On February 19, 2015, the community of Syracuse, Indiana, was shaken by a violent incident at a residence on North Main Street that resulted in the death of 19-year-old Joshua R. Knisley. Joshua, a young man who had aspirations of becoming a firefighter or police officer and worked as a cook at a local restaurant, was visiting the home of his friend, Tara Thornburg. That evening, three men arrived at the residence under the guise of purchasing marijuana.
The group, consisting of Brandon Woody, Kyle DeHart, and Thomas Hursey, had formulated a plan to rob Thornburg rather than complete the transaction.
Upon entering the home, the encounter quickly turned hostile. According to court records and testimony, the assailants intended to restrain Thornburg and steal the drugs, but the situation escalated when Woody produced a handgun. Thornburg was struck and subsequently shot in the face. Joshua Knisley, who was also present in the home, was then shot in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. Thornburg, despite suffering a critical gunshot wound, remained conscious long enough to identify her attacker to the first police officer who arrived. She was airlifted to a hospital in Fort Wayne but succumbed to her injuries the following day, turning the investigation into a double homicide.
Law enforcement officers acted quickly based on the dying declaration of Thornburg. Brandon Woody and Kyle DeHart were located and taken into custody shortly after the shooting. Investigators discovered that after fleeing the scene, the suspects had gone to the home of DeHart’s parents, where they attempted to destroy evidence by burning their clothes and shoes in a backyard fire pit. Thomas Hursey, the third man involved, later cooperated with authorities, providing detailed accounts of the planning and execution of the robbery and the subsequent cover-up. The investigation also led to charges against DeHart’s mother, Joan DeHart, for assisting a criminal, and his girlfriend, Ashlyn Shepard, for obstruction of justice, as they were alleged to have helped the men hide or destroy evidence.
In October 2016, Brandon Woody and Kyle DeHart stood trial for their roles in the slayings. The prosecution presented evidence that the murders were part of a premeditated robbery gone wrong. The jury found both men guilty on two counts of murder. DeHart was additionally convicted of obstruction of justice. The court handed down significant sentences reflecting the severity of the crime; Brandon Woody received a sentence of 120 years in prison, while Kyle DeHart was sentenced to 110 years. Thomas Hursey, who had entered a plea agreement in exchange for his testimony, saw his murder charges dismissed and was sentenced to over 20 years for aiding in a robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.
