EVANSVILLE — A multi-jurisdictional effort by Southern Indiana law enforcement on Friday led to the apprehension of Martin K. Miniard, the man investigators now accuse of carrying out a fatal shooting in Evansville earlier in the week.
Miniard, 54, was booked into the Vanderburgh County jail just after midnight on one preliminary charge of murder. Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Diana Moers told the Courier & Press that Miniard's arrest affidavit was "sealed" as of Saturday.
Miniaird's capture comes after Evansville police officers on Wednesday found 37-year-old Joshua A. Seymour dead in his home at 302 E. Louisiana St. The Vanderburgh County Coroner's Office later determined Seymour died from a "shotgun wound to the chest," a police spokeswoman wrote in a news release.
What we know about murder investigation, Miniard's arrest
Sgt. Trudy Day, of the Evansville Police Department, said investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Miniard, though Day did not disclose in a news release how detectives linked Miniard to Seymour's killing.
"Miniard was located in New Harmony, Indiana (on Friday)" the release states. New Harmony is located about 25 miles northwest of Evansville in Posey County. "Multiple agencies worked together and Miniard was taken into custody."
A U.S. Marshals Task Force made up of at least one federal agent and local Indiana law enforcement assisted the EPD in apprehending Miniard. According to Vanderburgh County Sheriff Noah Robinson, the task force is utilized to execute "high-risk warrants" throughout Southern Indiana.
Two Vanderburgh County deputies took part in the operation to arrest Miniard, Robinson said.
The investigation - at least briefly - crossed state lines, according to Billy Bolin, who heads up the police department in Henderson, Kentucky, just across the Ohio River from Evansville.
"Flock cameras alerted on (Miniard's) vehicle at the Henderson Wal-Mart," Bolin told the Courier & Press. Flock Safety cameras use powerful image-recognition tools to log vehicles' license plates and other information in real time.
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"We then found video from the store that showed him leaving in another vehicle," Bolin added.
Moers said prosecutors charged Miniard with felony murder, and that he will appear in court on Monday. The state would file a motion to unseal Miniard's arrest affidavit, Moers added.
Houston may be contacted at houston.harwood@courierpress.com
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