But in February 2014 the messages reflected a more tumultuous relationship, with Murbarger at one point calling Nichols annoying.. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, of Evansville, Indiana, was taken into custody outside his place of employment and transported to the Vanderburgh County Jail, according to a press release issued by the Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Office this week. Jena Reynolds, Marriage & Family Therapist, Placentia, CA, 92870 The father and son were asked about blood found in the defendants car prosecutors argued was used to transport Megans body to a rural Boyleston field where it was buried. FBI investigator William OSullivan testified Wednesday about the more than 7,000 text messages exchanged between Murbarger and Nichols between December 2013 and February 2014. EVANSVILLE, Ind. Holden August, a friend of Nichols, heard the news on Wednesday morning. The trial continues on Wednesday. Further, a search warrant for his home was issued. Arrest made in connection with death of Megan Nichols Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The Wayne County Circuit Clerk told us Wednesday that Murbarger's sentencing date was being delayed. To a 15 year old. Sentencing rescheduled for man convicted of Wayne County teen's murder, Another Government Agency Being Impersonated by Scammers Calling Tri-Staters, Wayne County Sheriff Locates Student Who Never Came Home From Class, 21-year-old pleaded guilty in designer phone case, Former student-athlete speaks amidst misconduct investigation at a local college, Child dies after falling off cliff at Garden of the Gods, Jury selection begins in trial for man accused of murdering Illinois teen. Murbarger is strangled and suffocated Megan Nichols to death in her Fairfield home on July 3, 2014, and later buried her body in a shallow grave in a rural part of Wayne County. WAYNE COUNTY A Wayne County jury has started deliberations in the case charging 26-year-old Brodey Murbarger with the 2014 murder and disappearance of his high school girlfriend Megan Nichols. The City Council has declared the house a public nuisance, and the city Planning Commission voted this month for abatement. UPDATED: Murbarger found guilty of Nichols' murder | WMIX Search for Free Cell Phone Deals Without Paying, Datelines digital series Missing in America. RC Beverage Company. EVANSVILLE, Ind. Its been six dark years for Nicholss family and friends, whose questions were left unanswered. Megans mother, Kathy Jo Hutchcraft, discovered her daughter missing from her room around 11 p.m. Dateline reported that she later found a note Megan reportedly left behind, telling her that she loved her, but she would never be happy at home. An Illinois grand jury issued the indictment for Murbarger in connection with the murder and disappearance of Megan Nichols. The family, according to Lee and Bass, is not interested in paying to restore the home. A private party could restore the Kraemer house as a residence, or someone could restore it and use it for some low-key use, like a bed-and-breakfast, she said. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Brodey Murbarger was arrested at his place of employment Wednesday without incident. Parlor Doughnuts hold soft opening for new location on Main St. Man arrested on murder charges in Providence. The once-elegant . At the time of Megan's disappearance, Brodey lived in Fairfield and had allegedly been dating the victim. It had been wiped clean. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Lee said that proposal is on hold because talks are underway to sell the property to a builder who will renovate and move the Kraemer house to another spot on the parcel. WAYNE CO., Ill. (WFIE) - The trial started Monday morning for the man accused in the 2014 murder of Megan Nichols. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, of Evansville, Indiana, was taken into custody outside his place of employment and transported to the Vanderburgh County Jail, according to a press release issued by. The radio station hasnt updated their transcripts yet since this morning. Edited spelling and corrected charges as of 2:00 PM. Once back in the courtroom, the jury also heard from the FBI agent who collected Megan Nichols remains once they were discovered, and saw the pictures from the scene. Now the price tag for renovation has reached $300,000. The charges include three counts of First Degree Murder, one count of Concealment of a Homicidal Death and two counts of Home Invasion. A search warrant was also executed at Murbargers home at the Lakewood West apartment complex in Evansville, Indiana. Nichols, 15 was reported missing from her Fairfield, Illinois home in the early morning hours of July 3, 2014. At first, he wanted to take down the house, Rosenthal said. