State News Roundup

indiana-state-seal-5-8

Vigo County family facing more charges in child’s death and the billboard campaign for tips in northern Indiana teen deaths is expanding..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family now faceing drug charges in child’s death in Terre Haute

New details in the death of a 9-year-old boy with special needs in Terre Haute. The four people arrested in the case are now facing additional charges after it was discovered that the four had been using meth at the time they were taken into custody. 9-year-old Cameron Hoopingarner, who suffered from cerebral palsy and was also blind, died of starvation and weighed less than 15 pounds when authorities recovered his body. The boy’s guardians, Hubert and Robin Kraemer, their relative Chad along with Sarah Travioli are all charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death.

 

FBI expanding billboards for tips in Indiana teens’ killings

An FBI effort using electronic billboards to seek information in the killings of two Indiana teenagers is expanding to dozens of states. State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum said Friday the billboard push that began across Indiana will expand soon to 45 other states to solicit tips in the killings of 14-year-old Liberty German and 13-year-old Abigail Williams.  He says the privately-owned billboards will display photos of the girls, an image of a man considered the main suspect and a telephone tip line. Those calls are being funneled to the FBI’s Major Case Contact Center in Washington D.C. The Delphi girls’ bodies were found Feb. 14 in a rugged area near the city about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. They vanished the day before during a hiking trip.

 

Man accused of eating girlfriend not competent for trial

Attorneys for a southern Indiana man accused of killing his former girlfriend and eating parts of her body in 2014 say he’s not competent to stand trial.
The News and Tribune reports the defense lawyers this week filed a document saying Joseph Oberhansley can’t consult with them or understand court proceedings. They say he has “consistently appeared irrational and expressed bizarre thoughts at hearings.” The 35-year-old Jeffersonville man is charged with murder, rape and abuse of a corpse in the September 2014 slaying of 46-year-old Tammy Jo Blanton. He could be sentenced to death if convicted.  Oberhansley has repeatedly denied the allegations. A March 8 hearing is planned where Oberhansley’s lawyers could discuss their concerns. A June trial was earlier scheduled but could be delayed.