In the small community of Cannelton, Indiana, a verbal dispute on March 14, 2016, tragically escalated, ending the life of 47-year-old Phillip Chase. That day, Chase, a White male, was visiting a residence on Bell Hollow Road. An argument broke out between him and another Cannelton resident, Stacy Matheny, who was 47 at the time. The confrontation took a fatal turn when Matheny produced a handgun and shot Chase. Emergency services were called to the scene, but Chase was pronounced dead.
The incident prompted an immediate investigation by the Indiana State Police. The suspect, Stacy Matheny, fled the scene in a dark green Ford Explorer Sport Trac. Law enforcement quickly identified him as the primary suspect and a search ensued. Later that same day, Matheny was located and apprehended in Hancock County, Kentucky. A handgun was discovered in the vehicle he was in.
Following his arrest, Matheny was transported to the Perry County Jail. He was formally charged with the murder of Phillip Chase. The legal process moved forward, and in March 2018, the case went to trial. A Perry County Circuit Court jury found Stacy Matheny guilty of murder. He was subsequently sentenced to serve 64 years in prison for the crime, bringing a close to the investigation and legal proceedings surrounding the untimely death of Phillip Chase.
