GUILTY IN - Katlyn 'Katie' Collman, 10, Crothersville, 25 Jan 2005

[kk's mom]

I agree- this is the cruelest crime of all. I keep thinking about the fear she must have felt, and how she wished for her mommy and daddy. My heart is broken for Katelyn and her parents....

My daughter, soon to be 11, thinks I'm a weirdo because I drive her to the bus stop! Oh well!!! Better safe than sorry.

My heart is broken too IdahoMom. It's soooo sad. I just can't accept the deaths of innocent children. It's so gutwrenching to me. How these killers can prey on little innocent children is beyond me.

And please keep driving your daughter to the bus stop! I drive my daughter to school everyday (and she is on a scheduled bus stop)! When we are in the stores, she knows she is not allowed to leave my side! When I stop for coffee and she wants to go over and grab a milk, she has to wait until I am with her. I just don't trust anyone anymore!

 

[dannyodie]

the info I forwarded to the appropriate people up there may or may not have been what got him arrested. all that was said on there behalf is that they would look at that as a great possibility I never thought that my insite from so far away might be something useful. whatever info I saw to myself was frightning and not really clear to me as to why I should comment on something so far off, but if it was any help I am greatful that it led to something positive in such a heart breaking case of a child being murdered. I really shouldn't comment on all that I invisioned to myself or how it moved me enough to get somewhat involved. I am glad that the person taken into custody did the right thing my getting this off his chest by confessing. sorry that I did not get back with you in a more timely manner but was trying to come to some sort of terms as to what all this was meaning and how to deal with it. may god bless this childs family and all that knew her...

 

[Jenn]

Cops seek more suspects

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146301,00.html

 

[englishleigh]

Ewww, what a scuzzy-looking guy. I'm so glad they caught him!!!! Prayers for Katie and her family.

 

[dannyodie]

I agree, what a scuzzy kinda guy. the more they look into this man the more that will come out, I would almost go as far as saying that a computer hard drive that he has had access to will reveal a disturbing find. the composite was really uncanning.. It sure is good that they have gotten the main piece of this sad puzzle... god bless this childs friends and family for all the pain they are facing... had they not gotten him I feared that other children would have been at great risk..

 

[kk's mom]

I'm posting this as I just read it on TheIndyChannel.com. I'm terribly upset by this child's death. They are saying they abducted her because she saw illegal drug activity? What could a 4th grader know about illegal drug activity? I'm shocked. This poor child - OMG how frightened she must have been. I just can't get over this right now.........I hope they find all who else were involved.


Court Documents Link Girl's Death To Drug Activity
Affidavit: 10-Year-Old Abducted After Seeing Meth Use Or Production

POSTED: 11:36 am EST February 4, 2005
UPDATED: 1:12 pm EST February 4, 2005

BROWNSTOWN, Ind. -- A suspect in the death of a southern Indiana girl told investigators she was abducted last week because she saw people take part in illegal drug activity, according to court records.

Charles James Hickman, 20, allegedly told investigators that 10-year-old Katlyn "Katie" Collman saw some people using or making methamphetamine, so they abducted her Jan. 25 in Crothersville and took her to Hickman's home, RTV6's Ben Morriston reported Friday.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Hickman told police that they wanted to intimidate the girl, so he took her to a body of water about 20 miles away. He said her hands were tied, and she either fell in or was bumped into the water, and she drowned, according to the affidavit.

The Crothersville girl's body was found Sunday by a state trooper in a stream near Seymour.

Police said Hickman, who was arrested Wednesday on charges of murder and criminal confinement, confessed to having involvement in her death. He made his initial court appearance Friday morning in Brownstown, and his trial was set for October.

Jackson County prosecutor Steve Pierson said he would consider pursuing the death penalty against Hickman.

Police said Thursday that they were looking into the possibility that more than one person was involved in Collman's death, but they didn't identify anyone other than Hickman as a suspect.

Authorities said they believe Collman, a fourth-grader at Crothersville Elementary School, was abducted on the afternoon of Jan. 25 while she was returning home from a store on foot.

Police issued an Amber Alert for Collman on Jan. 27 -- two days after she vanished -- after someone reported seeing the girl on the day she disappeared with a man in a white, Ford F-150 pickup truck in Crothersville.

According to the affidavit, Hickman told investigators that when Collman's abductors took her to his home, they arrived in such a truck, Morriston reported.

