(Noblesville, IN)--More information has been released into a murder investigation that involves long-time Richmond police officer Terry Hopkins.  Hopkins spent 30 years with the department but is now charged with a central Indiana murder.  Court documents obtained Monday indicate that the victim’s death likely came from poisonous mushrooms that are usually undetectable after three days.  Hopkins is charged along with the victim’s wife.  Prosecutors say Hopkins’ DNA was found on the victim’s clothing.

(Connersville, IN)--The man who recently admitted to killing Fayette County’s Denise Pflum way back in 1986 is now reportedly gravely ill.  56-year-old Shawn McClung admitted in July that he killed Pflum, who was a teenager at the time, decades ago.  It began one of our area’s more high-profile missing persons cases and unsolved mysteries.  A hearing is supposed to take place this coming Monday.  But, on Friday, McClung was taken from the Fayette County Jail to Reid Health.  By Monday, he had been transferred to a central Indiana hospital.

(Wayne County, IN)--The number of new weekly cases of Covid-19 in Wayne County has dropped for the third consecutive week.  According to the Indiana Department of Health, Wayne County has had 42 new cases in the last week.  That’s the lowest number of new cases in a week since July 13.  It brings Wayne County’s total positive number to 742, which equates to one case for every 89 residents.  There were 21 patients in Reid Health’s containment area Tuesday morning.  That’s the lowest that number has been in a month.

No injuries were reported after a soybean field caught fire in Centerville.  Fire crews were called Sunday afternoon to the fire near Round Barn Road and College Corner.  Several homes in the area were evacuated as a precaution, but crews from five fire departments contained the fire to the field.  There was no word on what caused the fire, but the state fire marshal issued a warning about avoiding outdoor burning during the ongoing dry conditions.  

A former Richmond Police officer is one of two people charged in connection with the death of a man in Hamilton County.  Terry Hopkins has been charged with murder for the April death of 50-year-old David Michael Fouts.  Fouts’ body was found in a ditch in Noblesville. Also charged in the case is Katrina Fouts, who lives in Pendleton.  Investigators have not said how David Fouts died, only that he did not die where his body was found.  They also have not yet released a possible motive for the killing.   

(Richmond, IN)--Marine Louis Wiesehan Junior’s remains were returned to his hometown of Richmond Thursday night, 77 years after he was killed in World War II.  People lined U.S. 40 as a procession entered Wayne County escorted by Patriot Guard riders.  "Emotions are running very high right now," said Wiesehan’s great niece, Kim Gardner.  Flags hung from fire equipment in Cambridge City and Centerville.  Then, the procession entered Richmond to a hero’s welcome.  "In my heart, it feels good that you're finally able to bring somebody home," said Richard Wiesehan, Louis’ great nephew.  Louis Wiesehan’s remains were recently identified through DNA analysis.  At noon Friday, Wiesehan will be honored during a POW / MIA event at the Wayne County Veterans Memorial Park.  A visitation will take place from 4-6 Friday afternoon at Doan & Mills Funeral Home.  At noon Saturday, a procession will leave the funeral home for Goshen Cemetery.  Residents can line the Main Street Bridge and Main Street through downtown to 9^th Street.  A military graveside service will take place Saturday afternoon at 1.  A wreath-laying ceremony is set for 2 Sunday afternoon.

(Richmond, IN)--Richmond Community Schools set a timeline Thursday to hire a new superintendent.  Todd Terrill left over the summer for Crown Point.  Now, October 23 has been set as an application deadline.  Interviews will be conducted by the school board in November, with a hiring expected to be announced in December.  The new superintendent won’t begin until July of next year.

(Eaton, OH)--Ohio now has a new Covid-19 dashboard to allow parents and all residents to track cases in their local school districts.  The dashboard lists cases of the virus for students, teachers, and staff members.  In Preble County, Eaton Community Schools appears with one new case among a staff member and none for students.  Greenville schools has three new student cases and one new staff case.  Indiana will launch a similar dashboard soon.  Also Thursday, Preble County dropped from a red county to an orange county.

(Greenfield, IN)--The three Hagerstown women who fled with three children and were the subject of searches by local and federal agents have been located.  Heather, Abbey, and Nancy Frost were all booked into the Wayne County Jail Wednesday and then bonded out a few hours later.  All three were free Thursday morning.  According to a release from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, the three had been hiding out with the three children at a hotel in Greenfield.  Their discovery came after someone recognized them from a wanted photograph.  U.S. Marshals then executed a search warrant at the hotel.  A six-year-old boy was reunited with his father.  The other two children were temporarily placed in the custody of Child Services.  All three adults are charged with felony interference with custody.

(Centerville, IN)--The Centerville Police Department is asking for help in locating a girl who has been missing for a week.  Hollie Towns is a 16-year-old girl who was last seen a week ago Thursday morning in the 200 block of East Walnut Street.  Investigators say she climbed into a blue van with a paper temporary tag.  It was being driven by an unknown black male with an unknown white female is the passenger’s seat.  Hollie is thought to still be in the Richmond area.

