Ricky Mustard

In the small city of Brazil, Indiana, Ricky Mustard was a 32-year-old man navigating family life. He was a father to his 13-year-old son, Shane, and a stepfather to his 16-year-old stepdaughter, Tonya Pickett. Their lives, however, were brutally cut short in a crime that has haunted their family and community for decades.

On the night of November 16, 1988, both Ricky, a male, and Tonya were shot and killed inside their home in the 100 block of West Pinckley Street. The grim discovery was not made until shortly after midnight on November 19, three days after the murders occurred. The violent deaths of a father and his teenage stepdaughter in their own home sent a shockwave through the small Indiana town, leaving behind questions that have lingered for nearly four decades. For Ricky’s son, Shane, the trauma was immense. Losing his father and stepsister at such a young age in such a violent manner, and then having to grow up in the small community where it happened, made the grieving process exceptionally difficult.

The investigation into the double homicide was extensive, involving local police and state investigators, but it soon grew cold. For years, there was little to no movement on the case. Then, nearly 20 years after the killings, a breakthrough seemed imminent. In 2008, a grand jury indicted a former suspect on murder charges. The individual had reportedly been in a romantic relationship with Tonya Pickett at the time of her death. It appeared the family might finally get the answers they had so long been denied.

The hope for a resolution was short-lived. Before the case could proceed to trial, a judge ruled that key evidence was inadmissible. This evidence included personal letters and a datebook belonging to Tonya. The exclusion of this evidence was based on hearsay rules, and the decision was later upheld by an appellate court in 2011. Without this crucial evidence, the prosecution's case could not move forward, and the charges were dropped. The double homicide of Ricky Mustard and Tonya Pickett officially returned to the status of a cold case, leaving their family devastated once again.

In the years since, Shane Mustard has made it his personal mission to ensure his father and stepsister are not forgotten. Every year, as the anniversary of the murders approaches, he reaches out to law enforcement and the media to keep the case in the public eye. He has expressed frustration over the decades of stalled progress, stating that the family often receives the same information with nothing new added.

As of September 2026, the case remains an active and unsolved investigation with the Indiana State Police. The family now holds out hope that a dedicated cold case team based in Indianapolis might review the investigation with fresh eyes and more resources. Shane continues to plead for anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. "If you know something, if you’ve heard something, please don’t be afraid to reach out and speak to somebody about it," he has urged, hoping to find an ending to his family's long search for justice. Anyone with information regarding the deaths of Ricky Mustard and Tonya Pickett is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police.