 

[amandab]

According to a probable cause affidavit, Hickman told police that they wanted to intimidate the girl, so he took her to a body of water about 20 miles away. He said her hands were tied, and she either fell in or was bumped into the water, and she drowned, according to the affidavit.

Way to blame the victim. What slime.

My heart breaks for Katlyn and her family; what a horrible update to this story.

 

[kk's mom]

Here's another article. Almost the same as previous article I posted but this has some new info, and remarks from her father. I feel so bad for this family and for Katlyn. My prayers are with them. Such a sensless murder. I believe the cause of death is now said to be a drowning. You should see a picture of this creep in this article. I don't know how to post a picture but here is the link to the article. I can only imagine the fear this child felt and the terror she was put through.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/4165249/detail.html

Suspect: Girl Abducted Because She Saw People With Drugs
Father Says Prayer Was Answered With Arrest

UPDATED: 3:16 pm EST February 4, 2005

CROTHERSVILLE, Ind. -- A suspect in the death of a southern Indiana girl told investigators she was abducted last week because she saw people take part in illegal drug activity, according to court records.

Katlyn "Katie" Collman's body was found three days after an Amber Alert was issued, and five days after she first was reported missing. Hickman was arrested Wednesday, and is now behind bars -- in solitary confinement for his own safety -- charged with murder. His first court appearance is Friday.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Hickman told police that they wanted to intimidate the girl, so he took her to a body of water about 20 miles away. He said her hands were tied, and she either fell in or was bumped into the water, according to the affidavit.

In the affidavit, an FBI agent wrote that Hickman "left the area with Collman's unmoving body still in the creek."

The Crothersville girl's body was found Sunday by a state trooper in a stream near Seymour. An autopsy determined that she drowned, according to the affidavit.

Police said Hickman, who was arrested Wednesday on charges of murder and criminal confinement, confessed to having involvement in her death. He made his initial court appearance Friday morning, and his trial was set for October.

Jackson County prosecutor Steve Pierson said he would consider pursuing the death penalty against Hickman.

Police said Thursday that they were looking into the possibility that more than one person was involved in Katie's death, but they didn't identify anyone other than Hickman as a suspect.


Katlyn Collman


Authorities said they believe Katie, a fourth-grader at Crothersville Elementary School, was abducted on the afternoon of Jan. 25 while she was returning home from a store on foot.

Police issued an Amber Alert for Collman on Jan. 27 -- two days after she vanished -- after someone reported seeing the girl on the day she disappeared with a man in a white, Ford F-150 pickup truck in Crothersville.

According to the affidavit, Hickman told investigators that when Katie's abductors took her to his home, they arrived in such a truck.

Dad Wants Justice
A day after a man was charged with murder, Katie's father said he wants justice.

"I asked the Lord if he never answered another prayer to answer one, and that was to catch who did this before we had to lay her to rest," said John Neace, the girl's father. "And we believe that prayer was answered."

Neace said he'd rather not comment yet about whether those responsible for his daughter's death should get the death penalty. He said he just wants the judicial process to run its course.

"Katie deserves to get justice for the people that did this to her," Neace said. "My family deserves justice. No one deserves to die for something that we don't even know why, especially a child."

Neace added that he doesn't like to wonder what happened to his daughter in the days and hours before her death.

"There's lots of unanswered questions," he said. "Imagining what she endured in her last hours is a nightmare."

Police said at a news conference Thursday that they're probably only 10 or 15 percent complete with their investigation, according to Louisville, Ky, TV station WLKY. They said others might be involved in the girl's death. They also said they think some people might have given them false information to keep investigators off Hickman's tail.

"If there is somebody that knows something, Katie deserves justice for the people that did this to her," Neace said.

Police still have not released how Katie died.

Katie's funeral is scheduled for Sunday at Crothersville High School.

Fund Set Up For Funeral Expenses
If you'd like to donate to the Katie Fund to help pay for funeral expenses, mail your contribution to:

The Katie Fund
c/o Crothersville Fire Department
200 Moore St.
Crothersville, IN 47229

 

[dannyodie]

I don't believe for a second that his story of her seeing a drug deal or whatever, that sounds all to sorted. I think that he was on drugs that night and was not in his right mind,the others that are possibly involved are most likely some of his high school running buddies. the false reporting of info may have very well come from some of the other ones involved here. the fact that he admits to taking her to the house I just can't imagine what all that poor child had to go through inside that house. I just wonder if this poor child was raped by him and others. what a sad sad ending.. I hope that they get everyone of them creeps and put them under the jail....

