On May 11, 2023, the life of William Scott Matherly, a 48-year-old male, was unexpectedly cut short. In the late afternoon, around 3:50 p.m., the Brazil Police Department received a 911 call reporting the sound of multiple gunshots. Officers from both the Brazil Police and the Clay County Sheriff's Department were dispatched immediately to a residence at 310 North Leavitt Street.
Upon their arrival on the northwest side of Brazil, Indiana, they discovered Matherly suffering from several gunshot wounds. Despite the prompt response, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the homicide was quickly taken over by the Indiana State Police and the Clay County Coroner's Office. Their efforts led them to identify a person of interest, 25-year-old Jon Luke Benjamin McGuff of Reelsville. In the early hours of the following morning, law enforcement located and arrested McGuff in Terre Haute without incident. He was taken to the Clay County Jail and faced a preliminary charge of murder in connection with Matherly's death.
The legal proceedings against McGuff took an unusual turn when he was released from jail on his own recognizance. This release was attributed to a court error that caused his speedy trial time to expire. Following his release, McGuff faced new charges related to a separate shooting incident in Putnam County, which included aggravated battery, battery with a deadly weapon, robbery resulting in bodily injury, and criminal recklessness. Despite these new charges, a resolution in the Matherly case appeared to be on the horizon. In July 2024, it was reported that McGuff and the prosecutor's office had reached a plea agreement. Consequently, his scheduled jury trial was vacated, and a change of plea hearing was set for August 21, 2024, where he was expected to plead guilty to the murder of William Matherly.
