According to a report from FOX 59 in Indianapolis , Wabash College, a private, all-male liberal arts college in Crawfordsville, Indiana, had its classes cancelled on Wednesday as authorities in nearby Boone County began an area-wide manhunt for a Wabash College employee suspected of killing a 31-year-old woman and her four-year-old son. That manhunt has now come to a tragic end.
#BREAKING Wabash College on lockdown, classes canceled for the remainder of the day https://t.co/jPZjdil2LK
— FOX59 News (@FOX59) February 17, 2016
This morning at approximately 8:50 in Zionsville, Indiana, a northwest suburb of Indianapolis, police were called to the 6800 block of Old Hunt Club Road. Once there, investigators discovered the bodies of an adult female and a young child, later identified as Katherine Janet Giehll, 31, and Raymond Peter Giehll IV, 4. Both had been fatally shot.
In a quote from WTHR-TV , Boone County Sheriff Mike Nielsen described the incident as a “tragic and senseless homicide.”
The prime suspect in the case was Katherine’s uncle and Wabash College employee Lucius Oliver Hamilton III, a six-foot tall, 61-year-old white male that weighs approximately 190 pounds and has gray hair and brown eyes.
#BREAKING : Wabash College locked down as cops search for double murder suspect https://t.co/6qj3P7KYfa #wave3news pic.twitter.com/FNcf9XQChW
— wave3news (@wave3news) February 17, 2016
At around 9:30 a.m., Hamilton, listed as a Wabash College senior major gifts officer, is said to have been seen on the Wabash campus and checked out a white 2013 Dodge van with the Wabash College license plate WA25. It was not clear which direction he was heading, but to ensure the safety of the Wabash College students, the school was placed on lockdown as a precaution. All faculty and students were instructed to remain indoors and in place as the investigation continued.
Search team heading to Library. @WabashCollege pic.twitter.com/RuSs1bSyEi
— budler (@jakebudler) February 17, 2016
According to the Wabash College website , the lockdown has ended, stating, “Crawfordsville police and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department have completed a search of the [Wabash College] campus and have deemed it safe. The shelter-in-place order is lifted for faculty, students, and staff.”
#BREAKING Wabash College students released from shelter in place request. pic.twitter.com/wNvViLpKya
— Ron Wilkins (@RonWilkins2) February 17, 2016
The investigation continued throughout the day as the Boone County Sheriff’s Office worked diligently in conjunction with numerous law enforcement agencies to bring Hamilton to justice. Sheriff Mike Nielsen vowed to capture the Wabash College employee.
“I will not stop until I find you. We have a great team assembled here, and we will find you. And we will find you today. I suggest if you see this or if you hear this that you turn yourself in immediately.”
It turns out that Nielsen is a man of his word. In a statement released on the Boone County Facebook page just a short time ago, it has been confirmed that the search for Hamilton has ended.
“After an extensive multi-agency effort, Lucius Hamilton III was located at the Hilton Garden INN in downtown Indianapolis. Local law enforcement officials attempted to make contact with Hamilton in his room. He was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“Sheriff Nielsen commented: ‘I could not be more proud of all the law enforcement officers involved today. Agencies from across the state, including our federal partners, offered every resource available to locate Hamilton. We were able to utilize these resources to work, process and secure the scene. Through many investigative techniques, we were able track Hamilton down to a specific location in downtown Indianapolis where he cowardly took his life instead of choosing to face justice for his actions. My heart goes out to the Giehll family and to the first responders that witnessed this horrific scene.’”
[Photo provided by Boone County Sheriff’s Office]
