The man at the center of a high profile murder case out of Wayne County, Illinois, learned his sentence on Friday. Friends say . 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WAYNE CO., Ill. (WFIE) - The trial started Monday morning for the man accused in the 2014 murder of Megan Nichols. 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. [Exclusive: People who found remains in Wayne Co. talk to 14 News]. RC Beverage Company. Follow 44News on Facebook, or download the free 44News apps on Android or Apple devices. All rights reserved. (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. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. to turn the house into a permanent gallery for local artists. 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. On Friday, Murbarger was sentenced to 50 years in prison for Nichols's murder, according to court officials. The man at the center of a high profile murder case out of Wayne County, Illinois, learned his sentence on Friday. Nichols was considered a missing person until her remains were found in a field outside Boyleston, Illinois in 2017. In March, the landowners had preliminary talks with the Placentia-Yorba Linda Art Assn. As we previously reported, Brodey Murbarger, the man found guilty of murdering Fairfield teen Megan Nichols, was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon. Court then moved outside so jurors could have the chance to see the car themselves. The manner of death was determined to be homicide. Meanwhile, the abandoned home has been plagued by graffiti, vandalism and arson. Brodey Murbarger. I would love to see that house be taken and refurbished and something decent made there.. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Nichols had gone missing in 2014 at the age of 15, but in 2017, her remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County, eventually leading to Murbarger's arrest. Police say Nichols was initially considered a missing person until her remains were found in a rural area in Wayne County, Illinois in 2018. Murbarger is awaiting trial for the 2014 slaying of 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. Jena Reynolds, Marriage & Family Therapist, Placentia, CA, 92870, (949) 383-4561, During my 10 years as a Psychotherapist, I have provided counseling to those challenged by: . The once-elegant . Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020. 00:56:29 - On July 3, 2014, 15-year-old Megan Nichols disappeared from her Fairfield, Illinois home. According to the clerk, Murbarger will now be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 27, at 2 p.m. The charges include three counts of First Degree Murder, one count of Concealment of a Homicidal Death and two counts of Home Invasion. Further, a search warrant for his home was issued. I had never had someone that I was close to that had died and, you know, that was traumatic," August said. The first-degree murder trial of Brodey I. Murbarger began this morning with jury selection in Wayne County Circuit Court in Fairfield. 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. Lee said that when they bought the property, they believed that the city would let them clear the site and build condominiums. The documents show hes accused of strangling and suffocating Megan and burying her in a shallow grave. We will continue to provide updates on the case. There were a few cryptic clues left behind at the home, one was Megan's cell phone which had been completely wiped. But the overriding question remains: Who should pay for the renovation? A chapter still remains unclosed as friends and families continue to wait. This was an on-record portion of the proceedings, meaning defense, prosecution, and jury were there along with the judge and court reporter. https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/closing-arguments-wrap-up-in-murbarger-murder-trial-jury-to-deliberate/amp/. The City Council has declared the house a public nuisance, and the city Planning Commission voted this month for abatement. A farmer found the remains three years after the 15-year-old girl was reported missing. 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. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. But the city has vetoed the owners previous proposals for the site, said Jeffrey Lee, spokesman for the group that owns the house. Police say Nichols was initially considered a missing person until her remains were found in a rural area in Wayne County, Illinois in 2018. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The City Council will consider that option at its Dec. 19 meeting, said Joyce Rosenthal, director of development services for Placentia. Judge Michael Molt handed down the sentence at the conclusion of a two hour hearing before a packed Wayne County courtroom. The trial was set to begin May 2 but was delayed during a pretrial hearing on Friday in Wayne County Circuit Court. The owners say theyve asked the city for demolition permits in the past, but all those requests were denied. 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. 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. Then in December of 2017, remains were found in a rural area in Illinois. From Evansville, IN newsman (formerly of Fairfield): Brodey Ian Murbarger of Evansville, Indiana has been arrested in connection with the murder of his former girlfriend, Megan Nichols. The radio station hasnt updated their transcripts yet since this morning. Multiple agencies in Evansville, Indiana took Brodey Murbarger, 24, into custody Wednesday morning. The once-elegant 5,872-square-foot house, still flanked by birds-of-paradise bushes, is now a rotting shell. Brodey Murbarger was arrested at his place of employment Wednesday without incident. Welcome to the subreddit! Megans friend, Holden August, told NBC affiliate WFIE that her disappearance and death took a while to digest for him and his classmates. 