 

[ariel7]

I don't believe for a second that his story of her seeing a drug deal or whatever, that sounds all to sorted. I think that he was on drugs that night and was not in his right mind,the others that are possibly involved are most likely some of his high school running buddies. the false reporting of info may have very well come from some of the other ones involved here. the fact that he admits to taking her to the house I just can't imagine what all that poor child had to go through inside that house. I just wonder if this poor child was raped by him and others. what a sad sad ending.. I hope that they get everyone of them creeps and put them under the jail....

That's what I was thinking. Hi confession sounds contrived. It doesn't
jive with what the witnesses saw. Frankly, I think it's a
bunch of bologna, but I'm glad they got him. And I don't believe he's
pulling the wool over LE's eyes.

 

[dannyodie]

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/4167704/detail.html this link is the most recent story. these creeps all had some sort of other reason in abducting this child. the story of drugs being seen by her is hogwash. I sure hope the police don't settle on that, cause that was not the reason hickman picked her up. hickman out of all the others was most likely the only person that could persuade her into the truck, I think from time to time he has seen and spoken with her in the past, maybe even at the same store she was last visiting. meth is a powerful drug and a person that is doing it is not in their right mind at all, further more they would do anything to obtain more, even if it is to go out and pick up a young girl for someone else to do horrible things to. if their is drugs involved in this case, its not because this child has seen any of them use or make it. the dollar store would be the prime place for a meth maker to obtain there chemicals needed to make the stuff, if this is near enough to katies home that she would use it as the nearest place to get school supplies candy and all the things 10 yr old children buy, then seeing him there from time to time would not be out of the question. maybe someone should ask the store folks if hickman has ever been in the store. I am sure he has, if not he then some of the others have been. the seventeen old that is involved in this case should be questioned extensively, if any real answers come out the police can get it from him life in prison is something a young person doesn't want to consider. the computer hard drive that hickman and the others have had access to should be confiscated by le and looked through, it won't solve the case, but should cast a whole different light on it. these creeps are in sooooo much trouble, you can tell they are in for the long haul..

 

[ariel7]

Whoa! This Timothy C. O'Sullivan II character looks just like the
police sketch! I wish I could put them (his pic and the police
sketch) side by side for y'all to see. Anyway, If I was a 10
year old or so, I would find the other guy very creepy
and frightening looking, but I doubt I'd be very much afraid
of Timothy O'S. He has a boy next door look to him.

Hmmm...Praying for Justice (and that LE will have much wisdom),

A7

 

[Juliana]

Town Mourn Girl Believed Killed Over Meth

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/02/07/missing.girl.ap/index.html

 

[kk's mom]

Such a senseless and tragic murder. An innocent child taken from her family by a bunch of monsters. These monsters need to be stopped. I hope they all get the death penalty, although they'll have all these rights under the sun and in the meantime, a child was buried yesterday.

I just don't get it. I'm so sad by this.

 

[dannyodie]

I just wonder how many other people ever walked by the same apt. complex where the alledged drug making was going on? I don't think that this child really had any Idea of what if any thing she might or might not seen. I wonder if they were cooking their poison out on the front steps? surely not, so why would they come up with this story of her seeing drugs being made or even used. sounds to me like they were just freaking out, because that is what this garbage will do to your mind. if they wanted to intimadate her why tie her hands behind her back and drive her 20 miles away, they had already had a plan in their mind to get rid of her in the first place. I also wonder if they checked her body to see if she had been raped? that would also be a reason to kill her. the others that are in custody should as well be charged with with aiding in the abduction and murder of this innocent child. I still don't see this as being over, there are others that know about what happened and the police will soon make another arrest in this case. if they admitted that drugs were being made and used then they should also charge them for that crime too. meth is now becoming the fastest growing drug used among dealers and users, the more of it they use the more we will see in violent crimes against all of us, yes even small innocent children. some of the visions I had to myself have already come to light in this investigation some of the info that I saw to myself was reported and some of it I am not sure that it will do any good for the investigation, the police have done a very good job at finding the responsible folks. as I have said in the past post or so, there is more that they are not telling, the police will find this out soon.

