In the small town of Paoli, Indiana, the life of William 'Bill' Dunn, a 51-year-old man, was cut short on the morning of Wednesday, October 21, 2020. Police were dispatched to a residence on College Hill Street shortly before 8 a.m. after receiving a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered William Dunn inside a home, deceased from a gunshot wound.
The initial investigation quickly focused on the homeowner, Sabrina Dunn, who was William's 43-year-old ex-wife.
Despite being divorced, William and Sabrina Dunn lived in separate houses on the same property. The relationship was fraught with conflict, as evidenced by over a hundred 911 calls made by both individuals in the 18 months leading up to the fatal incident. Sabrina had also sought and obtained several protective orders against her ex-husband. On the morning of the shooting, Sabrina herself called 911 to report that she had shot William. She claimed to have acted in self-defense, stating that William had entered her home armed with a large knife.
However, the ensuing investigation by the Indiana State Police and the Paoli Police Department uncovered evidence that contradicted Sabrina's account. Detectives interviewed Sabrina's live-in boyfriend, who was not present during the shooting. He told police that earlier that morning, Sabrina had called him to ask where his gun was located in the house. He also identified the knife Sabrina claimed William was carrying as belonging to her and stated it had been in her home for days. A crucial piece of evidence came from William's own security cameras. Footage from the cameras showed him walking towards Sabrina's house around 7:36 a.m. carrying only a flashlight, not a knife. Investigators believe he may have been looking for his lost keys. Just twelve minutes after he was seen on camera, Sabrina placed the call to 911.
Based on the investigation, Sabrina Dunn was arrested and charged with the murder of William Dunn. In August 2022, a jury found her guilty, and she was later sentenced to 65 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. However, her legal battle was not over. Her attorney appealed the conviction, and in a unanimous decision on April 10, 2024, the Indiana Supreme Court overturned her murder conviction. The state's highest court ruled that the jury instructions issued during her trial were misleading, potentially leading to an unjust conviction. The ruling cleared the way for a new trial.
