The Arkansas man accused of fatally shooting a Knox man Friday night at a rural North Judson home remains jailed without bond. Edward Blackburn entered a plea of not guilty during his initial hearing this morning in Starke Circuit Court in connection with Cord Colgrove’s death. He advised Judge Kim Hall his family intends to hire an attorney to represent him.

Court documents indicate Blackburn shot Colgrove in the head in front of two witnesses and co-defendant Augusta Hadden. She’s charged with assisting a criminal after allegedly throwing her cell phone out of Blackburn’s truck after the shooting in an apparent attempt to hamper efforts to locate them. Hadden’s bond is set at $200,000 surety. Richard Ballard was appointed her public defender.

Colgrove was a passenger in a friend’s vehicle, eastbound on County Road 400 South approaching 100 West when they spotted Blackburn’s red Dodge truck heading west. Colgrove reportedly told the driver to turn around and follow the truck, saying it’s what the guy drives that his ex-girlfriend, Augusta Hadden, has been messing around with.

The truck pulled into a lane that runs south off of 400 West into a subdivision, and the other vehicle followed. Colgrove reportedly got out of his friend’s truck and walked toward Blackburn’s vehicle. That’s when Blackburn allegedly shot Colgrove in the face. Colgrove’s friend recognized Hadden in the truck and said she screamed “Cord” after the shot was fired.

The truck backed up and struck a few trees before pulling onto eastbound 400 South and speeding away.

The responding officers found Colgrove on his back with blood on his face and the back of his head. He was pronounced dead by Starke County EMS.

Det. Sgt. Dave Combs of the Knox City Police Department later got a tip from a man who said Hadden and a man he knows as Irush were at his house the previous week. He advised Cord’s name came up, and the Irush, who was carrying a gun, put his hand on his hip and said, “When I meet up with Cord it’s gonna go bad.”

A short time later, investigators at the Starke County Sheriff’s Office got an anonymous call advising the suspect was named Edward Blackburn from Houston, Texas, who currently lives in Arkansas. The caller also stated she believes Hadden is in grave danger and would never have agreed to go with Blackburn on her own, especially after Cord had been shot.

Investigators learned Blackburn has an Arkansas driver’s license and is wanted by the U.S. Marshals. He’s also reportedly a member of the Aryan Circle in Texas and is considered armed and dangerous.

The Indiana State Police successfully tracked Hadden’s phone, which was recovered along a side road in a rural area of Fulton County.

Blackburn and Hadden were arrested Saturday at a hotel in Mishawaka. Court documents indicate they met up with a friend of Blackburn’s late Friday night at the Elkhart Walmart, drove Blackburn’s truck to Michigan and set it on fire before returning to Indiana and checking into the hotel.

Blackburn’s friend told investigators he felt Hadden was there on her own and was not being held against her will.

Hadden refused to talk to investigators with the Starke County Sheriff’s Office, who say she cried when they told her Colgrove was dead. She sobbed through her court appearance and told Judge Hall, quote, “I’m a mess over all of this.”

Hadden faces between one and six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if she’s convicted.

Blackburn is looking at between 45 and 65 years in prison and maximum $10,000 fine.

A Knox man who was already wanted by authorities faces several additional charges following a Wednesday afternoon traffic stop by a detective from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office.

He reportedly found syringes, marijuana and methamphetamine on 26-year-old Jacob Richie of Knox. Officers also found methamphetamine, precursors and other items used in the manufacture of the drug in the vehicle, according to the incident report.

Officers also obtained consent to search an apartment in the 300 block of Ruthie Drive in Knox. They also found more methamphetamine, precursors, methamphetamine and paraphernalia at the residence.

Richie faces charges of dealing methamphetamine, possession of precursors, a syringe, marijuana and methamphetamine, resisting law enforcement, false informing and visiting a common nuisance.

Officers also arrested 23-year-old Rachel Agee of Knox on a charge of maintaining a common nuisance.

The Knox City Police Department and Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team also assisted in the response.

The Starke County Commissioners want another vendor to evaluate their radio system and determine what needs to be fixed to make it operational county-wide. Members of the Koontz Lake Volunteer Fire Department are having issues communicating with their portable radios. The contractor the county hired to make necessary repairs, which he said would fix the problem, is now advising they need to spend $4,000 on another VHF antenna.

