GUILTY IN - Melinda Lindsey, 23, shot to death, Porter County, 16 Jan 2015 - #1

[Toralei]

I'm not talking like anything. I'm only relaying information from interviews. This one from the Insurance agent. I'm sorry if you don't like what was in the interview.

As far as the agent knows, maybe that's the way it was presented to him/her. Even if Melinda signed the policy, we can't know whose idea it was. SL will say it was Melinda's idea all the way, and she isn't here to say otherwise. That being said, I can see someone wanting to set something up after an accident.
However, given the type of control SL had over her, I can't see her actually able to do anything major like this on her own. IMO, she may have expressed a desire to set a plan in place for her daughter but I think SL is too controlling to have allowed her to do this without him.
Was he the beneficiary or Baby Girl? Because if Baby Girl is then the call to the brother to come get her makes a lot more sense.

 

[Toralei]

I don't find this "weird" at all. Many couples who are in the process of separating and/or divorcing spend some nights together initially. I've been there/done that myself, and so have quite a few other people I know.

I thought he said he had moved out 5 weeks prior.... maybe I'm misremembering though.

 

[Safeguard]

Was he the beneficiary or Baby Girl? Because if Baby Girl is then the call to the brother to come get her makes a lot more sense.

Seriously what 23 yr old is going to think, "wow I could die tomorrow, I need to get a million + life insurance policy? That accident was minor, according to some reports...not a bruise on her a week later... SL tried to collect on the policy, so there's that, and yes, I have always felt the brother has baby girl because SL set that up, in case...
How come none of Melinda's friends or family heard the "since I had that accident, I felt a need to leave Steve a million dollars in the event of my death", story?
What she told them was STEVE got the policy. (according to sethersoulfree). Which could have been her take on it, if he "encouraged" her to pursue it.

 

[starshine4u]

As far as the agent knows, maybe that's the way it was presented to him/her. Even if Melinda signed the policy, we can't know whose idea it was. SL will say it was Melinda's idea all the way, and she isn't here to say otherwise. That being said, I can see someone wanting to set something up after an accident.
However, given the type of control SL had over her, I can't see her actually able to do anything major like this on her own. IMO, she may have expressed a desire to set a plan in place for her daughter but I think SL is too controlling to have allowed her to do this without him.
Was he the beneficiary or Baby Girl? Because if Baby Girl is then the call to the brother to come get her makes a lot more sense.

There is no policy on baby girl. There is no rider on baby girl. This policy was strictly on Melinda. I have seen the policy (copies given to defense), it is part of evidence. Steve is beneficiary.

 

[Toralei]

There is no policy on baby girl. There is no rider on baby girl. This policy was strictly on Melinda. I have seen the policy (copies given to defense), it is part of evidence. Steve is beneficiary.

Thanks

 

[starshine4u]

Seriously what 23 yr old is going to think, "wow I could die tomorrow, I need to get a million + life insurance policy? That accident was minor, according to some reports...not a bruise on her a week later... SL tried to collect on the policy, so there's that, and yes, I have always felt the brother has baby girl because SL set that up, in case...
How come none of Melinda's friends or family heard the "since I had that accident, I felt a need to leave Steve a million dollars in the event of my death", story?
What she told them was STEVE got the policy. (according to sethersoulfree). Which could have been her take on it, if he "encouraged" her to pursue it.

I couldn't say.

 

[Tina Grant]

^^^ Agree

When I saw the conspiracy charge my first thought was that the co-conspirator was the insurance agent. I wonder - did Steve take out a policy on himself at the same time?

 

[starshine4u]

When I saw the conspiracy charge my first thought was that the co-conspirator was the insurance agent. I wonder - did Steve take out a policy on himself at the same time?

Steve never met with the insurance agent. Melinda met with him (insurance agent) and took out the policy. So I don't think there is a policy on Steve except through work.

 

[starshine4u]

When I saw the conspiracy charge my first thought was that the co-conspirator was the insurance agent. I wonder - did Steve take out a policy on himself at the same time?

I keep reading people post about a conspiracy charge. There is no conspiracy charge in any of the charging documents. There is no conspiracy charge in any of the jail documentation.

 

[Toralei]

Steve never met with the insurance agent. Melinda met with him (insurance agent) and took out the policy. So I don't think there is a policy on Steve except through work.