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. As we previously reported, Brodey Murbarger, the man found guilty of murdering Fairfield teen Megan Nichols, was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon. An Evansville, Indiana man is facing charges in the disappearance and murder of teenager Megan Nichols in 2014. 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. Edited spelling and corrected charges as of 2:00 PM. There are many other important things that need to be taken care of financially in Placentia, she said. 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. 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. Hes remained in the Wayne County Jail since that time with bond set at $300,000 cash. 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. However, theres a bit of relief now that an arrest has been made. Lee said the group of owners would like nothing better than to cut ties to the property. Then he was going to leave the house and build houses around it. 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. 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. The court also heard from an FBI DNA expert who confirmed the blood in Murbargers trunk came from Megan Nichols. 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. Local radio news at noon stated that the Grand Jury indictments cant yet be released. He apologized to the victims' family and raised $1.6 million for them, according to the New York Times.But the family insisted he . Her whereabouts remained a mystery for three years until human remains were found on December 26, 2017. 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. 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. He was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. 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. Brodey I. Murbarger has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murder of his former girlfriend, 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. 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. Nichols was 15 when she disappeared on July 3, 2014 from her home in Fairfield, Illinois. You have permission to edit this article. Sentencing rescheduled for man convicted of Wayne County teen's murder, 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. In Japanese court, Alkonis pleaded guilty to negligent driving. The family, according to Lee and Bass, is not interested in paying to restore the home. Murbarger then said he placed the shirt in the trunk, where leaking water caused the blood to spread. The city says the owners should. I dont want to get too excited," August said. WAYNE CO., Ill. (WFIE) - The trial started Monday morning for the man accused in the 2014 murder of Megan Nichols. All rights reserved. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. Through those statements, the state says Murbarger places himself with Nichols on the night and time she disappeared. According to Lee, the owners have lost a substantial amount of money on the property, which cost $750,000 in 1988. We're continuing to follow the outcome out of a murder trial that's happening in Wayne County, Illinois. Family members could not be reached for comment. While authorities first considered Megan a runaway, according to Dateline, her family didnt agree. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. https://www.14news.com/2022/10/12/ill-murder-suspect-takes-stand-day-8-trial/?outputType=amp. Murbarger had lived in Fairfield, and met Nichols at New Hope School, where he was a senior and she was a sophomore. Megan was initially considered a missing person until her remains were located in a rural area in Wayne County Illinois in 2018. He was taken Friday to a jail in Illinois. EVANSVILLE, Ind. EVANSVILLE, Ind. The city felt that was too crowded.. 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. A 24 year old is not a former bf. https://www.tristatehomepage.com/news/local-news/closing-arguments-wrap-up-in-murbarger-murder-trial-jury-to-deliberate/. 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. In July, a fire damaged the propertys garage, according to Placentia police. As reported in October, Brodey Murbarger was found guilty of the murder of Megan Nichols, of Fairfield, Illinois. In the meantime, he hasnt done what we think is the proper maintenance on the site.. We asked the city to condemn the property, but they refused to do that. 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. 4. Nichols was considered a missing person until her remains were found in a field outside Boyleston, Illinois in 2017. 1 seed in ACC, edges Pitt 78-76 for, Kitayama holds onto Bay Hill lead over Scheffler,, No. At the time of Megan's disappearance, Brodey lived in Fairfield and had allegedly been dating the victim. Its one of those things where you kind of always knew it was him," Hold told WFIE. FAIRFIELD, Ill. (WEHT) - As the murder trial for Brodey Murbarger continues into its second week, the jury heard from two unexpected witnesses, first Murbarger's father Jayson, followed by. 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. Her cell phone was also left behind and had been wiped clean. She had left her cell phone behind at the house. For more than three years, state and local police along with the FBI followed up on hundreds of tips. EVANSVILLE, Ind. Murbarger remains in custody in Indiana pending extradition to Illinois. "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. Bass, the Placentia historian, said city officials balk at taking over the renovation because it will be so expensive. Rosenthal said, however, that the requests were stalled because the city was waiting for acceptable renovation proposals from the owners. Murbarger was set for trial September 19 for the slaying of 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was indicted in September by a grand jury. On September 29, a Wayne County Grand Jury indicted Murbarger on six separate charges. Evansville, Indiana Area. It wasn't until 2017 that Nichols' remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County. Indeed, several structures--including Placentias historical water tower, a school and a major county thoroughfare--already bear the Kraemer name in honor of one of the early families to settle the county. 