Charges dropped against Indiana man in 2015 killings of four

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped murder charges against a man accused of killing four people inside an Indianapolis home in 2015, citing the deaths of two witnesses and the discovery that DNA evidence had been compromised.

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office announced Friday that they filed a motion to dismiss charges against Nicholas Dunn, who had been scheduled to stand trial Monday in the fatal shootings of Terry Bettis, 41; Sherri Taylor, 48; Tiara Turner, 32; and Davon Whitlock, 18.

A judge later granted the dismissal of the four murder counts and other charges Dunn had faced.

Prosecutors said the charges, which can be refiled, were dropped following the deaths of two witnesses, including a woman who told police that Dunn told her he killed the victims.

Although Dunn’s DNA was on a bottle and two cigarette butts found inside the home, prosecutors said in their motion that the DNA evidence was “circumstantial” because Dunn told investigators he had been inside the home many times.

In addition, DNA results were compromised and later found not to be admissible, they said.

Prosecutors said the investigation continues and asked the public for tips. They also said they plan to submit additional DNA evidence for additional forensic tests.

Prosecutor’s office spokesman Michael Leffler said in a statement that Dunn remained in custody Friday on a $200,000 bond in a pending separate case involving an aggravated battery charge.

The judge who approved the dismissal of the charges directed authorities to move Dunn “as soon as reasonably possible” from the Marion County Jail to a state prison.

Dunn was serving prison time on a weapons conviction when he was charged in January 2019 in the quadruple slaying.

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