Megan was initially considered a missing person until her remains were located in a rural area in Wayne County Illinois in 2018. All rights reserved. Police say Nichols was initially considered a missing person until her remains were found in a rural area in Wayne County, Illinois in 2018. The defense team for Murbarger says the evidence in the case is speculation and circumstantial, citing there is no motive for Murbarger to commit murder, and no evidence that Nichols death was due to strangulation. The owners say theyve grown deeply frustrated because they want to be rid of the property but cant seem to get an acceptable proposal past city officials. A private party could restore the Kraemer house as a residence, or someone could restore it and use it for some low-key use, like a bed-and-breakfast, she said. Ill update whenever I get more info. According to the Navigator Journal, Megan and Brodey Murbarger had previously dated. The father and son were asked about blood found in the defendants car prosecutors argued was used to transport Megans body to a rural Boyleston field where it was buried. He was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. The first-degree murder trial of Brodey I. Murbarger began this morning with jury selection in Wayne County Circuit Court in Fairfield. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, of Evansville, Indiana, was taken into custody outside his place of employment and transported to the Vanderburgh County Jail, according to a press release issued by the Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Office this week. The man at the center of a high profile murder case out of Wayne County, Illinois, learned his sentence on Friday. He was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. I dont want to get too excited," August said. Court then moved outside so jurors could have the chance to see the car themselves. Another was a note that Megan had written that contained very . But the city has vetoed the owners previous proposals for the site, said Jeffrey Lee, spokesman for the group that owns the house. While authorities first considered Megan a runaway, according to Dateline, her family didnt agree. August says Nicholss disappearance took awhile to digest for him and his classmates. Murdaugh, 54, was found guilty of all four counts against him on Thursday in connection with the deaths of his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, and their 22-year-old son, Paul, near the dog kennels of. For more than three years, state and local police along with the FBI followed up on hundreds of tips. A search warrant was also executed at Murbargers home at the Lakewood West apartment complex in Evansville, Indiana. On Wednesday, an FBI investigator told the jury about text messages between Murbarger and Nichols which revealed the two were in a sexual relationship. It had been wiped clean. The charges include three counts of First Degree Murder, one count of Concealment of a Homicidal Death and two counts of Home Invasion. At first, he wanted to take down the house, Rosenthal said. Her family didn't believe she was actually a runaway though and her disappearance was featured in Datelines digital series Missing in America.". What happens when the murderer doesnt get caught? Once back in the courtroom, the jury also heard from the FBI agent who collected Megan Nichols remains once they were discovered, and saw the pictures from the scene. Edited spelling and corrected charges as of 2:00 PM. Credit: Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office, Credit: Evansville Police Department/WFIE, Search for accused Johnson County scammer ends in arrest, Boone County Deputy Jacob Pickett remembered on 5 year anniversary of line of duty death, Live Doppler 13 Weather Blog: Record-breaking rain raises ongoing flood concerns, Live Doppler 13 Weather Blog: Mild air returns with more rain, snow returning late week, Datelines digital series Missing in America, Two women missing in southwestern Indiana, Suspect in 1986 cold case dies months after confession. Welcome to the subreddit! I had never had someone that I was close to that had died and, you know, that was traumatic," August said. Murbarger was accused in the 2014 disappearance and killing of 15-year-old Megan Nichols. They paid $2,800 a month for rent. This is a subreddit for those cases of murder that go unsolved for years, even decades. From Evansville, IN newsman (formerly of Fairfield): Brodey Ian Murbarger of Evansville, Indiana has been arrested in connection with the murder of his former girlfriend, Megan Nichols. This was an on-record portion of the proceedings, meaning defense, prosecution, and jury were there along with the judge and court reporter. An abatement order would require the houses owners to repair, rebuild or demolish the house. Our biggest concern was that something of value didnt turn into a piece of junk, but the city may be too late in its efforts to save the house, Bass said. Lee said that proposal is on hold because talks are underway to sell the property to a builder who will renovate and move the Kraemer house to another spot on the parcel. Multiple agencies in Evansville, Indiana took Brodey Murbarger, 24, into custody Wednesday morning. Further, a search warrant for his home was issued. Murbarger is strangled and suffocated Megan Nichols to death in her Fairfield home on July 3, 2014, and later buried her body in a shallow grave in a rural part of Wayne County. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, of Evansville, Indiana, was taken into custody outside his place of employment and transported to the Vanderburgh County Jail, according to a press release issued by. [Click here to see the indictment documents obtained by 14 News]. As we previously reported, Brodey Murbarger, the man found guilty of murdering Fairfield teen Megan Nichols, was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon. Then he was going to leave the house and build houses around it. The dates of the alleged acts were on or between July 2, 2014 and July 3, 2014 in count 5 and one or more occasions and as a continuing course of action between November 28, 2013 and July 1, 2014. Link has been updated, guilty verdict returned. Under that plan, new homes would have been built around the Kraemer house for a colony of resident artists. FAIRFIELD, Ill. (WEHT)- Friends and family of Megan Nichols have been on an emotional rollercoaster as her former boyfriend Brodey Murbarger is behind bars, accused of murdering her. Rosenthal said, however, that the requests were stalled because the city was waiting for acceptable renovation proposals from the owners. There was a problem saving your notification. In the 10 years that the property has been on the market, Lee said, there have been no offers. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Please post information in the comments related to the case! A chapter still remains unclosed as friends and families continue to wait. . The house is one of only seven historical homes in the city, according to Donna Bass, chairwoman of Placentias historical committee. In Japanese court, Alkonis pleaded guilty to negligent driving. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Evansville man linked to murder of Megan Nichols, victims friend speaks out, Evansville hotel manager accused of stealing from guest, Silver Alert canceled for elderly Evansville woman, Dispatch: Missing persons case underway after car found under Twin Bridges. A body was found - it was tragic, but maybe itll lead to something more. However Wayne County court documents indicate that he has been or will be faced with: 3 counts murder or intent to kill or injure Either 1 count of concealing a homicidal death 2 counts of home invasion. Murbarger is awaiting trial for the 2014 slaying of 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. There were a few cryptic clues left behind at the home, one was Megan's cell phone which had been completely wiped. Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020 and is facing a first-degree murder . I would love to see that house be taken and refurbished and something decent made there.. It used to be luxurious: five bedrooms, a guest house over the garage, a swimming pool, a hot tub and cabana, a lighted tennis court and a covered barbecue. Opinion: How has American healthcare gone so wrong? Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was indicted in September by a grand jury. On July 3, 2014, 15-year-old Megan Nichols disappeared from her Fairfield, Illinois home. Brodey I. Murbarger has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murder of his former girlfriend, 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. We're continuing to follow the outcome out of a murder trial that's happening in Wayne County, Illinois. The family called police to report her missing at about 1 am July 4, 2014. On 09-25-2020 an Illinois grand jury issued an indictment for Brodey Murbarger (11-27-95) in reference to the 2014 disappearance/murder of Megan Nichols. One month later, on January 26, 2018, authorities positively identified the remains as belonging to Megan. A farmer found the remains three years after the 15-year-old girl was reported missing. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Funeral arrangements made for Vanderburgh County, Late morning pileup slows traffic on Henderson strip, Overnight emergency shelter opening tonight in Owensboro, Flags flown at half-staff in Perry County, Greenville FD free person trapped after tree falls, Miami takes No. She also left a note saying she loved her mother, but would never be happy at home. But the bottom line is that something has to be settled with that property., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, L.A. County moves to require quake retrofits as Turkey-Syria death toll exceeds 50,000, Historic movie lot that gave Studio City its name to get $1-billion makeover, How renovation of an iconic Chinese mall represents a shift in L.A.s Chinese community. An Evansville, Indiana man is facing charges in the disappearance and murder of teenager Megan Nichols in 2014. His attorney, Christian Baril, filed two motions before Judge Michael Molt- one for the allowance of in-person visits with Murbarger and another for the reduction of the current $300,000 cash bond. He apologized to the victims' family and raised $1.6 million for them, according to the New York Times.But the family insisted he . There was a problem saving your notification. "Which excited is a weird word for something like this, but I think that Ive gotten excited from, Oh, shes been sighted over there, - you know, that kind of thing. I am at work and had a lot of background noise but Im pretty confident that is what I heard. In closing arguments Thursday, prosecutors told the jury Murbargers story has changed several times and that the varying stories contradict each other. [Previous: Im sick,' says woman who discovered Megan Nichols remains]. WAYNE COUNTY A 27-year-old former Fairfield man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for strangling his then-high school girlfriend to death nearly 10 years ago. Through those statements, the state says Murbarger places himself with Nichols on the night and time she disappeared. In the first count of First Degree Murder charges, Murbarger is accused of intentionally or knowingly caused Megan Nichols to be suffocated, knowing said act would cause the death of Megan Nichols. In the second count, Murbarger is accused of intentionally or knowingly caused Megan Nichols to be strangled, knowing said act would cause the death of Megan Nichols. The house has slid from being a city jewel to a prominent eyesore. [Exclusive: People who found remains in Wayne Co. talk to 14 News]. The stain tested positive in the field for blood. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. If you have any information regarding the circumstances of Megan Nichols death, please contact the FBI at (217) 522-9675. It wasn't until 2017 that Nichols' remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County. Its not just you, Work phones make a comeback as offices ban WhatsApp, TikTok. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. No further details were released. Megans mother, Kathy Jo Hutchcraft, discovered her daughter missing from her room around 11 p.m. Dateline reported that she later found a note Megan reportedly left behind, telling her that she loved her, but she would never be happy at home. To a 15 year old. WAYNE CO., Ill. (WFIE) - The trial started Monday morning for the man accused in the 2014 murder of Megan Nichols. EVANSVILLE, Ind. The investigator also testified the two were planning to runaway together five months prior to Nichols disappearance. The plans we submitted before had up to 10 to 14 homes, which was higher density. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. More than three years later, the skeletal remains of Megan were found in a shallow grave south of . (Vanderburgh Co. There are reports that Murbarger and Nichols had at one point dated, but the FBI could not confirm that to Dateline because of the ongoing investigation. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts.