Sixth suspect in Muncie murder investigation taken into custody

MUNCIE, Ind. — A sixth suspect has been arrested in connection with the Aug. 14 slaying of a 15-year-old Muncie boy.

Atrevion Lamar Nathan, 21, was taken into custody Thursday by Muncie police.

Preliminarily charged with conspiracy to commit robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, Nathan continued to be held in the Delaware County Jail on Saturday under a $30,000 bond.

According to an affidavit, Nathan is the brother of 19-year-old Ricky Riheed Nathan, one of five Muncie teenagers taken into custody soon after 15-year-old Latajohne Phillips was found mortally wounded outside the clubhouse at the Latitude apartment complex at 2901 N. Elgin St.

More: 2nd teen charged with murder in 15-year-old Muncie boy's slaying

Phillips, shot in the head and left leg, later died at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

Investigators were aware from viewing surveillance video that six people walked from Elgin Manor Apartments in the direction of the shooting scene, and then returned to Elgin Manor, about the time of the homicide.

Two of those arrested, 17-year-old Robert "Tre" Graham III and K-Shaun English, 16, in recent days have been charged with related counts of murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, conspiracy to commit robbery and obstruction of justice.

Dasha Lanise Eckford, 19, and Ricky Nathan are each charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, obstruction of justice and aiding, inducing or causing robbery.

The Delaware County prosecutor's office is also pursuing having a 14-year-old boy waived into adult court so he can face charges stemming from the homicide.

According to an affidavit, Atrevion Nathan acknowledged he was among the six people who walked from Elgin Manor to Latitude apartments.

He said they had earlier been at English's home at Elgin Manor when Graham "told everyone to mask up," a Muncie police officer wrote.

According to the court document, Atrevion Nathan said he "didn't know what they were doing, but knew they were going to trade guns."

Nathan reportedly said he was told to "stay back" as the group approached Latitude apartments, and a short time later "ran away after he heard the first shot."

The prosecutor's office will determine what formal charges might be filed against Atrevion Nathan.

He already faced a count of domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury filed in Delaware Circuit Court 5 in November 2023.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Sixth suspect in Muncie murder investigation taken into custody