On a tragic day in April 1979, the lives of a young mother and her three small children were brutally cut short in a secluded area of Morgan County, Indiana. Among the victims was a young boy named Steven Chasteen. His mother, Terry Chasteen, and his siblings, Misty and Mark, were also killed in the horrific event that unfolded near White Lick Creek.
The family's ordeal began when their car was intentionally disabled on the side of Interstate 465 by a man feigning to be a Good Samaritan.
This man, later identified as Steven Judy, offered them a ride, which Terry Chasteen accepted for herself and her three children. Instead of taking them to safety, Judy drove them to a remote location where he subjected Terry to a vicious assault before strangling her. In the immediate aftermath, her children were also murdered, their lives extinguished in the shallow waters of the creek. The discovery of their bodies by mushroom hunters the following day launched an intensive investigation.
The investigation quickly led to Steven Judy, a man with a history of violent criminal behavior. Evidence found at the scene, along with witness accounts of a distinctive truck seen in the area, pointed directly to him. Following his arrest, Judy confessed to the heinous crimes. During his trial, he pleaded insanity, a defense that was ultimately rejected by the jury. He was found guilty of the murders.
In a dramatic turn during the punishment phase of the trial, Steven Judy actively sought the death penalty. He expressed no remorse for his actions and even threatened the judge and jury, vowing to kill again if he were not sentenced to death. His wishes were granted, and he was sentenced to be executed. The legal appeals process was swift, largely due to Judy's own refusal to pursue appeals. In March 1981, Steven Judy was executed for the murders of the Chasteen family, bringing a legal conclusion to a case that left a lasting scar on the community of Morgan County.
