Through those statements, the state says Murbarger places himself with Nichols on the night and time she disappeared. They also reminded jurors that Murbarger told others hed gone to Megans Fairfield home around 9:30 p.m. July 3, 2014 the night she disappeared. Man found guilty of murder in Wayne County teen's death If you have any information regarding the circumstances of Megans death, please contact the FBI at (217) 522-9675. As they see it, there are only two options left: Sell the property to a builder for development or allow the city to take over the site and pay for the restoration. Murbarger was accused in the 2014 disappearance and killing of 15-year-old Megan Nichols. 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. 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. Megans friend, Holden August, told NBC affiliate WFIE that her disappearance and death took a while to digest for him and his classmates. Holden August, a friend of Nichols, heard the news on Wednesday morning. According to Lee, the owners continued to lose money on the property even when it was occupied because the monthly mortgage and taxes are about $4,500. Murbarger stated he disposed of the shirt in a ditch. Placentia's historical Kraemer house sits abandoned with a broken balcony, boarded-up windows, a weed- and trash-choked lawn and broken glass strewn across the cracked driveway. A body was found - it was tragic, but maybe itll lead to something more. FBI investigator William OSullivan testified Wednesday about the more than 7,000 text messages exchanged between Murbarger and Nichols between December 2013 and February 2014. Nichols, 15 was reported missing from her Fairfield, Illinois home in the early morning hours of July 3, 2014. Murbarger Appears at Status Hearing in Wayne County Court Tuesday The plans we submitted before had up to 10 to 14 homes, which was higher density. He added that theres a bit of relief now that an arrest has been made. As we previously reported, Brodey Murbarger, the man found guilty of murdering Fairfield teen Megan Nichols, was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon. Her biological father was . Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020 and is facing a first-degree murder . EVANSVILLE, Ind. FAIRFIELD, Ill (WEHT) Brodey Murbarger, 26, was found guilty of first degree murder on Thursday after the jury deliberated for only an hour. The stain tested positive in the field for blood. Follow 44News on Facebook, or download the free 44News apps on Android or Apple devices. 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. OSullivan said the messages at first were romantic and sexual in nature and included several references to the couple planning a runaway in mid-2014. A 24 year old is not a former bf. Friends remember slain Fairfield teen | Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW) In March, the landowners had preliminary talks with the Placentia-Yorba Linda Art Assn. Follow 44News on Facebook, or download the free 44News apps on Android or Apple devices. [Exclusive: People who found remains in Wayne Co. talk to 14 News]. Murbarger sentenced for Megan Nichols' murder | WMIX Nichols, 15 was reported missing from her Fairfield, Illinois home in the early morning hours of July 3, 2014. According to the Navigator Journal, Megan and Brodey Murbarger had previously dated. Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020 and is facing a first-degree murder. Brodey Murbarger, man convicted of murdering Wayne County teen Megan Nichols, sentenced to prison, Indiana man arrested in Wayne County teens murder, Man found guilty of murder in Wayne County teen's death, Another Government Agency Being Impersonated by Scammers Calling Tri-Staters, Wayne County Sheriff Locates Student Who Never Came Home From Class, 21-year-old pleaded guilty in designer phone case, Former student-athlete speaks amidst misconduct investigation at a local college, Child dies after falling off cliff at Garden of the Gods, Jury selection begins in trial for man accused of murdering Illinois teen. 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. I think the Kraemer house has tremendous possibilities, Bass said. I dont want to get too excited," August said. Brodey Murbarger testified that Megans blood was in his car after a sexual encounter, in which he used his shirt to clean the blood. to turn the house into a permanent gallery for local artists. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. The charges include three counts of First Degree Murder, one count of Concealment of a Homicidal Death and two counts of Home Invasion. The trial was set to begin May 2 but was delayed during a pretrial hearing on Friday in Wayne County Circuit Court. There was a problem saving your notification. 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. Megan was initially considered a missing person until her remains were located in a rural area in Wayne County Illinois in 2018. EVANSVILLE, Ind. Search for Free Cell Phone Deals Without Paying, Datelines digital series Missing in America. