In February 2018, 41-year-old Michael Jerry Marks was reported missing in Indianapolis. The search for him ended tragically on March 20, 2018, when his body was discovered buried in a shallow grave beneath a freshly poured concrete slab inside a warehouse on the city's northwest side. The grim discovery was made after homicide detectives received a tip that led them to the industrial building.
Investigators had to use a concrete saw to excavate the makeshift tomb.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on 48-year-old Jason Hancock of Brownsburg, who was arrested and charged with Michael's murder. Court documents revealed a chilling narrative of the events that led to Marks's death. Hancock, a former employer of Marks, reportedly suspected him of stealing items from the warehouse while Hancock was incarcerated on a drug charge. Upon his release, Hancock allegedly lured Marks to the warehouse under the pretense of discussing restitution.
When Marks refused to pay, Hancock shot and killed him. What followed was a gruesome attempt to conceal the crime. Hancock confessed to investigators that he removed all of Marks's teeth, with the disturbing intention of making a necklace from them. He and an accomplice then made multiple trips to hardware stores to purchase supplies, including 30 bags of concrete, to dispose of the body. After failed attempts to dissolve the body with chemicals, they placed Marks in a pit in the warehouse floor, poured concrete over him, and covered the area with plywood and pallets.
Jason Hancock was initially charged with murder, but he later reached a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. In May 2019, a judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison for his role in the brutal slaying of Michael Marks.