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. Its really hard to process, August said. He was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. Our biggest concern was that something of value didnt turn into a piece of junk, but the city may be too late in its efforts to save the house, Bass said. When youre hanging up a poster with your friends picture on it, thats when its like, Oh, this is real, Holden said. Please post information in the comments related to the case! Megan was dating an 18-year-old named Brodey Murbarger, an They paid $2,800 a month for rent. In reference to the varying stories, the defense states Murbarger was an awkward teen under a lot of pressure due to rumors circulating of his involvement in Nichols disappearance and would have been flustered during interrogations. Call or Email Renovari Counseling for a free phone consultation now - (714) 248-0598. But FBI Public Information Officer Brad Ware could not confirm these details to Dateline due to the case being an ongoing investigation. Quality Control Laboratory Technician. Murbarger had lived in Fairfield, and met Nichols at New Hope School, where he was a senior and she was a sophomore. Bond has been set at $3 million. An Illinois grand jury issued the indictment for Murbarger in connection with the murder and disappearance of Megan Nichols. He said he then placed the shirt in the trunk, where leaking water caused the blood to spread. Brodey Murbarger, 24, has been charged with murder, Evansville Police said. Last November a Wayne County jury found Brodey Murbarger responsible for strangling or smothering Megan Nichols to death. 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. A body was found - it was tragic, but maybe itll lead to something more. When youre hanging up a poster with your friends picture on it, thats when its like, Oh, this is real, August said. . Murbarger was accused in the 2014 disappearance and killing of 15-year-old Megan Nichols. Murbarger was arrested in 2020 while working in Indiana. 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. Brodey Murbarger testified that Megans blood was in his car after a sexual encounter, in which he used his shirt to clean the blood. What happens when the murderer doesnt get caught? Brodey Murbarger was arrested at his place of employment Wednesday without incident. 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. The plans we submitted before had up to 10 to 14 homes, which was higher density. According to court documents, Murbarger was indicted on three counts of first degree murder, one count of concealment of homicidal death and two counts of home invasion. On July 3, 2014, 15-year-old Megan Nichols disappeared from her Fairfield, Illinois home. Murbarger did address Judge Molt, asking for leniency. 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. If you have any information regarding the circumstances of Megans death, please contact the FBI at (217) 522-9675. The trial continues on Wednesday. She also left a note saying she loved her mother, but would never be happy at home. To a 15 year old. A month later, they were identified as those of Nichols. The Court on Tuesday issued a protective order for Megan Nichols medical records. Murbarger. Its not just you, Work phones make a comeback as offices ban WhatsApp, TikTok. One is for concealment of homicidal death, and two are for home invasion. According to NBC News, she was considered a missing person as police said she withdrew money from a bank before her disappearance. one hour of jury deliberation. The documents show hes accused of strangling and suffocating Megan and burying her in a shallow grave. Under that plan, new homes would have been built around the Kraemer house for a colony of resident artists. But in February 2014 the messages reflected a more tumultuous relationship, with Murbarger at one point calling Nichols annoying.. 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.. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was indicted in September by a grand jury. His attorney, Christian J. Baril, told Judge Michael Molt and State's Attorney Kevin Kakac the review of discovery materials is going well. The Wayne County Circuit Clerk told us Wednesday that Murbarger's sentencing date was being delayed. 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. Nichols, 15 was reported missing from her Fairfield, Illinois home in the early morning hours of July 3, 2014. MURBARGER PRE TRIAL 3/19/22 The first-degree murder trial of 25-year-old Brodey I. Murbarger has been delayed until fall. Murbarger stated he disposed of the shirt in a ditch. (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. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was arrested Wednesday without incident and is in jail awaiting extradition back to Illinois. The remains were found in a rural location in Wayne County, Illinois, FBI Public Information Officer Brad Ware previously told Dateline. Brodey Murbarger was arrested for Murder on today's date . 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. 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. Murbarger was found guilty of the murder of Megan Nichols this afternoon after approx. But the city balked because of the homes historical significance, he said. (Vanderburgh Co. The Wayne County Circuit Clerk told us Wednesday that Murbarger's sentencing date was being delayed. But the bottom line is that something has to be settled with that property., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Look up: The 32 most spectacular ceilings in Los Angeles, L.A. 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