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/closing-arguments-wrap-up-in-murbarger-murder-trial-jury-to-deliberate/. It was hard to get a configuration that looks nice, said Lee, adding that the proposal has been drafted but not yet officially submitted to the city. WAYNE COUNTY A Wayne County jury has started deliberations in the case charging 26-year-old Brodey Murbarger with the 2014 murder and disappearance of his high school girlfriend Megan Nichols. Last November a Wayne County jury found Brodey Murbarger responsible for strangling or smothering Megan Nichols to death. They paid $2,800 a month for rent. An Illinois grand jury issued the indictment for Murbarger in connection with the murder and disappearance of Megan Nichols. 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. At first, he wanted to take down the house, Rosenthal said. No further info regarding charges has been released. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. The court also heard from an FBI DNA expert who confirmed the blood in Murbargers trunk came from Megan Nichols. Welcome to the subreddit! (Vanderburgh Co. https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/closing-arguments-wrap-up-in-murbarger-murder-trial-jury-to-deliberate/amp/. We will continue to provide updates on the case. The state also says during police interviews, Murbarger told others he went to Nichols house around 9:30 pm July 3, 2014 because he thought she had run away. (WFIE) - It's week two of a murder trial in Fairfield, Illinois for the man accused in the 2014 murder of 15-year old Megan Nichols. EVANSVILLE, Ind. I am at work and had a lot of background noise but Im pretty confident that is what I heard. Murbarger is awaiting trial for the 2014 slaying of 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. We asked the city to condemn the property, but they refused to do that. While authorities first considered Megan a runaway, according to Dateline, her family didnt agree. In the 10 years that the property has been on the market, Lee said, there have been no offers. As reported in October, Brodey Murbarger was found guilty of the murder of Megan Nichols, of Fairfield, Illinois. Its one of those things where you kind of always knew it was him," Hold told WFIE. Jena Reynolds, Marriage & Family Therapist, Placentia, CA, 92870 The owners then tried to sell the house in 1990 but couldnt get anywhere close to the price they paid, Lee said. What happens when the murderer doesnt get caught? You have permission to edit this article. The agent who led the FBIs search of the car showed jurors where they found a red stain in the trunk, underneath the trunk lining below the locking mechanism. In July, a fire damaged the propertys garage, according to Placentia police. 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. Arrest of Brody Murbarger | City-County Observer The Wayne County Circuit Clerk told us Wednesday that Murbarger's sentencing date was being delayed. RELATED: Two women missing in southwestern Indiana, RELATED: Suspect in 1986 cold case dies months after confession, Example video title will go here for this video. The City Council will consider that option at its Dec. 19 meeting, said Joyce Rosenthal, director of development services for Placentia. Evansville, Indiana Area. Indiana man charged in connection with 2014 murder of Illinois teen 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. Rosenthal said, however, that the requests were stalled because the city was waiting for acceptable renovation proposals from the owners. There were a few cryptic clues left behind at the home, one was Megan's cell phone which had been completely wiped. The man at the center of a high profile murder case out of Wayne County, Illinois, learned his sentence on Friday. "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. The property is highly problematic now, said Lee, because the owners lost their liability insurance in 1998. Nichols was 15 when she disappeared on July 3, 2014 from her home in Fairfield, Illinois. 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 Court on Tuesday issued a protective order for Megan Nichols medical records. Murbarger was arrested in 2020 while working in Indiana. Parlor Doughnuts hold soft opening for new location on Main St. Man arrested on murder charges in Providence. WAYNE CO., Ill. (WFIE) - The trial started Monday morning for the man accused in the 2014 murder of Megan Nichols. But the city balked because of the homes historical significance, he said. You have permission to edit this article. But the overriding question remains: Who should pay for the renovation? August says Nicholss disappearance took awhile to digest for him and his classmates. Bond has been set at $3 million. According to court documents, Brodey Murbarger was indicted on three counts of first degree murder, one count of concealment of homicidal death and two counts of home invasion. According to the clerk, Murbarger will now be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m. Murbarger was set for trial September 19 for the slaying of 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was arrested Wednesday, October 8, 2020, in the 2014 murder of 15-year-old Megan Nichols whose body was found nearly three years ago in a shallow grave in southeastern. 