The county highway department and sheriff’s office are also experiencing dead spots with their radios. The commissioners agreed to invite two other vendors to examine both the 800 megahertz and VHF radio systems to determine what is wrong and what needs to be done to make both fully operational.

A Hamlet woman who had been missing since Wednesday has been found safe, according to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office.

A Silver Alert had been issued for Dehani Salazar, 22. It was canceled as of 2:10 Friday afternoon.

Two people were taken to hospitals Wednesday after a crash in the Grovertown area. According to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office, it happened at around 12:19 p.m. near the intersection of U.S. 30 and State Road 23.

One person was taken to South Bend for treatment, while another was taken to Starke Hospital in Knox. Starke County dispatchers add that one of them suffered compound fractures in their arm.

Starke County EMS, the Koontz Lake and Hamlet fire departments, the Starke County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hamlet Police Department all responded.

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A single-vehicle motorcycle crash late Sunday* night in San Pierre claimed the life of a Wheatfield man and seriously injured his passenger. It happened just after 11:30 p.m. on U.S. 421.

Starke County Coroner Dannie Hoffer says 53-year-old Joseph Louis Fuentez was killed. He was a highly-decorated federal probation and pretrial services officer who worked at the U.S. Courthouse in Hammond. Hoffer adds the family has been notified.

The crash is still under investigation by the Starke County Sheriff’s Office, and the passenger’s name has not been released at this time.

*a previous version of this story incorrectly stated the crash occurred Saturday night. WKVI News apologizes for any confusion this may have caused.

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The Wheatfield man who was killed in a Sunday night motorcycle accident on U.S. 421 in San Pierre died of blunt force head trauma. That’s the finding of an autopsy report conducted Monday on 53-year-old Joseph Louis Fuentes. Starke County Coroner Dannie Hoffer pronounced him dead at 11:41 p.m.

Toxicology results are pending. Fuentez was a highly-decorated federal probation and pretrial services officer who works at the U.S. Courthouse in Hammond.

A passenger on his motorcycle was seriously injured. The crash remains under investigation by the Starke County Sheriff’s Office. The passenger’s name has not been released at this time.

this time.

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North Judson’s new town marshal officially took over this week. Kelly Fisher was sworn in by Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins, during a special town council meeting Tuesday morning. Fisher previously served 18 years as a deputy with the Starke County Sheriff’s Office.

She replaces former Town Marshal John Ramos, who held the position for less than a year. The town council voted to fire Ramos back in April. In the end, Ramos agreed to resign, in exchange for having his disciplinary charges dropped.

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Three people were injured in a car vs. train accident in Starke County just after 3 p.m. on Thursday.

According to Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin, the driver of a minivan reportedly failed to yield to the right of way of a westbound CF&E train on 1100 East just south of U.S. 30. When officers arrived at the scene they found the minivan on the north side of the railroad tracks in a deep ditch.

Police say the driver, 43-year-old Princess Robinson, was out of the vehicle and walking around while passenger Billie Beeman, 45, was ejected from the vehicle and laying near the railroad tracks. Another passenger, Richard Robinson, 51, was trapped in the vehicle. The passengers were airlifted from the scene to Memorial Hospital in South Bend with serious injuries. The driver was treated and released from the Starke Hospital.

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department was assisted at the scene by responders from Starke County EMS, Hamlet Fire Department, Koontz Lake Fire Department, Hamlet Police Department, Lutheran Air, Samaritan Air and railroad officials.

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Emergency crews are on the scene of a two vehicle accident involving semi trucks on U.S. 30 and 800 East in Starke County.

Police say one semi was hauling a combine and it erupted in flames. One driver was injured in the accident, but the extent of those injuries is unknown.

Deputies from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office are on scene as well as crews from Knox-Center Township, Hamlet-Davis Township, Koontz Lake, and Walkerton Fire Departments and Starke County EMS. The initial call came in to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office at 8:57 a.m. CT.

No other details have been given at this time. WKVI News will update information as it becomes available.

Photos provided.

