GUILTY IN - Thomas Grill Jr., 18, & Molley Lanham, 19, murdered, Lake County, 25 Feb 2019 *arrests*

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Here's what's on the court site. Thought I'd put everything that's on there so far.

Chronological Case Summary
03/04/2019 Case Opened as a New Filing
03/04/2019 Case Filed Electronically
Added By EFile Manager
03/04/2019 Notice of Exclusion of Confidential Information
Admin. Rule 9 form - Filed with Court Clerk
Filed By: State of Indiana
File Stamp: 03/04/2019
03/04/2019 Appearance Filed
Appearance - Superior
For Party: State of Indiana
File Stamp: 03/04/2019
03/04/2019 Probable Cause Affidavit Filed
PROBABLE CAUSE DEFENANT IN-CUSTODY.pdf
Filed By: State of Indiana
File Stamp: 03/04/2019

03/04/2019 Initial Hearing
Session: 03/04/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V
Comment: by video at 11:00am
03/04/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Initial Hearing scheduled for 03/04/2019 at 9:00 AM.
03/04/2019 Order Issuing Warrant for Arrest
HOLD, NO BOND. DEFT IN CUSTODY
Order Signed: 03/04/2019
03/04/2019 Warrant or Writ of Attmnt for the Body of a Person Issued
03/04/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Status Conference scheduled for 05/06/2019 at 9:00 AM.
03/04/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Status Conference scheduled for 06/10/2019 at 9:00 AM.
03/04/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Pretrial Conference scheduled for 07/15/2019 at 9:00 AM.
03/04/2019 Appearance Filed
Mark A. Thiros files Appearance on behalf of Defendant, Connor R. Kerner
For Party: Kerner, Connor Ralland
File Stamp: 03/04/2019

03/05/2019 Automated ENotice Issued to Parties
Appearance Filed ---- 3/4/2019 : Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 3/4/2019 : Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann Order Issuing Warrant for Arrest ---- 3/4/2019 : Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 3/4/2019 : Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 3/4/2019 : Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 3/4/2019 : Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann Appearance Filed ---- 3/4/2019 : Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann

03/05/2019 Order Issued
ORDER FOR DISCOVERY ENTERED
Order Signed: 03/04/2019
03/05/2019 Notice of Exclusion of Confidential Information
Disclosure of Redacted Information
Filed By: State of Indiana
File Stamp: 03/05/2019

05/06/2019 Status Conference
Session: 05/06/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V

06/10/2019 Status Conference
Session: 06/10/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V

07/15/2019 Pretrial Conference
Session: 07/15/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V

link: Case Search - MyCase
 
Just saw this -- please excuse if a repeat:

Teen Couple Went Missing in Feb., and Police Believe They Were Killed, Lit on Fire by 17-Year-Old
An anonymous tip led police to the suspected bodies of Molley Lanham and Thomas Grill on Saturday

March 04, 2019 02:19 PM

After the bodies of a teen couple who’d been missing for a week were apparently discovered Saturday morning, a 17-year-old boy was charged with two counts of murder, PEOPLE confirms.
[...]
“During the course of the investigation, Connor Kerner was located by Porter County Patrol Officers and Porter County Multi-Enforcement Group and taken into custody without incident for questioning by detectives,” the statement continues. “Kerner refused to answer questions.”
[...]
Kerner’s home was searched Saturday before his arrest, and “a search warrant was issued at a residence in rural Hebron, Indiana, where it is believed the murders took place,” the statement reads.
Click to expand...

Teen Couple Went Missing in Feb., and Police Believe They Were Killed, Lit on Fire by 17-Year-Old
 
Monday, May 6th:
*Status Hearing (@ 9am CT) – IN - Thomas Grill, Jr. (18) & Molley R. Lanham (19) (Feb. 25, 2019, St. John; found in Hebron, in burned out car) - *Connor Ralland Kerner (17) arrested (3/1/19) & charged as adult (3/4/19) with 2 counts of murder. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
3/4/19 Initial appearance. Status hearings on 5/6 & 6/10, Pretrial conference on 7/15.
 