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. He apologized to the victims' family and raised $1.6 million for them, according to the New York Times.But the family insisted he . Then he was going to leave the house and build houses around it. https://www.14news.com/2022/10/12/ill-murder-suspect-takes-stand-day-8-trial/?outputType=amp. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Tesla Mexico plant means $10-billion investment, Nuevo Leon governor says, Assistants kindly request that you stop calling them assistants, Working more on the weekends? So finally leading to an arrest is great, but I guess I will truly be at ease if he is found guilty - if justice can truly be served.. Murbarger was taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail, but he is no longer an inmate. Judge Michael Molt handed down the sentence at the conclusion of a two hour hearing before a packed Wayne County courtroom. If you have any information regarding the circumstances of Megan Nichols death, please contact the FBI at (217) 522-9675. A month later, they were identified as those of Nichols. Fairfield man found guilty in Illinois murder trial Brodey Murbarger - Quality Control Laboratory Technician - LinkedIn Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020.. Brodey Murbarger has been sentenced to prison for the murder of Fairfield, Illinois teen Megan Nichols. Murbarger was arrested in 2020 while working in Indiana. The Murder of Megan Nichols - Criminology (podcast) | Listen Notes 25-year-old Brodey I. Murbarger appeared in a status hearing via Zoom in Wayne County Circuit Court yesterday morning. 4. 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, however, argued the evidence is speculation and circumstantial. Murbarger was accused in the 2014 disappearance and killing of 15-year-old Megan Nichols. During closing arguments Thursday, the state of Illinois argued that Murbarger has changed his story several times through interviews with police, claiming all stories contradict one another. As we previously reported, Brodey Murbarger, the man found guilty of murdering Fairfield teen Megan Nichols, was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon. On July 3, 2014, 15-year-old Megan Nichols disappeared from her Fairfield, Illinois home. 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. Jayson Murbarger testified the trunk on his sons car often leaked water, but he was unaware of any other fluids that may be in the trunk. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was indicted in September by a grand jury. Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020. Indiana man indicted in 2014 murder of teen Megan Nichols It wasn't until 2017 that Nichols' remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County. Brodey Ian Murbarger of Evansville, Indiana has been arrested in connection with the murder of his former girlfriend, Megan Nichols. 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. 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. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Murbarger did address Judge Molt, asking for leniency. Theres no sense of closure and the families of the victims are left devastated. Its one of those things where you kind of always knew it was him," August said. Arrest made in connection with death of Megan Nichols On Friday, Murbarger was sentenced to 50 years in prison for Nichols's murder, according to court officials. Lee said that when they bought the property, they believed that the city would let them clear the site and build condominiums. But in February 2014 the messages reflected a more tumultuous relationship, with Murbarger at one point calling Nichols annoying.. Hes remained in the Wayne County Jail since that time with bond set at $300,000 cash. They told the jurors there was no motive for Murbarger to kill Nichols, Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 14_7_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/14.1.2 Mobile/15E148 Safari/604.1, Shawn Parrs Backstage Country, Weeknights, JEFFERSON COUNTY ARREST REPORTS OCTOBER 13TH, 2022, Odin man pleads guilty in child sex abuse case. Murbarger Gets 50 Years for Megan Nichols Murder I would love to see that house be taken and refurbished and something decent made there.. Megan was dating an 18-year-old named Brodey Murbarger, and the relationship had caused a rift between Megan and her mother. On September 29, a Wayne County Grand Jury