(Wayne County, IN)--Wayne County’s positivity rate has creeped back up in the last few days, and that’s prompted a move in its color-coded status.  Wayne County was in the yellow Thursday morning after a reassessment Wednesday.  That’s more serious than a blue level, but still not a serious as an orange or red coloring.  The move to yellow in Wayne County is due largely to an increase in positivity rates and in the number of weekly cases per 100,000 residents.

(Wayne County, IN)--The Wayne County Health Department announced Tuesday that another local resident has died with Covid-19.  A Wayne County man in his early 60’s died last Friday.  He becomes the county’s 14^th resident to die with the virus, and is also either the youngest or second-youngest person.  Four people have died locally in the last week.  Half of the 14 total victims in Wayne County have been at least 80 years old and none have been under 60.  In Wayne County, twice as many men have died as women.

(Richmond, IN)--The woman who died as the result of an incident in the 1500 block of South J Street early Tuesday morning has now been identified as 42-year-old Katrice Orr.  Orr died at Reid Health after being found unresponsive at around 2:30 Tuesday morning.  The area was cordoned off with crime scene tape as investigators began to process evidence.  No arrests appear to have been made in connection with the incident as of Wednesday morning.

(Hagerstown, IN)--Federal agencies have now become involved in the search for three fugitive women with ties to the Hagerstown area.  Wayne County Sheriff Randy Retter has indicated that some tips regarding the whereabouts of Heather, Nancy, and Abbey Frost.  The three women appear to have defied a court order and fled with three children as part of a child custody dispute.  Retter continues to ask for tips from the public and indicated that the adults may have changed their names and appearance.

(Richmond, IN)--One person has died and, on Tuesday morning, multiple detectives and representatives of the Coroner’s office were on the scene at a house in the 1500 block of South J Street in Richmond.  The incident began as a medical call at around 4:30 Tuesday morning but has now changed to a more intensive investigation.  A female was transported from the area to Reid Health.  No other information has been released, including what factors made it more than a medical call.

(Richmond, IN)--There was a shooting in Richmond Monday night and Richmond Police investigators Tuesday morning were asking for the help of the public.  A victim who has now been identified as 30-year-old Lesaviour Norris was shot in the foot at around 8:30 Monday night in the 100 block of South 12^th.  Norris was taken to Reid Health and then taken to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.  Individuals have been questioned, but no arrests have been made.  Scanner traffic indicated that two young, black males were seen running from the area.  There’s no word yet on what may have led to the shooting.

(Richmond, IN)--More details were released Monday on a fatal Richmond motorcycle crash that occurred on Sunday night.  Investigators say the driver, who has now been identified as 64-year-old Henry Farris of Richmond, was likely driving too fast to negotiate a small jog in South 14^th Street near South H Street.  Farris’ motorcycle left South 14^th and struck a light pole.  Farris was pronounced dead at the scene.

(Richmond, IN)--One person is dead as the result of a motorcycle accident in Richmond Sunday night.  First responders were sent at around 9:30 Sunday night to the residential area of the 800 block of South 14^th.  That’s where they found an unresponsive male rider.  A medical helicopter was called but then cancelled as the man was pronounced dead at the scene.  The man’s name has not yet been released.  There’s also no word on the cause of the crash.  The investigation is continuing.

(Richmond, IN)--Final preparations are underway for a homecoming for a Richmond man who died in service almost 77 years ago.  Louis Wiesehan "Junior" was a 20-year-old Marine who was killed on a Pacific island in World War II.  His body was buried in an unmarked mass grave and remained there until five years ago.  On Thursday, Wiesehan’s remains will return to Richmond.  Then, on Friday afternoon, a public ceremony will take place at Veteran's Park. Public visitation will be at Doan Mills Funeral home at 4-6pm. He will then be buried in Goshen Cemetery on Saturday.

(Wayne County, IN)--

There has been a decided drop in the number of new Covid-19 cases across the Whitewater Valley in the last week.  Wayne County Monday morning stood at an even 700 cases, and that’s up 53 from the last week.  That marks the smallest increase in the last five weeks.  Elsewhere, Preble County added 18 new cases. Fayette County added only six new cases, and Randolph County added only three new cases.  Here’s a look at some updated Covid-19 demographics.  As of Monday morning, 82 people in the Indiana counties in our area have died after testing positive.  The data continues to show that the elderly are far and away the most at risk of suffering serious consequences and death.  Of the 82 people who have died in Wayne, Union, Fayette, Franklin, Randolph, and Henry County, none of been under 50 years old.  Only one has been under 60.  27% of the fatalities have been people in their 70’s.  And, 61% of local deaths have been people who were at least 80 years old.