In the summer of 2016, the life of 33-year-old Thomas 'Pete' Henry Fuller III was tragically cut short in his hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana. On the morning of June 10th, police were called to the Greenwood Manor Apartments, where they discovered Fuller's body. It was immediately apparent that he was the victim of a homicide, with injuries consistent with a gunshot wound.
The investigation into the male victim's death quickly led authorities to identify a suspect, 41-year-old Buddy
Ellinger Jr., also of Terre Haute. A tense standoff with the Terre Haute Police Department's Special Response Team ultimately resulted in Ellinger's arrest. He faced a litany of serious charges, including murder, aggravated battery, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. An accomplice, 30-year-old Amy Hann, was also arrested in connection with the crime. The case drew significant attention as Fuller's family, including his mother and daughter, publicly expressed their profound loss and their hope for justice to be served.
In the end, Buddy Ellinger Jr. reached a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of reckless homicide. In March 2018, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in Thomas Fuller's death. His girlfriend, Amy Hann, pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal. In July 2018, she was sentenced to two years in the Sheriff's Work Crew Program and one year of formal probation, in addition to mandated mental health treatment.
