In a southside Bloomington, Indiana apartment, the life of 29-year-old Caleb Cowden, a White male, came to a tragic end on the evening of February 8, 2022. His body was discovered the following day, wrapped in blankets and bound with rope inside a bedroom. An autopsy would later confirm that Cowden died from a single gunshot wound to his forehead.
The investigation into the death began after police received a tip about a possible shooting.
When officers arrived at the apartment in the 900 block of Graham Place, they found Gary William O'Bryant asleep on a couch in the living room. Initially, O'Bryant denied any knowledge of a body in the residence, though he did admit to selling drugs from the apartment. A search of the premises revealed evidence of an attempt to clean up a crime scene, including traces of blood on the floor and blood-soaked clothing stuffed into trash bags. A Glock 9mm magazine loaded with bullets was also recovered.
According to three witnesses who were present at the apartment, the shooting occurred during a methamphetamine deal. They told investigators they heard a gunshot from a bedroom. Following the sound, they reported that O'Bryant emerged from the room and made an incriminating statement. The witnesses discovered Cowden lying in a pool of blood.
Gary William O'Bryant was arrested and faced a slew of felony charges, including murder, dealing in methamphetamine, obstruction of justice, and maintaining a common nuisance. In a turn of events, O'Bryant entered into a plea agreement. As part of this deal, he pleaded guilty but mentally ill to possession of methamphetamine. In exchange, the murder charge and all other related charges were dropped. He was subsequently sentenced to 14 years in prison, a term that also accounted for his status as a habitual felony offender, with prior convictions for burglary, intimidation, and theft.