indicted Murbarger on six separate charges. One is for concealment of homicidal death, and two are for home invasion. Members of the Kraemer family, for their part, apparently have distanced themselves from the dilapidated house that bears their name. This is a subreddit for those cases of murder that go unsolved for years, even decades. But the city has vetoed the owners previous proposals for the site, said Jeffrey Lee, spokesman for the group that owns the house. The family, according to Lee and Bass, is not interested in paying to restore the home. UPDATE: Brodey Murbarger found guilty of murdering Megan Nichols in 2014. That would allow the developer to build a road and more homes on the site without razing the historical structure. . (WFIE) - Its week two of a murder trial in Fairfield, Illinois for the man accused in the 2014 murder of 15-year old Megan Nichols. An Indiana man was arrested Wednesday for the 2014 murder of an Illinois teen whose body was found nearly three years ago in a shallow grave. Brodey Murbarger was arrested at his place of employment Wednesday without incident. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. An Evansville, Indiana man is facing charges in the disappearance and murder of teenager Megan Nichols in 2014. Jury Selection Begins in Murbarger Murder Trial According to Lee, the owners have lost a substantial amount of money on the property, which cost $750,000 in 1988. To a 15 year old. Local radio news at noon stated that the Grand Jury indictments cant yet be released. 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. Built in 1918, the house now waits in a state of dire disrepair on its 1.5-acre Angelina Avenue lot while its owners and city officials wrangle over the next turn in its fortunes. Please post information in the comments related to the case! Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Murbarger remains in custody in Indiana pending extradition to Illinois. WAYNE COUNTY, IL A 26-year-old man charged with the murder of his 15-year-old girlfriend nearly 10 years ago is seeking to have his trial moved from Wayne County where the young girls body was found in a shallow grave years after her disappearance. Placentias historical Kraemer house sits abandoned with a broken balcony, boarded-up windows, a weed- and trash-choked lawn and broken glass strewn across the cracked driveway. UPDATED: Murbarger found guilty of Nichols' murder | WMIX The FBI, along with many law enforcement organizations, including the Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Office and the Evansville Police Department, continue to investigate Megans case. Her family didn't believe she was actually a runaway though and her disappearance was featured in Datelines digital series Missing in America.". There are many other important things that need to be taken care of financially in Placentia, she said. It wasn't until 2017 that Nichols' remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. We're told that the maximum sentence Murbarger faced for the crime was 60 years, and that the minimum possible sentence was 20 years. Lawyer for former Wayne County area man on trial for murdering - WMIX 00:56:29 - On July 3, 2014, 15-year-old Megan Nichols disappeared from her Fairfield, Illinois home. Copyright 2022 WFIE. He was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. The first-degree murder trial of Brodey Murbarger has been delayed again. He was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. Multiple agencies in Evansville, Indiana took Brodey Murbarger, 24, into custody Wednesday morning. The trial continues on Wednesday. Murbarger had lived in Fairfield, and met Nichols at New Hope School, where he was a senior and she was a sophomore. They have been trying either to find a builder who would buy and clean up the site or pursue some other option that would make city officials happy while unloading the property. Pre-trial Hearing Held Tuesday for Brodey I. Murbarger Murbarger, 24 was taken into custody Wednesday morning at his place of employment in Evansville and lodged in the Vanderburgh County jail pending extradition to Illinois to stand trial on multiple charges related to the death. We're continuing to follow the outcome out of a murder trial that's happening in Wayne County, Illinois. 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. Quality Control Laboratory Technician. A pre-trial hearing was held yesterday (Tuesday) via Zoom in Wayne County Circuit Court for 25-year-old Brodey I. Murbarger. Court then moved outside so jurors could have the chance to see the car themselves. Nichols was considered a missing person until her remains were found in a field outside Boyleston, Illinois in 2017. This was an on-record portion of the proceedings, meaning defense, prosecution, and jury were there along with the judge and court reporter. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was indicted in September by a grand jury.