Was this stated in the agent's interview? I know some insurance companies have secretaries that set up appointments. It's possible SL called it in and simply told Melinda when the agent would be there.

 

[molly1255]

According to the interview with the Insurance agent, Melinda took out the life insurance policy herself.

Melinda would have been required to be present at the time of application in order to answer questions and to sign the application. Unless it is a minor child, no one else can "take out" a life insurance policy on anyone else without the proposed insured being present at the time of application, to answer questions and to sign the application.

 

[starshine4u]

Was this stated in the agent's interview? I know some insurance companies have secretaries that set up appointments. It's possible SL called it in and simply told Melinda when the agent would be there.

The agent did not have contact with Steve. I don't believe the secretary was interviewed. If she was, it wasn't part of discovery.

 

[Toralei]

Melinda would have been required to be present at the time of application in order to answer questions and to sign the application. Unless it is a minor child, no one else can "take out" a life insurance policy on anyone else without the proposed insured being present at the time of application, to answer questions and to sign the application.

Yes, but that doesn't mean SL didn't call and set the entire thing up. He was paying for the premiums so he had to have given his approval for the amount, right?

 

[Tina Grant]

I keep reading people post about a conspiracy charge. There is no conspiracy charge in any of the charging documents. There is no conspiracy charge in any of the jail documentation.

One of the first articles mentioned a conspiracy charge. Then it didn't happen. A few of us have always wondered why. Of course it's possible the article that mentioned it was wrong.

 

[Toralei]

The agent did not have contact with Steve. I don't believe the secretary was interviewed. If she was, it wasn't part of discovery.

It may not have involved her at all. My point is that given the level of control SL appears to have had over Melinda, it doesn't make sense that she would be the one to initiate it.

 

[Toralei]

One of the first articles mentioned a conspiracy charge. Then it didn't happen. A few of us have always wondered why. Of course it's possible the article that mentioned it was wrong.

I've been searching for that article... I wondered why the downgrade.

 

[starshine4u]

Yes, but that doesn't mean SL didn't call and set the entire thing up. He was paying for the premiums so he had to have given his approval for the amount, right?

Your right, Steve was paying the premium. I don't know how the discussions went between Melinda and Steve as to "what company" to use, "how much" to get, "how much" to pay. I don't know who set the appointment up.

 

[molly1255]

Well according to the documentation that was shown to her parents Steve took out both policy's. Not to mention Melinda told me he did as well as she made a joke of it

Guess it will all come out in court, all I know is that nothing has been wrong that has been confirmed by her parents and until the day comes that it is, I will pass along the information I have been given, unless asked otherwise by her parents their lawyers or the detectives.

This we will have to agree to disagree on.


#JusticeForMelinda

I believe this. When you say "took out", I'm pretty sure you are saying that it was his idea to buy the policies, and I believe it was his idea entirely. Why? Because it was for his benefit and because he obviously paid for the policies. He was the only one in the family with an income. I believe she went along with it because this is what he wanted her to do. She would have had to complete the application with the agent and sign it.

 

[Toralei]

I believe this. When you say "took out", I'm pretty sure you are saying that it was his idea to buy the policies, and I believe it was his idea entirely. Why? Because it was for his benefit and because he obviously paid for the policies. He was the only one in the family with an income. I believe she went along with it because this is what he wanted her to do. She would have had to complete the application with the agent and sign it.

Agree 100%

 

[molly1255]

Yes, but that doesn't mean SL didn't call and set the entire thing up. He was paying for the premiums so he had to have given his approval for the amount, right?

Trust me, I do think he set the whole thing up. It was, after all, for his sole benefit. I have no idea if he picked out the agent and the insurance carrier, or how that went down. He would not have had to have given his approval on the amount of life insurance issued on Melinda's life. If the account the money came out of to pay the premium was in his name only and it was deducted from his account automatically on a monthly basis, he would have had to sign a form allowing the insurance company to debit his account. If Melinda was joint on the account, she could have signed the form for the premium deduction. Another thing - Melinda or Steve would have most likely have had to answer a question on the application that asked how much life insurance Steve (the beneficiary of her policy) had on his life and who was his beneficiary. Insurance carriers ask this question for the very purpose of establishing if there is something "off" i.e. whether the proposed insured's amount life insurance is way higher than what the beneficiary carries and whether she was named as beneficiary on his policy.