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A Grovertown man was arrested on Monday after deputies from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office investigated a report of drug activity.

Deputies arrived at the Grovertown Truck Stop and deployed K9 Zardoz around the suspect’s vehicle in the parking lot. The K9 reportedly indicated to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. A subsequent search by officers revealed 46 grams of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and firearms, according to police.

Police say one firearm had been stolen from the Plymouth area.

Hunter McCoy, 20, was taken into custody on charges to be determined by the Starke County Prosecutor.

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Four people face meth-related charges after an off-duty Starke County Sheriff’s officer reportedly witnessed a drug deal taking place in the Smith’s Farm Store parking lot in Knox. It happened around 6:30 Thursday evening, according to the sheriff’s office.

Knox Police were called to the scene. Officers say Richard Hill, 27, of Knox, had several baggies of a crystal rock substance believed to be ICE, while Cameron Foidel, 30, of South Bend, allegedly had a syringe. Both of them are being charged with Dealing Methamphetamine and Possession of Methamphetamine. Hill is also being charged with Possession of Paraphernalia, while Foidel is being charged with Possession of a Syringe, according to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office.

A search warrant was then executed at the White House Motel. There, officers say they found several baggies of what they believe to be ICE, along with marijuana, scales, baggies, and syringes.

Two women were in the room, according to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office. Rejina Rogers, 54, of Knox, is being charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Possession of Syringe, Possession of Marijuana and Paraphernalia. Alexis Wecht, 20, of South Bend, is being charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Visiting a Common Nuisance, and Possession of a Syringe.

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Three people were taken to hospitals Friday, after a crash on U.S. 30 and County Road 1100 East. The Starke County Sheriff’s Office says it happened just after 11:30 Friday morning.

The driver of a 1998 Jeep had to be extricated from the vehicle, according to police. He and his female passenger were both taken to South Bend Memorial Hospital.

Meanwhile, the driver of a Ford Five Hundred was taken to Starke Hospital in Knox. Police do not believe her injuries were serious. Officers say a dog that was in the car with her was taken by the Starke County Humane Society for safekeeping.

Westbound U.S. 30 was down to one lane for about an hour because of the crash, according to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office. The Koontz Lake and Hamlet fire departments, and Starke County EMS assisted at the crash site.

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The Starke County Commissioners considered a proposal from Sheriff Bill Dulin to move three part-time employees to full-time positions at the Starke County Sheriff’s Office in 2018.

Sheriff Dulin said he’d like to have a full-time receptionist, full-time cook and full-time 911 operator. He said a significant savings in part-time funding would be saved if these three employees moved to full-time. He is also asking for a raise of $1,000 for dispatchers to be included in the 2018 budget.

He told the commissioners that specific funds in the budget would be able to cover the costs of the change to full-time status. Funding for the receptionist and the cook would come out of the sheriff’s CEDIT fund while the 911 operator’s pay would need to come out of the 911 operating budget as mandated by the state.

The commissioners gave their blessing for the sheriff to seek these changes in the budget for 2018. The commissioners and county council members will convene for a budget workshop on Friday, Aug. 11 at 9 a.m. in the Starke County Annex meeting room in Knox.

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Deputies from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department are investigating a call of shots fired at a Grovertown residence on Tuesday night.

Officers were notified of a possible domestic issue at a home in the 11,000 E. block of 300 N. in Grovertown at 6:21 p.m. CT. Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin said two people have been arrested and one suspect fled the scene on foot. Three K9 units were called to track the suspect in the woods and in fields. A helicopter from Lake County was dispatched to aid in the search with thermal imaging cameras, according to Dulin. The search for the third suspect was suspended after three hours.

Dulin added that no one was injured in the incident.

This is an ongoing investigation. Updates will be given when details become available.

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Two people were arrested on Tuesday, Aug. 8 after a domestic disturbance with shots fired was reported to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office and one man is wanted by police.

Officers were called to a residence in 11,000 E. block 300 N. in the Grovertown area shortly after 6 p.m. and found a man and woman outside, according to the report. Police say another man fled into a wooded area. Officers were able to detain Chester T. King, Jr. and Peggy Salyer while a search ensued for a third suspect. Police say shots were heard in the wooded area where the suspect reportedly fled. K9 officers were called to aid in the search along with helicopter support from the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. The search was suspended after three hours.