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, was indicted in September by a grand jury. Testimony began Tuesday with officers from the Illinois State Police as well as the FBI who conducted separate searches of the car Brodey Murbarger used at the time of Megan Nichols disappearance. On Wednesday, an FBI investigator told the jury about text messages between Murbarger and Nichols which. On Friday, Murbarger was sentenced to 50 years in prison for Nichols's murder, according to court officials. Three are for first degree murder. Murbarger was accused in the 2014 disappearance and killing of 15-year-old Megan Nichols. Bass, the Placentia historian, said city officials balk at taking over the renovation because it will be so expensive. Brodey Murbarger sentenced for murder of Megan Nichols | Illinois In the meantime, he hasnt done what we think is the proper maintenance on the site.. Brodey Murbarger has been sentenced to prison for the murder of Fairfield, Illinois teen Megan Nichols. Its one of those things where you kind of always knew it was him," Hold told WFIE. The owners say the city should, particularly if officials are so set on preserving the home. Murbarger was taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail, but he is no longer an inmate. Indiana man charged in connection with 2014 murder of Illinois teen The state also says during police interviews, Murbarger told others he went to Nichols house around 9:30 pm July 3, 2014 because he thought she had run away. He added that theres a bit of relief now that an arrest has been made. Murder trial underway for man accused of killing Ill. teen As they see it, there are only two options left: Sell the property to a builder for development or allow the city to take over the site and pay for the restoration. The documents show hes accused of strangling and suffocating Megan and burying her in a shallow grave. A hearing on all pending motions in the case is scheduled for March 18 with a May 2 setting being eyed as a possible start date for a jury trial. It used to be luxurious: five bedrooms, a guest house over the garage, a swimming pool, a hot tub and cabana, a lighted tennis court and a covered barbecue. The documents show hes accused of strangling and suffocating Megan and burying her in a shallow grave. GUILTY - IL - Megan Nichols, 15, found deceased, Fairfield - Websleuths Kraemer House: a Milestone or a Millstone? - Los Angeles Times So finally leading to an arrest is great, but I guess I will truly be at ease if he is found guilty - if justice can truly be served.. The man at the center of a high profile murder case out of Wayne County, Illinois, learned his sentence on Friday. Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020 and is facing a first-degree murder . Jena Reynolds, Marriage & Family Therapist, Placentia, CA, 92870, (949) 383-4561, During my 10 years as a Psychotherapist, I have provided counseling to those challenged by: . Murbarger was arrested in connection with Nichols' death in 2020 after she went missing in 2014 at the age of 15. Evansville man linked to murder of Megan Nichols, victims friend speaks out, Evansville hotel manager accused of stealing from guest, Silver Alert canceled for elderly Evansville woman, Dispatch: Missing persons case underway after car found under Twin Bridges. Murbarger, 24 was taken into custody Wednesday morning at his place of employment in Evansville and lodged in the Vanderburgh County jail pending extradition to Illinois to stand trial on multiple charges related to the death. Rosenthal said, however, that the requests were stalled because the city was waiting for acceptable renovation proposals from the owners. Court documents show Murbarger was indicted on six counts. I had never had someone that I was close to that had died and, you know, that was traumatic," August said. A pre-trial hearing was held yesterday (Tuesday) via Zoom in Wayne County Circuit Court for 25-year-old Brodey I. Murbarger. Jury Selection Begins in Murbarger Murder Trial 'Based' GOP Senator Tries New Method of International Diplomacy Hes accused of strangling and suffocating Nichols and burying her in a shallow grave. Friends remember slain Fairfield teen | Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW) Last November a Wayne County jury found Brodey Murbarger responsible for strangling or smothering Megan Nichols to death. Murbarger was arrested in 2020 while working in Indiana. However Wayne County court documents indicate that he has been or will be faced with: 3 counts murder or intent to kill or injure Either 1 count of concealing a homicidal death 2 counts of home invasion. Murbarger had lived in Fairfield, and met Nichols at New Hope School, where he was a senior and she was a sophomore. to turn the house into a permanent gallery for local artists. You have permission to edit this article. Ill update whenever I get more info. Megan was initially considered a missing person until her remains were located in a rural area in Wayne County Illinois in 2018. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. A month later, they were identified as those of Nichols. Press J to jump to the feed. He was taken Friday to a jail in Illinois. The stain tested positive in the field for blood. The trial was set to begin May 2 but was delayed during a pretrial hearing on Friday in Wayne County Circuit Court. There was a problem saving your notification. Murbarger is awaiting trial for the 2014 slaying of 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. Evansville, Indiana Area. You have permission to edit this article. MURBARGER PRE TRIAL 3/19/22 The first-degree murder trial of 25-year-old Brodey I. Murbarger has been delayed until fall. More than three years later, the skeletal remains of Megan were found in a shallow grave south of . The property is highly problematic now, said Lee, because the owners lost their liability insurance in 1998. Megans friend, Holden August, told NBC affiliate WFIE that her disappearance and death took a while to digest for him and his classmates. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. For more than three years, state and local police along with the FBI followed up on hundreds of tips. Opinion: How has American healthcare gone so wrong? Brodey Murbarger was arrested in 2020 and is facing a first-degree murder. WAYNE COUNTY, IL A 26-year-old man charged with the murder of his 15-year-old girlfriend nearly 10 years ago is seeking to have his trial moved from Wayne County where the young girls body was found in a shallow grave years after her disappearance. A chapter still remains unclosed as friends and families continue to wait. FAIRFIELD, Ill (WEHT) Brodey Murbarger, 26, was found guilty of first degree murder on Thursday after the jury deliberated for only an hour. The family called police to report her missing at about 1 am July 4, 2014. They dont want to pay for the property.. Nichols was considered a missing person until her remains were found in a field outside Boyleston, Illinois in 2017. Speaking on behalf of the city, Rosenthal said the best possible scenario is that the house be restored and placed on the states list of historical homes. August says Nicholss disappearance took awhile to digest for him and his classmates. We have boarded and reboarded that house 15 times in the last two years, Lee said. Call or Email Renovari Counseling for a free phone consultation now - (714) 248-0598. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. WAYNE COUNTY A 27-year-old former Fairfield man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for strangling his then-high school girlfriend to death nearly 10 years ago. During the more than two-week trial, jurors heard testimony from multiple witnesses some of them surprising. I am at work and had a lot of background noise but Im pretty confident that is what I heard. . She also left a note saying she loved her mother, but would never be happy at home. According to authorities, prior to her disappearance, Megan withdrew money from a local bank while on her bicycle. "Which excited is a weird word for something like this, but I think that Ive gotten excited from, Oh, shes been sighted over there, - you know, that kind of thing. An Evansville, Indiana man is facing charges in the disappearance and murder of teenager Megan Nichols in 2014. According to Lee, the owners continued to lose money on the property even when it was occupied because the monthly mortgage and taxes are about $4,500. If you have any information regarding the circumstances of Megans death, please contact the FBI at (217) 522-9675. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. https://www.14news.com/2022/10/12/ill-murder-suspect-takes-stand-day-8-trial/?outputType=amp. It wasn't until 2017 that Nichols' remains were discovered in a rural area of Wayne County. Brodey Murbarger, 24, has been charged with murder, Evansville Police said. Follow 44News on Facebook, or download the free 44News apps on Android or Apple devices. Im local to her and her family, local radio just announced that the former boyfriend, Brodey Murbarger, has been arrested in connection with her disappearance and death. WAYNE COUNTY A Wayne County jury has started deliberations in the case charging 26-year-old Brodey Murbarger with the 2014 murder and disappearance of his high school girlfriend Megan Nichols.