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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
Voilrols Win Fishing Awards
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Page 7
One Nation Under God themail-journal.com
Gone But Never Forgotten Mitchell’s murder solved 47 1/2 years later %\ '(% 3$77(5621 (GLWRU ,Q &KLHI DQG /$6&$ 5$1'(/6 6WDII :ULWHU The murder of Laurel Jean Mitchell, North Webster, has been solved. Two arrests were made 47 1/2 years after the then 17-year-old teen was found murdered in the Elkhart River in Noble County, 20 miles east of where she was last seen in North Webster. “I’m very thankful for all the help from everyone involved,” said Sarah Knisley, sister of Mitchell. Knisley now resides in Warsaw. Indiana State Police announced the arrest of Fred Bandy Jr., 67, Goshen, and Jon Wayne Lehman, 67, Auburn, midmorning Tuesday, Jan. 7. They both would have been 19 or 20 years old at the time of the murder. The pair was arrested Monday, Feb. 6, without incident, and were each charged with one count of murder. Both are incarcerated in the Noble County Jail and are being held without bond.
Closure could be nearing for Mitchell family
Mitchell’s murder went unsolved for decades. In 2014 the Indiana State Police Cold Case Investigators began looking at the case. ISP Detective Kevin Smith was involved in the investigation. “I don’t let things go very easily. I’ve worked a lot of cold cases in my career and had some success on them. I’m not letting this go,” Smith said in a statement he made in August 2021. In a press release from the Indiana State Police, Fort Wayne District, the break in the investigation came within the last couple months. Indiana State Police laboratory personnel were able to make an evidentiary correlation leading inContinued on page 2
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The family, and North Webster community, could be nearing closure in the murder of Laurel Jean Mitchell 47 1/2 years after her body was found in the Elkhart River in Noble County. Unfortunately, her father, Richard D. “Dick” Mitchell, a well-known public figure in North Webster, who died Jan. 16, 2012; and her mother, Wilma Mitchell, who operated the North Webster Food Pantry for several years and also passed away in 2012, never knew what exactly happened to their 17-year-old daughter. Fred Bandy Jr., 67, Goshen, and John Wayne Lehman, 67, Auburn, were arrested
Monday, Feb. 6, at their homes. They have been charged with Mitchell’s murder and are being held in the Noble County Jail. The small lake community of North Webster was rocked when the murder took place. A group of interested and concerned citizens formed an organization, “Citizens For Law Enforcement.” The group raised a reward of $10,000 in less than three weeks. The group, 30 strong, decided on a course of action in the wake of growing public shock and outrage following Mitchell’s death. The funds were later returned to the donors when efforts for information leading to an arrest and conviction were futile. Stan Holderman was a detective with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office at the time of the murder. “It was a state police case,” he stated. “We just tagged along. We didn’t retain any of the evidence. We had a file. ... They were the first ones there.” But Kosciusko County did assist in the case. “I was involved in interviews,” Holderman recalled. He said Indiana State Police officers Ray Continued on page 2
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Syracuse will have a primary for town council, clerk-treasurer
APC approves plans for Milford residential development project
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Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission approved preliminary plans for a residential development in Milford at its Wednesday, Feb. 1, meeting. Kosciusko Development petitioned for the preliminary plat approval for a residential development on a 19.58-acre tract of ground. The property is located on the south side of CR 1250 North, north 6,*1,1* 7+( 3$3(5:25. ³ 1DWKDQ 6FKHUHU VLJQV WKH QHFHV VDU\ SDSHUZRUN DIWHU EHLQJ DSSRLQWHG E\ D FDXFXV WR UHSODFH 6\UDFXVH 7RZQ &RXQFLO PHPEHU /DUU\ 0DUWLQGDOH LQ 'LVWULFW /RRNLQJ RQ LV $XVWLQ 5RYHQVWLQH 5HSXEOLFDQ 3DUW\ VHFUHWDU\ 6FKHUHU ZLOO EH IRUPHUO\ VZRUQ LQ DV D FRXQFLO PHPEHU DW WKH FRXQFLO·V )HE PHHWLQJ 3KRWR E\ /DXUHQ =HXJQHU
Nathan Scherer wins caucus to replace Martindale %\ /$85(1 =(8*1(5 6WDII :ULWHU Nathan Scherer is the new Syracuse Town Council member for District 4. He was elected during a caucus held Tuesday night, Feb. 7, after one round of voting. This is the first time he has ever sought public office. Four precinct committeemen par-
Inside
There will be a primary race for Syracuse Town Council District 4 and the Syracuse Clerk-Treasurer. All three candidates for Tuesday’s caucus, David Rosenberry, Nathan Scherer and Brian Woody, have also filed to run in the primary election in May. Councilman Larry Siegel has thrown his hat in the ring and is challenging incumbent Virginia Cazier for Syracuse Clerk-Treasurer. Siegel has served on the Syracuse Town Council representing
District 1 for more than 20 years. He has also served as president of the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission for many years. In a press release, Siegel stated, “At the time I started, Syracuse had the need for comprehensive planning and economic development. I felt I had the ability and thus felt an obligation to serve. We have been able to participate in the revitalization of the Oakwood Inn and properties, develop the technology park north of town and create a pathway for Polywood’s expansion, creating hundreds of new jobs and capital improvements. “I appreciate the support and confidence from all the people of Syracuse who recently reelected me to the town council. This election has made me aware of a yet greater need to serve. “It is my goal to put the clerktreasurer’s office back together and develop an organization that is sustainable and stable through changing clerk-treasurers into the future.” In addition to his time on the town council, which included reviewing and approving town budgets, Siegel is a career entrepreneur. He has 40 years of business experience computerizing and training personnel on their com-
ticipated in the caucus: Jim Layne, Syracuse police chief; Virginia Cazier, Syracuse clerk-treasurer; Cindy Taylor as proxy for Kim Cates, who was unable to attend; and Karen Grady. Mike Ragan, Republican committee chair, presided over the caucus. Scherer was up against David Rosenberry and Brian Woody. All three men are seeking the council Continued on page 2
of Beer Road. A secondary entrance has been added and sewer and water have been taken care of. The developer’s representative said at the meeting the closing on the property was conducted last week. “We’ve addressed all the bullet points,” said Tim Saylor, president of Innovative Communities. The preliminary plans were given to the board. Fifty-two lots are expected to be added to the new residential subdivision. A 50-foot Continued on page 2
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