Peggy Salyer was arrested on preliminary charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of precursors, false informing, and an outstanding warrant. Chester T. King was arrested on preliminary charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine and possession of precursors. Bond is set at $25,000 each.

The suspect who fled the scene remains at large. If anyone knows the whereabouts of James Watts, call the Starke County Sheriff’s Department with an anonymous tip at (574) 772-3771 or call 911 immediately.

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Two Knox residents were arrested on drug charges after a month-long investigation conducted by investigators from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office.

Police say they found 31-year-old Matthew Bradley hiding in a residence in the 3,000 S. block of 100 W. in North Judson on Tuesday, Aug 15. Bradley was detained along with 25-year-old Haley Marshall after methamphetamine-related items were found inside the room where Bradley was found, according to the report.

Officers called the homeowner and consent to search the residence was granted. Police say methamphetamine precursors, methamphetamine residue and paraphernalia were found in the bedroom the pair share.

Police reportedly found a back pack in the woods behind the residence that contained ingredients to manufacture methamphetamine.

Bradley and Marshall were arrested on preliminary charges of dealing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of precursors, and paraphernalia. Both are being held in the Starke County Jail with no bond.

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Starke County Police stopped to help with a disabled vehicle Tuesday, but they say they ended up finding heroin. Officers say a car was sitting with its hood up along U.S. 30 near County Road 600 East.

A brief investigation took place, and a K-9 reportedly alerted officers to the presence of narcotics. Police searched the vehicle, and officers say the 21-year-old passenger had heroin, a spoon, and a syringe.

Donovan Ward was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Heroin, Possession of a Syringe, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

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This past Sunday, Moving Starke County Forward hosted an event for Overdose Awareness at Wythogan Park. The event honored the community’s first responders as well as featured moving testimony from a former addict who is now working to raise awareness and promote recovery.

The event coordinator was Jordan Morris, a member of the Moving Starke County Forward Leadership Team. Morris said they wanted to include a ceremony honoring first responders because of the incredible service they provide to the community.

“Honoring first responders seemed to be something that happens less frequently than it probably should,” Morris said, “So we sent invitations to all of the departments that have individuals serving as first responders.”

Fifteen awards were presented to several different departments including the Starke County Sheriff’s Office, dispatch, EMS and local fire departments to thank them for their sacrifices and commitment to the community.

Following the award ceremony, Tiffany Witham shared her recovery story with the crowd of about 50 community members who were gathered for the event. Witham’s former probation officer approached Morris about including Tiffany as the speaker since she was three years clean this past July. Witham struggled with addiction for 6 years before recovering. It was a long, tedious process but she uses her past experiences to help raise awareness and provide recovery encouragement to addicts.

Witham said, “I understand people fear or hate what they don’t understand and there’s a lot of people that do not understand addiction. They hate addicts, they write these horrible things about them…and they need help and it’s a hard habit to break. I just want people to understand that there is hope.”

Tiffany’s full speech can be found on the Moving Starke County Forward Facebook page.

The event concluded with a candlelight vigil where individuals lit a white candle in memory of lost loved ones. International Overdose Awareness Day is Thursday August 31. Community members are encouraged to wear silver or gray on this day to show support for addiction recovery and overdose awareness.

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The Starke County Sheriff’s Office will be working with community members to combat prescription drug abuse with their Prescription Drug Take-Back event today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prescription pills that sit in your medicine cabinet or around your home can be susceptible to theft, misuse and abuse. To prevent these types of crimes, the Sheriff’s Office is asking individuals to bring in potentially dangerous, expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs.

This event is very important to the community for a number of reasons. This initiative addresses the alarmingly high rates of prescription drug abuse, accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs while also giving people a safe way to dispose of unwanted prescriptions. The current method of disposal, throwing pills in the trash or flushing them down the toilet can potentially pose significant safety and health hazards.

The event is for prescription pills only; other drugs or needles will not be accepted. Pills for disposal can be brought to the Starke County Jail at 5435 E St Rd 8. The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked. According to Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin, the pills will be incinerated.

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