In the summer of 2016, the life of Michael Joseph Vanhorn, a 48-year-old male resident of Martinsville, Indiana, was tragically cut short. On Thursday, July 28, 2016, deputies from the Morgan County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a home in the 6800 block of Waverly Road following a report of a possible shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Mr.
Vanhorn deceased inside the residence.
The subsequent investigation, which involved the Major Crime Task Force, quickly determined that his death was a homicide. An autopsy confirmed that Michael Vanhorn had succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. Remembered as a man who enjoyed outdoor activities such as mushroom hunting and boating, as well as painting houses, his sudden and violent death sent ripples through the community. He was a graduate of Center Grove High School and a self-employed contractor.
Within a day of the discovery of Mr. Vanhorn's body, authorities identified a suspect in the case. A warrant for murder was issued by the Morgan Superior Court for 54-year-old Kristie L. Dant of Brownsburg. She was subsequently taken into police custody in connection with the fatal shooting. The case against Ms. Dant was filed in the Morgan Superior Court, bringing the matter into the judicial system for resolution.