 

[kk's mom]

I just wonder how many other people ever walked by the same apt. complex where the alledged drug making was going on? I don't think that this child really had any Idea of what if any thing she might or might not seen. I wonder if they were cooking their poison out on the front steps? surely not, so why would they come up with this story of her seeing drugs being made or even used. sounds to me like they were just freaking out, because that is what this garbage will do to your mind. if they wanted to intimadate her why tie her hands behind her back and drive her 20 miles away, they had already had a plan in their mind to get rid of her in the first place. I also wonder if they checked her body to see if she had been raped? that would also be a reason to kill her. the others that are in custody should as well be charged with with aiding in the abduction and murder of this innocent child. I still don't see this as being over, there are others that know about what happened and the police will soon make another arrest in this case. if they admitted that drugs were being made and used then they should also charge them for that crime too. meth is now becoming the fastest growing drug used among dealers and users, the more of it they use the more we will see in violent crimes against all of us, yes even small innocent children. some of the visions I had to myself have already come to light in this investigation some of the info that I saw to myself was reported and some of it I am not sure that it will do any good for the investigation, the police have done a very good job at finding the responsible folks. as I have said in the past post or so, there is more that they are not telling, the police will find this out soon.

That's what I don't understand. Why this child? I'm sure there were people that passed by all the time. WHy single out this child? I have a hard time believing she uncovered a meth lab. There is not way that poor child knew what was going on. You are right though. THere is more to this story and I am sure it will come to light soon. Although I feel the AMber Alert should have been issued sooner by LE, I believe they have done an oustanding job in their investigation of this murder.

 

[dannyodie]

I agree that the amber alert for this child was not handled correctly, I'am sure that the police at first thought of a runaway possibility, they always do, seems like the easiest answer at the time. in this day and time more action is needed in getting the word out quickly when a child becomes missing, rather it is by their choice or not, they still are a risk of being harmed, children that do run away do not think anything can or will happen to them, there are just to many creeps out there just waiting for the oppertunity to take a young child for their own demented pleasures. All children from the time they start school should be taught of the dangers of trusting the word of any adult that approaches them for what ever reason no matter how good or important it might seem to them. many of these perps use the ole story of a lost puppy and need help, tell your kids there is no puppy, some use the tactic of a parent being hurt and I'am here to give you a ride to the hospital, tell your children that if one of you are hurt that a family member or a policeman in a real police car will take them to their parent. children all over should be taught that regardless of how neat and nice someone looks or talks that if you do get in a car with anyone than they are at the mercy of that driver. the sad fact in this case that by the time the amber alert was issued that this child was most likely already deceased, it should be a disturbing wake up call to all of us that some 70% of the children that are picked up or abducted are murdered within the first three hours following the abduction. does anyone know if the area she was located in is travelled daily by folks? or even if there are homes in the area? I wonder since this creep says he might of bumped her into the water why he didn't get her out? I thought he said all he wanted to do is intimadate her to scare her enough not to talk about anything she might have seen. He never intended for her to ever talk again. I see that the younger of the three may have actually been the one that made the others aware of katie and made up the story of her seeing something, " chuckie" as they call him is the one that made the decision in getting rid of her, I may not be seeing things clearly, but I feel more was done to her prior to her death which further made this become worse than they first planned. three weeks ago when I woke up at 2am I was setting straight up in the bed, wet with sweat, while setting there my wife said " who is it that you need to tell that to?" I said " what are you talking about?" she said " well, you just said that you have to stop this from happening, I have to tell someone" I didn't know what I had just said, but it kinda scared me and her at the same time, I only remember a flash of what I was seeing, parts of it I remember is a light silver small car, I couldn't see any faces clearly only the outline of people but I could tell one of the people I saw was a child which appeared to be in trouble and I couldn't tell if she knew these people for sure, but the way they were talking to her made me think that she was being punished by someone, the only other part of this I clearly remember was the sound of a child asking them to take her home. during the next several days I kept trying to think of what would have caused me to have such a weird dream, why would I be having a nightmare that set me straight up in the bed, I normally don't even have dreams that I even remember maybe little tiny bits of it but nothing such as this. when this happened to katie and after learning of a few details I almost set down and cried thinking back on this dream has really confused me and I don't understand any of it.. I hope and pray that the lord keeps his spirit close to her family and all those little friends of her... please, everyone talk some real sense to your children, even if they don't want to listen, make them listen, it could save their lives. Oh, the idea of the playground in her memory will take place, this I know for sure, the people of corutersville will make it happen for katie.

 

[gardenmom]

Whoa! This Timothy C. O'Sullivan II character looks just like the
police sketch! I wish I could put them (his pic and the police
sketch) side by side for y'all to see.

I thought the same thing.

 

[gardenmom]

dannyodie,
I'm sorry this has touched you so. You sound like you really care.

 

[audrey77]

I posted a side-by-side image on my photo blog here.