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. In the meantime, he hasnt done what we think is the proper maintenance on the site.. Following a telephone conference on Wednesday in Wayne County Circuit Court, Murbarger's defense attorney requested a continuance until October 3. More than three years later, the skeletal remains of Megan were found in a shallow grave south of . Bond has been set at $3 million. 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. Friends say . Link has been updated, guilty verdict returned. Her family didn't believe she was actually a runaway though and her disappearance was featured in Datelines digital series Missing in America.". Brodey Murbarger was arrested at his place of employment Wednesday without incident. Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020.. 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. Police say Nichols was initially considered a missing person until her remains were found in a rural area in Wayne County, Illinois in 2018. On Friday, Murbarger was sentenced to 50 years in prison for Nichols's murder, according to court officials. Brodey Murbarger was arrested for Murder on today's date . During the more than two-week trial, jurors heard testimony from multiple witnesses some of them surprising. Murbarger was taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail, but he is no longer an inmate. Murbarger did address Judge Molt, asking for leniency. The charges include three counts of First Degree Murder, one count of Concealment of a Homicidal Death and two counts of Home Invasion. If you have any information regarding the circumstances of Megans death, please contact the FBI at (217) 522-9675. Megan was dating an 18-year-old named Brodey Murbarger, an . Through those statements, the state says Murbarger places himself with Nichols on the night and time she disappeared. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. In count three, Murbarger is accused of intentionally or knowingly caused the death of Megan Nichols by manner and means to the Grand Jury unknown, causing the death of Megan Nichols. In Count four, the Concealment of a Homicidal Death alleges that Murbarger knowingly concealed the death of Megan Nichols by causing her body to be buried in a shallow grave in a remote area of Wayne County. The act allegedly occurred on or between July 3, 2014 and December 26, 2017. In counts 5 and 6, Murbarger is accused of Home Invasion in that he allegedly committed a Criminal Sexual Abuse against Megan P. Nichols in that said defendant committed an an act of sexual conduct or sexual penetration with Megan P. Nichols, who was at least 13 years of age but under 17 years of age and the defendant was less than 5 years older than Megan P. Nichols. 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. In March, the landowners had preliminary talks with the Placentia-Yorba Linda Art Assn. 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. Further, a search warrant for his home was issued. Parlor Doughnuts hold soft opening for new location on Main St. Man arrested on murder charges in Providence. As Dateline previously reported, the 15-year-old was last seen on July 3, 2014, at her home in Fairfield, Illinois, where she lived with her mother and stepfather. 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. The FBI, along with many law enforcement organizations, including the Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Office and the Evansville Police Department, continue to investigate Megans case. On Wednesday, an FBI investigator told the jury about text messages between Murbarger and Nichols which. 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. The once-elegant . 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 Murbarger was arrested in 2020. The owners say the city should, particularly if officials are so set on preserving the home. Her whereabouts remained a mystery for three years until human remains were found on December 26, 2017. Murbarger. 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. Sep 2019 - Present3 years 5 months. 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. Press J to jump to the feed. Call or Email Renovari Counseling for a free phone consultation now - (714) 248-0598. We're told that the maximum sentence Murbarger faced for the crime was 60 years, and that the minimum possible sentence was 20 years. [Previous: Im sick,' says woman who discovered Megan Nichols remains]. No further details were released. 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. What happens when the murderer doesnt get caught? He apologized to the victims' family and raised $1.6 million for them, according to the New York Times.But the family insisted he . Court documents show Murbarger was indicted on six counts. Ill update whenever I get more info. The City Council has declared the house a public nuisance, and the city Planning Commission voted this month for abatement. Megan was initially considered a missing person until her remains were located in a rural area in Wayne County Illinois in 2018. 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. He was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. 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. The first-degree murder trial of Brodey Murbarger has been delayed again. They paid $2,800 a month for rent. The Wayne County Circuit Clerk told us Wednesday that Murbarger's sentencing date was being delayed. 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. Court then moved outside so jurors could have the chance to see the car themselves. Three are for first degree murder. Some murders are so shocking and evil that they capture the mind of the general public and it wont let go until a killer is brought to justice. On Wednesday, an FBI investigator told the jury about text messages between Murbarger and Nichols which revealed the two were in a sexual relationship. Edited spelling and corrected charges as of 2:00 PM. We asked the city to condemn the property, but they refused to do that. It wasn't until 2017 that Nichols' remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County. Brodey Murbarger has been sentenced to prison for the murder of Fairfield, Illinois teen Megan Nichols. There was a problem saving your notification. For more than three years, state and local police along with the FBI followed up on hundreds of tips. However, theres a bit of relief now that an arrest has been made. An Evansville, Indiana man is facing charges in the disappearance and murder of teenager Megan Nichols in 2014. Murbarger was accused in the 2014 disappearance and killing of 15-year-old Megan Nichols. A farmer found the remains three years after the 15-year-old girl was reported missing. Nichols was 15 when she disappeared on July 3, 2014 from her home in Fairfield, Illinois. The court also heard from an FBI DNA expert who confirmed the blood in Murbargers trunk came from Megan Nichols. The house has slid from being a city jewel to a prominent eyesore. The family called police to report her missing at about 1 am July 4, 2014. That would allow the developer to build a road and more homes on the site without razing the historical structure. Judge Michael Molt handed down the sentence at the conclusion of a two hour hearing before a packed Wayne County courtroom. 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. (WFIE) - Evansville police say detectives arrested an Evansville man on murder charges in relation to the 2014 disappearance/murder of Megan Nichols. WAYNE CO., Ill. (WFIE) - The trial started Monday morning for the man accused in the 2014 murder of Megan Nichols. Theres no sense of closure and the families of the victims are left devastated. [Click here to see the indictment documents obtained by 14 News]. Copyright 2020 WFIE. If you have any information regarding the circumstances of Megan Nichols death, please contact the FBI at (217) 522-9675. In July, a fire damaged the propertys garage, according to Placentia police. The man at the center of a high profile murder case out of Wayne County, Illinois, learned his sentence on Friday. Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020 and is facing a first-degree murder . Family members could not be reached for comment. Murbarger had lived in Fairfield, and met Nichols at New Hope School, where he was a senior and she was a sophomore. Murbarger took the stand on Wednesday and testified that Nichols blood was in his car after a sexual encounter in which he used his shirt to clean the blood. Follow 44News on Facebook, or download the free 44News apps on Android or Apple devices. Murbarger remains in custody in Indiana pending extradition to Illinois. According to the clerk, Murbarger will now be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m. Murbargerwas arrestedin connection with Nichols' death in 2020 after she went missing in 2014 at the age of 15. A hearing on all pending motions in the case is scheduled for March 18 with a May 2 setting being eyed as a possible start date for a jury trial. 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. But FBI Public Information Officer Brad Ware could not confirm these details to Dateline due to the case being an ongoing investigation. Im local to her and her family, local radio just announced that the former boyfriend, Brodey Murbarger, has been arrested in connection with her disappearance and death. The city says the owners should. Nichols was considered a missing person until her remains were found in a field outside Boyleston, Illinois in 2017. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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Murbarger was found guilty of the murder of Megan Nichols this afternoon after approx. Its one of those things where you kind of always knew it was him," August said. 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. The last tenants were 12 members of Cal State Fullertons Sigma Nu fraternity, who got a conditional-use permit from the city to live there from 1991 to 1997. According to the clerk, Murbarger will now be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m. Jury moves outside to see suspects car on day 7 of Ill. murder trial, 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. 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. The City Council will consider that option at its Dec. 19 meeting, said Joyce Rosenthal, director of development services for Placentia. Megan, who was featured in Datelines digital series Missing in America shortly after she vanished, was initially considered a missing person. An abatement order would require the houses owners to repair, rebuild or demolish the house. RC Beverage Company. It wasn't until 2017 that Nichols' remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County. one hour of jury deliberation. The man at the center of a high profile murder case out of Wayne County, Illinois, learned his sentence on Friday. The sheriff here reports that the arrest was made by Evansville IN PD at the direction of the FBI and his office is not involved at this time. 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. The city felt that was too crowded.. Then in December of 2017, remains were found in a rural area in Illinois. 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. Brodey Murbarger. Updated: Oct 13, 2022 / 04:08 PM CDT FAIRFIELD, Ill (WEHT) - Brodey Murbarger, 26, was found guilty of first degree murder on Thursday after the jury deliberated for only an hour. Under that plan, new homes would have been built around the Kraemer house for a colony of resident artists. 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. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. EVANSVILLE, Ind. 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. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Local radio news at noon stated that the Grand Jury indictments cant yet be released. 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. Please post information in the comments related to the case! Members of the Kraemer family, for their part, apparently have distanced themselves from the dilapidated house that bears their name. As we previously reported, Brodey Murbarger, the man found guilty of murdering Fairfield teen Megan Nichols, was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon. We're continuing to follow the outcome out of a murder trial that's happening in Wayne County, Illinois. 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. FAIRFIELD, Ill (WEHT) Brodey Murbarger, 26, was found guilty of first degree murder on Thursday after the jury deliberated for only an hour. You have permission to edit this article. The once-elegant 5,872-square-foot house, still flanked by birds-of-paradise bushes, is now a rotting shell. When youre hanging up a poster with your friends picture on it, thats when its like, Oh, this is real, August said. Her cell phone was also left behind and had been wiped clean. There were a few cryptic clues left behind at the home, one was Megan's cell phone which had been completely wiped. The stain tested positive in the field for blood. A pre-trial hearing was held yesterday (Tuesday) via Zoom in Wayne County Circuit Court for 25-year-old Brodey I. Murbarger. Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020 and is facing a first-degree murder. I think the Kraemer house has tremendous possibilities, Bass said. 00:56:29 - On July 3, 2014, 15-year-old Megan Nichols disappeared from her Fairfield, Illinois home. On July 3, 2014, 15-year-old Megan Nichols disappeared from her Fairfield, Illinois home. But in February 2014 the messages reflected a more tumultuous relationship, with Murbarger at one point calling Nichols annoying.. https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/closing-arguments-wrap-up-in-murbarger-murder-trial-jury-to-deliberate/amp/. Parlor Doughnuts hold soft opening for new location on Main St. Man arrested on murder charges in Providence. Quality Control Laboratory Technician. EVANSVILLE, Ind. The plans we submitted before had up to 10 to 14 homes, which was higher density. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Its really hard to process, August said. WAYNE CO., Ill. (WFIE) - The trial started Monday morning for the man accused in the 2014 murder of Megan Nichols. 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. Its one of those things where you kind of always knew it was him," Hold told WFIE. 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. Nichols, 15 was reported missing from her Fairfield, Illinois home in the early morning hours of July 3, 2014. Murbarger was arrested in connection with Nichols' death in 2020 after she went missing in 2014 at the age of 15. Megans friend, Holden August, told NBC affiliate WFIE that her disappearance and death took a while to digest for him and his classmates. You have permission to edit this article. Brodey Murbarger has been sentenced to prison for the murder of Fairfield, Illinois teen Megan Nichols. While authorities first considered Megan a runaway, according to Dateline, her family didnt agree. It had been wiped clean. Multiple agencies in Evansville, Indiana took Brodey Murbarger, 24, into custody Wednesday morning. There was a problem saving your notification. At the time of Megan's disappearance, Brodey lived in Fairfield and had allegedly been dating the victim. Murbarger had lived in Fairfield, and met Nichols at New Hope School, where he was a senior and she was a sophomore. 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. 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. The property is highly problematic now, said Lee, because the owners lost their liability insurance in 1998. Megan was dating an 18-year-old named Brodey Murbarger, and the relationship had caused a rift between Megan and her mother. The state then rested its case and the defense not only called Murbargers father Jayson Murbarger to the stand but called the defendant himself to testify. More than three years later, the skeletal remains of Megan were found in a shallow grave south of Fairfield. to turn the house into a permanent gallery for local artists. Brodey Murbarger was arrested at his place of employment Wednesday without incident. (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. The manner of death was determined to be homicide. I had never had someone that I was close to that had died and, you know, that was traumatic," August said. I am at work and had a lot of background noise but Im pretty confident that is what I heard. 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. This was an on-record portion of the proceedings, meaning defense, prosecution, and jury were there along with the judge and court reporter. Murbarger then said he placed the shirt in the trunk, where leaking water caused the blood to spread. As reported in October, Brodey Murbarger was found guilty of the murder of Megan Nichols, of Fairfield, Illinois. As reported in October, Brodey Murbarger was found guilty of the murder of Megan Nichols, of Fairfield, Illinois. All rights reserved. Brodey Murbarger testified that Megans blood was in his car after a sexual encounter, in which he used his shirt to clean the blood. UPDATE: Brodey Murbarger found guilty of murdering Megan Nichols in 2014. Police say Nichols was initially considered a missing person until her remains were found in a rural area in Wayne County, Illinois in 2018. https://www.14news.com/2022/10/12/ill-murder-suspect-takes-stand-day-8-trial/?outputType=amp. He was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois.