On Monday, January 29, 2018, two Aurora residents were formally charged with murder and other charges related to the double homicide that recently occurred on Douglas Drive in Aurora, Indiana.

The investigation by Indiana State Police and Dearborn County Detectives began on January 19 when the bodies of Walter Bryant, Jr, age 78, and Faith Craig, age 58, were found inside their residence after officers responded to the home to conduct a welfare check.  

Evidence at the scene and the autopsies determined that both Bryant and Craig were stabbed inside the home.  Bryant additionally had blunt force trauma to his head.

The investigation led detectives to Kentucky where two persons of interest were located in a vehicle belonging to Walter Bryant on January 20, 2018.  

The driver of the vehicle, Cody W. Booth, age 28, Aurora, Indiana (son of Craig/grandson of Bryant) was arrested on an outstanding warrant.  

The passenger in the vehicle (Booth’s girlfriend) Margie L. Thompson, age 47, Aurora, Indiana was questioned and release at the time.

The investigation determined that Booth and Thompson killed Bryant and Craig sometime on January 17, 2018.  

They then stole Bryant’s car and other items from the residence before traveling to Kentucky.  

This morning, charges were officially filed on Cody Booth and Margie Thompson. 

Arrested:        Cody W. Booth, age 28, Aurora, Indiana

Charges:         Murder-2 Counts

                        Conspiracy to Commit Murder-2 Counts

                        Robbery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury-2 Counts

                        Conspiracy to Commit Robbery-2 Counts

Arrested:        Margie L. Thompson, age 47, Aurora, Indiana

Charges:         Murder-2 Counts

                        Conspiracy to Commit Murder-2 Counts

                        Robbery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury-2 Counts

                        Conspiracy to Commit Robbery-2 Counts

Thompson is incarcerated in the Dearborn County Jail pending her initial appearance in the Dearborn County Circuit Court.  Booth is incarcerated in Kentucky pending his extradition back to Dearborn County.

The investigation is ongoing.

The Indiana State Police was assisted by the Dearborn County Sheriff’s Department, Dearborn County Coroner’s Office, and the Dearborn County Prosecutor’s Office.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an Off Road Vehicle (ORV) crash that injured a two-year-old child Sunday afternoon. 
 
Sometime before 2:25 p.m. Sunday, Cody Kissich, 25, was operating a Polaris Sportsman 335 ORV near the 4100 block of South County Road 350 West near Lovett, Indiana. Kissich’s two-year-old son was sitting on the ORV in front of him. The ORV overturned and ejected both occupants.
 
Neither occupant was wearing a helmet or any other protective gear at the time of the crash.Kissich took the child to St. Vincent Hospital in North Vernon and the child was airlifted to Riley Hospital in Indianapolis.  The extent of the child’s injuries are not known at this time.  
 
At approximately 2:25 p.m., Indiana Conservation Officers were dispatched and arrived at St. Vincent Hospital shortly after.  The crash is currently under investigation.  
 
Indiana Conservation Officers strongly encourage riders to wear a helmet and necessary safety equipment, as well as understand all laws while operating any Off-Road Vehicle on and off of Indiana roadways.

Yesterday, around 12:31 p.m., two Indiana State Troopers discovered over 120 pounds of marijuana while on a traffic stop on the Indiana Toll Road.  The stop occurred eastbound near the 22 mile marker.  This is near the Portage Barrier.

Troopers observed a grey Dodge Avenger commit several traffic violations while travelling eastbound in front of them.  The Dodge was stopped the for the traffic violations near the 22 mile marker.

While the troopers spoke to the driver, Howard Montgomery, age 46 of Rochester, NY, and the passenger, Danielle Ruise, age 32 of Roshester, NY, they became suspicious of criminal activity.

A free-air sniff was conducted by Indiana State Police K9, Axel, who gave a positive indication.  After conducting a search, troopers located approximately 121 pounds of suspected marijuana in the trunk of the Dodge.

Montgomery and Ruise were both arrested and face preliminary charges of Dealing Marijuana, Level 5 Felony.  Montgomery and Ruise were both transported to the Porter County Jail.

The Indiana State Police were assisted by officers with the Portage Police Department and detectives with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department.