So, is this us? Is this how things have to happen when something goes wrong?
We often see wonderful stories about a stranger helping out people s/he does not know -- giving a car to a man who has been walking 5 miles each way to a new job; someone paying to fix a house where a woman and her 5 children live -- fixing the leaking roof, replacing the non-working oven and refrigerator; sending a bright teenager to college who would have never been able to go otherwise, etc., etc. Wonderful stories.
Then we see this -- three families ruined with two families who will never see their children again, and one with a young man who, if found guilty and sentenced, will never be released, or (wrongly, IMO) released after 30--40 years. Where a gun or a lead pipe, instead of a punch in the face, settles some kind of disagreement.
We have got to do better, and that attitude, hopefulness and empowerment must come from the top -- that's the kind of trickle-down that we need today.
JMO
 
17-Year-Old Connor Kerner Pleads Not Guilty To Murder Of Indiana Teenagers Thomas Grill, Molley Lanham In Drug Deal Gone Bad
Where would Connor Kerner go to get the drugs he was selling to Thomas? Would he go up to Chicago? The informant said Connor had said that he had done this before, burning a car etc. to cover a murder. The case of the school teacher who was found in her burned out car is about an hour and a half away near the Gurnee Mall and I wondered if there was a connection. I am not saying she was involved with drugs AT ALL. I just saw a connection in vicinity and burned out vehicle. There is consideration by sleuthers that she was carjacked at the mall.
 
05/06/2019 Status Conference
Session: 05/06/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V

05/07/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Status Conference scheduled for 06/10/2019 at 9:00 AM was cancelled. Reason: Other.

06/10/2019 CANCELED Status Conference
Reason: Other
Session: 06/10/2019 9:00 AM, Cancelled

07/15/2019Status Conference
Session: 07/15/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V
Comment: Omnibus


link: Case Search - MyCase
 
Monday, July 15th:
*Status Hearing (@ 9am CT) – IN - Thomas Grill, Jr. (18) & Molley R. Lanham (19) (Feb. 25, 2019, St. John; found in Hebron, in burned out car) - *Connor Ralland Kerner (17) arrested (3/1/19) & charged as adult (3/4/19) with 2 counts of murder. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
3/4/19 Initial appearance. Status hearings on 5/6 & 6/10, Pretrial conference on 7/15. 5/6/19: Status hearing on 6/10 was cancelled, next status hearing on 7/15.
 
So, there will be a trial unless some deal is struck -- but this guy, if the proof is solid doesn't deserve any kind of deal, IMHO. Indiana does have the DP, but apparently no executions have taken place since December, 2009. Maybe they could dangle this in his face and make a deal for LWOP instead of death.
Not placing a bet on it, however...

State And Federal Info
Indiana
History of the Death Penalty

The death penalty has been present in Indiana for much of the state’s history. Death penalty laws were part of Indiana’s legislation and culture even before Indiana was granted statehood in 1816. Hangings were fairly frequent in the 1800’s, and in some cases public hangings resulted in violent mobs that killed the inmate even before they were hung. This changed with the introduction of the electric chair, which became the primary method of execution in 1913. The death penalty is still used, but executions have been limited in number since reinstatement in 1978, with less than 25 executions.
Click to expand...
Indiana | Death Penalty Information Center
 
Valparaiso double murder case packs courtroom as new charges read

VALPARAISO — An 18-year-old Valparaiso man, charged with murdering two Lake County youths in February, said little Monday morning as he was presented with two additional charges.

Pleas of not guilty were entered on behalf of Connor Kerner to felony counts of intimidation and arson.
[.....]
Police allege that just hours after Kerner killed the young man and woman, he shared the news and details with an acquaintance before giving her a chilling warning.

"Connor told (the confidential informant) that if she told anyone that he did this (the killings), he would kill her and her family," according to additional charges filed in the case.

The felony arson charge accuses Kerner of burning the 2012 Honda Civic used by the victims on the night of their Feb. 25 slayings, police said. Authorities said the victims were in the vehicle when it was lit on fire.
 
