In the early morning hours of May 28, 1983, Avilla Town Marshal William Dean Miner Jr., a 29-year-old male, responded to a report of vandalism in progress. He discovered two men breaking into a vehicle at the Avilla Salvage Yard on Indiana 3. A confrontation turned into a struggle, during which Marshal Miner's. 357-caliber handgun fell from its holster. One of the men picked up the firearm and shot the two-year veteran of the Avilla Police Department in the back.
The two assailants fled the scene, leaving Marshal Miner fatally wounded. He was survived by his wife and two small children. An intensive investigation was launched, and three days later, two suspects were apprehended. The shooter was identified as an 18-year-old, while his accomplice was 26 years old. The subsequent investigation led to the recovery of Marshal Miner's gun and flashlight from Summit Lake.
The 18-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and initially sentenced to death. However, in 1995, the Indiana Supreme Court upheld his conviction but overturned the death sentence, resentencing him to 60 years in prison. He was ultimately released in July 2012 after serving 29 years. The second suspect pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and received an eight-year prison sentence.
