Unusual bit.ly/4dNJdLq

Shooter and Getaway Driver Sentenced for Armed Robbery That Left Dollar Store Clerk Wounded INDIANAPOLIS- Jeremy Helms, 24, and Jaylynn McKinney, 24, both of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to 13 years and 10 months and 10 years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Each defendant will also serve three years of supervised release following their prison term. According to court documents, on April 23, 2023, Helms and McKinney robbed the Family Dollar store located at 1836 East 10th Street. McKinney acted as the getaway driver in a blue Ford Focus, which he parked behind the store. Helms entered the business, pointed a handgun equipped with an extended magazine at the clerk, and demanded money from the registers. When the clerk was unable to open them, Helms reached into the victim’s pockets and stole $120 in cash. As Helms exited the store, he fired the handgun toward the victim, striking him in the left leg. Helms then fled to the waiting Ford Focus, entering the passenger side. Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were in the area and quickly received a description of the suspect vehicle. When officers located the Ford Focus and attempted a traffic stop, McKinney failed to stop immediately, instead turning onto a nearby street and slowing the vehicle. At that point, Helms exited the car and fled on foot. justice.gov/usao-sdin/pr/s… @93wibc

Officer Involved Shooting Hendricks County **UPDATE** The Hendricks County Coroner has approved the release of the names of the decedents, who were married to one another, in this case.  They are: Brian Branagin, 51 years of age Laura Branagin 52 years of age This investigation is still ongoing and there is no additional information which can be publicly released at this time. Original news release is below. On May 25, 2026, at approx. 1:00 p.m., the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Department received a call from an individual in reference to a domestic disturbance at 671 Edgewood Dr., in Danville. Hendricks County Deputies arrived on scene, and contact was made with a male subject who came out of the house and then went back into the residence.  The man was seen exiting and reentering the residence with a rifle.  Deputies called for assistance.  Additional officers from the Hendricks County Joint Tactical Team, Danville Police Department, Avon Police Department, Brownsburg Police Department and Plainfield Police Department responded to the scene. The male subject continued to exit and enter the residence. Deputies and officers continued to give commands for the subject to drop the rifle, attempting communication.  At one point, the male subject came out of the residence and pointed a rifle towards the deputies and officers.  The deputies and the officers then discharged their weapons and struck the male subject, and first aid was immediately rendered. Officers entered the residence to try and locate the female involved in the domestic disturbance.  The female was not located in the residence.  A search of the property was conducted, and the female was eventually located in a grassy area south of the residence, at the back of the property. EMS personnel declared both the male subject and female deceased at the scene. The deputies and officers involved in the officer involved shooting have been placed on administrative duty per their department policy. The names of the deceased will be released once notification to the family has been completed. No deputies or officers were hurt during this incident. The sheriff and the chiefs of the responding agencies requested the Indiana State Police to conduct the investigation. At this point there is no further information which can be released publicly.  Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over to the Hendricks County Prosecutor’s Office for review. @93wibc

Young, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Strengthen Workforce Training WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) reintroduced legislation to help Americans gain new skills and advance in the workforce and help businesses find the skilled workforce that they need to grow. The Gateway to Careers Act would help expand access to workforce training programs, support workers who face barriers to employment, and strengthen pathways to good-paying jobs in industries facing workforce shortages. The bill also aims to help employers connect with skilled workers at a time when many businesses continue to face hiring challenges. The Gateway to Careers Act would provide grants to support partnerships between community or technical colleges and workforce development partners such as state workforce development boards, industry associations, and community-based organizations. These partnerships would support individuals who are unemployed or underemployed by strengthening job training and removing barriers that prevent them from completing a degree or credential program and succeeding in the workforce by providing support for things such as housing, mental and substance use disorder treatment, health insurance coverage, career counseling, child care, transportation, and guidance in accessing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). @93wibc

INDIANAPOLIS — The ACLU of Indiana has finalized a $225,000 settlement in a high-profile First Amendment lawsuit against Ball State University President Geoffrey Mearns. The legal battle stemmed from the termination of Suzanne Swierc, a University Director who was fired after publishing a private social media post regarding a matter of public concern. In the post, Swierc addressed the death of conservative public figure Charlie Kirk. She characterized his death as a tragedy, wrote that she prayed for his soul, and noted that while his death reflected the hatred, fear, and violence he sowed, absolutely nothing excused his killing. She also stated that “If you think Charlie Kirk was a wonderful person, we can’t be friends,” and also how Kirk excused the deaths of children in the name of the second amendment. wibc.com/888058/ball-st… @93wibc

Ball State Pays $225K to Settle Fired Employee’s ACLU Lawsuit bit.ly/4u01M5j

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IndyGo Bus Burnt After Catching Fire bit.ly/4dGAHPP

Driver and Shooter Sentenced to Federal Prison for Indy Armed Robbery bit.ly/4fs93r5

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