South Bend Man Arrested in Alleged Bremen Battery Incident

Posted on Author Anita Goodan
Justin Shonkwiler

A South Bend man was arrested on Tuesday afternoon after he allegedly battered two people at a residence in the 8,000 block of 5th Road in Bremen.

Marshall County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrived at the scene and reportedly found that 39-year-old Justin M. Shonkwiler battered two people at the residence. Police say the homeowner shot a round from a handgun in order to scare Shonkwiler. The gun was allegedly aimed away from the suspect and others. Shonkwiler was not at the residence during the investigation.

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Attorney Representing Co-Defendant in Costello Murder Case Files Plea Agreement with Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

A plea agreement has been executed between the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office and Attorney June Bules who is representing Maeson Coffin, the co-defendant in the Richard “Paul” Costello murder case. Coffin will submit an official guilty plea to the charges of burglary, theft and auto theft in January, with the charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder dismissed.

In a statement released to the media, Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman explained that filing a plea agreement is different than submitting a plea. He said typically, the terms of plea agreements are not made public until presented in open court at the time the defendant pleads guilty.

However, due to the “understandable intense public interest in this horrific crime,” Chipman chose to make an exception to the rule of non-disclosure of the terms after thoroughly consulting with the victim’s family about major case developments. Continue reading →

Plymouth Man Arrested after Accident

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

A Plymouth man was taken into custody Wednesday night after reportedly driving under the influence and causing an accident.

According to Plymouth police, Dustin Bradfield, 28, lost control of his vehicle and drove into the side of another vehicle at the entrance of Centennial Park. Police reportedly found that Bradfield was intoxicated at the time of the accident and tested three times the legal limit.

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Gauvin Monaghan Sentenced to 65 Years for Murder of Paul Costello

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

In a Wednesday sentencing hearing in Marshall County Superior Court No.1 , Judge Robert O. Bowen sentenced 19-year-old Gauvin Monaghan to the maximum allowable sentence of 65 years for the October 2016 murder of 78-year-old Richard “Paul” Costello.

After the hearing, Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman commented on the totality of the circumstances of the offense and the background of the defendant saying Gauvin Monaghan was a serial killer who fortunately got caught after his first murder.

According to information released by the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office, Monaghan read aloud from a letter, asking the victim’s family for forgiveness. Costello’s friends and family members filled the spectator section of the courtroom and intensely watched the proceedings.

Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman attempted to seek some kind of explanation from Monaghan of why he beat an elderly man to death, inquiring as to whether anger, money or revenge played a factor. Monaghan reportedly could only answer that he did not know why.

No other live testimony was provided by either side. Instead, the state of Indiana submitted numerous photographs depicting the viciousness of the crime and the extent of the victim’s injuries and relied upon the Victim Impact letters provided by family members and some of Paul’s friends. Continue reading →

Gauvin Monaghan Pleads Guilty to November 2016 Murder of Marshall County Man

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

According to information provided by the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office, in a last minute arrangement Monday morning, Gauvin Monaghan was brought before Judge Robert O. Bowen to plead guilty to the murder of 78-year-old Richard “Paul” Costello in November of 2016.

During the brief court proceedings, Judge Bowen advised Monaghan of his various rights and the terms of his plea agreement. By pleading guilty to the single count of murder, all other counts were dismissed including conspiracy to commit murder, burglary, auto theft and a separate count of theft.

The press release indicates that Monaghan addressed the Judge’s questions with very quiet, one word answers and said he was asked to speak louder more than once. When asked how he pled, Monaghan said he was guilty of murder. Continue reading →

Marshall County DUI Task Force Successful in Recent Enforcement

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Marshall County DUI Task Force recently conducted a sobriety checkpoint in the 1500 block of North Oak Drive in Plymouth and several officers participated in that enforcement.

According to Marshall County DUI Task Force Coordinator Patrolman Troy Ulch, 153 vehicles were stopped while 195 vehicles were allowed to pass around the checkpoint. In such a situation, you can contact an experienced lawyer from Casper law firm helping clients with DUI charges, who will understand your situation and advocate on your behalf.

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Community Resource Center Update Expected During Marshall County Commissioners Meeting

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger
Marshall County Commissioners (L to R) Deb Griewank, Kevin Overmyer and Kurt Garner
Marshall County Commissioners (L to R) Deb Griewank, Kevin Overmyer and Kurt Garner

The Marshall County Commissioners are expected to get an update on the County Health Department’s move to the Community Resource Center. It’s designed to free up space at the Marshall County Building for the expansion of the County Prosecutor’s Office. Continue reading →

Marshall County Sheriff’s Department Adds Crash Investigation Equipment

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department has new crash investigation equipment to pinpoint exactly what a vehicle did before, during and immediately after a wreck. Crash data retrieval allows officers to download and analyze data stored in a vehicle’s airbag module. Event Data Recorders record information, including the vehicle’s precise speed several seconds before the crash, the timing of the braking of the vehicles involved and whether seatbelts were fastened. Continue reading →

Great Lakes Lab Contract Approved

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The Marshall County Commissioners discussed a contract with the Great Lakes Lab through the prosecutor’s office.

The Great Lakes Lab provides forensic services for Marshall County. All of the law enforcement agencies in the county may send drug samples or alcohol tests for analysis with this lab company. The number of tests that have been requested through the lab by Marshall County officers has dropped since 2013. As a result, the contract price has decreased.

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Marshall County Jury Indicts Marshall County Solid Waste Management Director

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

A Marshall County grand jury has returned counts of theft as a Class D felony and official misconduct as a Class D felony against Michael T. Good.

The two-count indictment alleges Good exerted unauthorized control over property of the Marshall County Solid Waste Management District totaling $9,017.12. He allegedly sold scrap in 2012, 2013 and 2014, according to a Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office press release. Good is currently the director of the Marshall County Solid Waste Management District.

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Early Morning Fight Lands Man in Jail

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer
Larry W. Baltes
Larry W. Baltes

Formal charges are pending against the man accused of hitting and biting another man at a Bremen residence early this morning. Officers from the Marshall County Police Department responded to 1426 Jute Road in Bremen at 12:43 a.m. for a report of a fight in progress. A man told them Larry W. Baltes, 40, had hit him in the face and bitten his upper thigh. The victim refused medical treatment, according to a news release. Baltes was arrested on preliminary charges of battery resulting in moderate injury, public intoxication and disorderly conduct.