In the winter of 1977, a tragic event unfolded in Lake County, Indiana, that cut short the life of 29-year-old Stephen Skirpan, a white male. On the evening of December 4th, two men, James Brewer and his accomplice Kenneth Ray Brooks, approached the Skirpan residence with a deceptive story. They presented themselves as police officers, flashing a badge and claiming to be investigating a traffic accident. They asserted that they had a search warrant, a pretense to gain entry into the home.
When Stephen Skirpan asked to see the warrant, the situation escalated dramatically. Brewer exclaimed, 'This is a hold up!' and both intruders drew handguns.
In the ensuing chaos, Stephen Skirpan was fatally shot. The two men then proceeded to rob the home, taking money and commemorative coins before fleeing the scene. The violent intrusion and senseless murder left a devastating impact on the community. Later that same night, law enforcement apprehended James Brewer. At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of commemorative coins that matched the description of those stolen from the Skirpan residence. The investigation also connected Brewer to four other armed robberies that had occurred in the same area on that very day, with victims from those crimes identifying him.
The legal proceedings that followed brought some measure of justice for the murder of Stephen Skirpan. James Brewer was convicted of murder. Initially, on March 1, 1978, he was sentenced to death. However, his legal journey was far from over. Following a series of appeals, his death sentence was ultimately vacated. On October 30, 1991, his sentence was reduced to 54 years in prison. Brewer's accomplice, Kenneth Ray Brooks, also faced justice for his role in the crime. He pleaded guilty to murder and, on December 20, 1978, was sentenced to 60 years of imprisonment.
