In the early morning hours of April 7, 2019, the quiet of a Lafayette, Indiana neighborhood was broken by the sounds of sirens responding to a house fire. Inside the home on South 31st Street, a grim discovery awaited first responders. The body of 61-year-old Ronald Whiles, a male known for his kind heart and his local lawn care business, 'Ron's Lawns,' was found amidst the charred remains of his home.
It was quickly determined that the fire was no accident; it was intentionally set to conceal a more heinous crime. An autopsy would later reveal that Ronald had not perished in the flames, but had died from multiple gunshot wounds.
The sole survivor of the horrific event was Ronald's tenant and friend, Thomas Day. Awakened by what he thought were firecrackers, Day walked into a scene of terror, witnessing an intruder shooting his landlord. In a courageous act, Day attempted to intervene, tackling the assailant, but was viciously stabbed multiple times in the struggle. Despite his severe injuries, Day managed to escape the burning house and call 911, providing crucial information to the authorities. The investigation into the brutal murder and arson pointed towards a robbery gone tragically wrong, as Ronald's pockets were found turned inside out.
The investigation swiftly led police to a primary suspect: Andrew Scott Alcorns, a former tenant with a criminal history whom Ronald had previously evicted. Investigators learned that Alcorns had been planning to rob his former landlord. A few days after the murder, Alcorns was tracked to an apartment in Dayton, Ohio. What followed was a tense, nine-hour standoff with law enforcement that ended when Alcorns shot himself in a failed suicide attempt. He was taken into custody, and a handgun found at the scene was matched to the shell casings recovered from Ronald Whiles' home.
Andrew Scott Alcorns was charged with a litany of crimes, including murder, attempted murder, arson, and aggravated battery. In a plea deal, he pleaded guilty to the murder of Ronald Whiles and the aggravated battery of Thomas Day. His defense team cited a troubled past, mental illness, and severe drug abuse as contributing factors to his violent actions. Unmoved, the court sentenced Alcorns to a term of 70 years in prison for his role in the senseless and violent death of a beloved community member and the brutal attack on a man who tried to save his friend.