07/15/2019 Status Conference
Session: 07/15/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V
Comment: Omnibus

07/16/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Status Conference scheduled for 09/23/2019 at 9:00 AM.

09/23/2019Status Conference
Session: 09/23/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V

link: Case Search - MyCase
 
Double-murder suspect's mother, grandparents targeted in lawsuit


The couple was out of town at the time of the shootings and had given Connor Kerner and his mother, Roxann Kerner, access to the property at 249 W. County Road 700 South in order to care for their dog, according to the suit filed by Schererville attorney Tara Tauber.

During the visit, Kerner, who was 17 at the time, is accused of shooting Grill and then beating him to death, before fatally shooting Lanham in the back of the head, police said.
[.....]
The lawsuit claims the grandparents "knew or should have known that Connor Kerner had significant behavioral problems."

The suit also alleges Connor Kerner, now 18, had been involved in the sale and/or consumption of illegal drugs and had "previously inflicted serious bodily injury upon another person in the fall of 2018." The behavior necessitated him attending alternative school, according to the lawsuit.
 
Hello - I shall be leaving on a Holiday to California!! And won't be around WS for at least 2 weeks (9/18 thru 10/2). So am going to post the hearing/trial that is coming up the following week while I am gone. Please keep 'good' notes while I'm gone! LOL! I will definitely be way behind on all my cases I'm following.... but will try & peek in mid-way thru my vacation.

Monday, Sept. 23rd:
*Status Conference Hearing (@ 9am CT) – IN - Thomas Grill, Jr. (18) & Molley R. Lanham (19) (Feb. 25, 2019, St. John; found in Hebron, in burned out car) - *Connor Ralland Kerner (17) arrested (3/1/19) & charged as adult (3/4/19) with 2 counts of murder. Plead not guilty. Held without bond.
3/4/19 Initial appearance. Status hearings on 5/6 & 6/10, Pretrial conference on 7/15. 5/6/19: Status hearing on 6/10 was cancelled, next status hearing on 7/15.
7/15/19 Update: Kerner was charged with two additional charges. Plead not guilty to felony counts of intimidation and arson. Next Status conference hearing on 9/23.
 
High profile Porter County murder case set for 12-day trial; police ordered to release vehicle


VALPARAISO — A 12-day trial has been scheduled over a period of four weeks next year for 18-year-old Connor Kerner, who is charged with murdering two fellow young people from Lake County during what he said was a drug deal gone bad.

Kerner, who remains behind bars without bond, was in court Monday morning as Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford scheduled the trial to kick off March 31, which will be Kerner's 19th birthday.

The trial will then take place Tuesday through Thursday for up to four weeks if necessary, the judge said.
 
09/23/2019 Hearing
Session: 09/23/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V

09/24/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Status Conference scheduled for 12/16/2019 at 9:00 AM.
09/24/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Pretrial Conference scheduled for 03/02/2020 at 9:00 AM.
09/24/2019 Hearing Scheduling Activity
Jury Trial scheduled for 03/31/2020 at 9:00 AM.

09/25/2019 Automated ENotice Issued to Parties
Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 9/24/2019 : James H Voyles; Mark Anthony Thiros; Gary Stephen Germann Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 9/24/2019 : James H Voyles; Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann Hearing Scheduling Activity ---- 9/24/2019 : James H Voyles; Mark Anthony Thiros; Gary Stephen Germann

10/02/2019 Order Issued
ORDER SETTING TRIAL
Order Signed: 09/24/2019

10/03/2019 Automated ENotice Issued to Parties
Order Issued ---- 10/2/2019 : James H Voyles;Mark Anthony Thiros;Gary Stephen Germann

12/16/2019 Status Conference
Session: 12/16/2019 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V

03/02/2020 Pretrial Conference
Session: 03/02/2020 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V

03/31/2020 Jury Trial
Session: 03/31/2020 9:00 AM, Judicial Officer: Bradford, Roger V
Comment: 3/31-4/2, 4/7-4/9, 4/14-4/16, and 4/21-4/23

link: Case Search - MyCase
 
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