In the winter of 1974, a quiet home on Princeton Drive in New Whiteland, Indiana, became the scene of a horrific crime that claimed the lives of a young family. In the early morning hours of January 20th, fire and police officials were called to a house engulfed in flames. Inside the charred remains of the home, they discovered the bodies of William Patrick, his wife Elizabeth Ann, and their one-year-old daughter, Heidi. The initial belief that the family had perished in the fire was quickly dispelled by the grim evidence of a violent struggle and the strong smell of gasoline. It was determined that William and Elizabeth had been asphyxiated before the fire was set, while young Heidi tragically died from smoke and carbon monoxide inhalation.
The investigation into the triple homicide soon focused on David James Roberts, a man who held a grudge against William Patrick. The motive for this brutal act stemmed from a petty theft that had occurred months earlier. William, a salesman at a Sears Auto Center in Indianapolis, had identified Roberts as the individual who had new tires and exhaust work done on a car and then left without paying. Just five days before the murders, William had given a deposition in the theft case, implicating Roberts. In the days leading up to the fire, Roberts was seen in the New Whiteland area, asking for directions to Princeton Drive. He was also witnessed purchasing gasoline and filling a five-gallon can on the evening of January 19th.
Following a thorough investigation, David James Roberts was arrested on January 26, 1974. He was subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of murder in the perpetration of a burglary, one count of murder in the perpetration of arson, and one count of arson. After a trial, Roberts was found guilty on all counts. He received a sentence of five to twenty years for arson and five life sentences for the murders of the Patrick family. This case presents a chilling look at how a minor dispute escalated into a calculated and ruthless act of violence, leading to the tragic deaths of three innocent people, including a young child whose life had just begun. The legal proceedings brought a conviction and a lengthy sentence for the perpetrator, but could never undo the devastating loss suffered by the family and the community.
