Press Releases

July 25, 2006

Prosecutor's Office Donates $260,000 to Help Area Agencies
By Kristin Miller, The News-Dispatch

LaPORTE - The LaPorte County Council on Monday night approved about $260,000 for the LaPorte County Fair Association, and Michigan City and LaPorte County parks departments.

Funds come from LaPorte County Prosecutor Rob Beckman's infraction-deferral program. In 2005, he appeared before the council to offer the money to the county's general fund, but was told by the State Board of Accounts he could spend the money, but not give it to the general fund.

The money will stay in Beckman's coffers. Budget line items will be created for the three entities, and bills will be paid through Beckman's office.

Beckman said he has been trying to administer the money for a year now. An amount of $100,000 each will be given to the fair for future projects and Michigan City parks for Washington Park Zoo, while $60,000 goes to LaPorte County parks.

There was some confusion earlier about how the money should be given, due in part to a $70,000 donation from the Sheriff's Department for a new fair building for pigeons and poultry. It later was clarified that money from the sheriff is for a lease of 3,600 square feet of space.

“The prosecutor's office was not and is not involved in the construction of any building or its bidding or approval,” Beckman said in a recent column in The News-Dispatch.

“This office was asked to assist a county agency on property owned by this county to help occupy kids' time in a productive endeavor and support rehabilitation locations for probation workers and trustees.”

July 13, 2006

Beckman Responds To Questions About Proposed Expenditures

The Michigan City News-Dispatch editorial Sunday, July 2, and citizen letters/comments in The Herald-Argus and other papers have questioned expenditures of the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office pending in the LaPorte County Council, requesting council input and/or approval or disapproval of expending infraction deferral monies generated in and by the prosecutor’s office, as follows:

A. $100,000 to the LaPorte County Fair to create new all-weather space and thereby free existing space for a 4-H small-animal building.

B. $100,000 to Michigan City Parks Department/Washington Park Zoo habitat improvement fund to improve the current habitats now under construction.

C. $60,000 to the LaPorte County Parks Department for trail enhancement and fencing.

Questions posed by the authors were:

1. Why tap these funds?

2. Legality?

3. Should these funds be used in the department before asking for additional county funds for the department?

Infraction deferral money comes from deferring moving traffic infractions of non-commercial drivers with clean driving records, not from taxes. This program is created by Indiana law. A portion of the fees received from every ticket deferred is returned to the law-enforcement agency that wrote the ticket, a portion goes to the state of Indiana, and a portion remains with the prosecutor’s office to be expended for law-enforcement purposes, prosecutorial purposes and rehabilitative purposes. No approval is needed to expend these funds in these areas by the prosecutor.

From 1999 through 2005, the prosecutor’s office, with the same number of employees and with only a portion of the staff paid for by the county, has computerized, remodeled, upgraded office equipment, and through cross-training increased deferral dollars extensively and through use of those deferral dollars has NEVER asked for an increase in any line item in any budget. Further, this office has reduced budgeted spending in accord with county government requests (see 2005 annual report at www.laportecountyprosecutor.com).

From 1999 through 2005, this office has expended the following amounts for the detailed purposes, all as reflected in the duly submitted prosecutor’s office annual reports (for 2005 report, go to www.laportecountyprosecutor.com):

1. Law enforcement -- equipment, training, canines, etc. -- $372,959

2. County/prosecutor -- remodeling county buildings, equipment, etc. -- $374,067

3. Rehabilitation -- approximately $20,000

4. Tax dollars budgeted to this department which were not used and returned to the county general fund -- $445,083

In June 2005, I appeared at the LaPorte County Council meeting and offered $250,000 to the general fund of the county as excess funds earned by and saved by this department over 6½ years of my administration for the county council to spend on county issues. After several months of discussions with the State Board of Accounts, it was determined this office could spend the money but could not give the monies to the general fund. Therefore, in January/February 2006 these dollars were offered to defray the cost of a court remodeling project. That county project has not occurred.

In late June 2006, I was approached by the LaPorte County Fair asking for $100,000 to assist them with the cost of a building project that was near completion, designed to free space for kids in the 4-H small-animal section, a section that turns away young entrants yearly due to lack of space. I felt this request helped mid- and south-county residents and felt northern county residents should also benefit and would from offering the same amount to the Michigan City Parks Department and county residents generally would benefit with the remaining dollars offered to the county parks department. Thus the new proposal for the money originally offered to the people’s government in 2005.

I felt that due to the criminal justice system using all three recipient entities for community-service workers on probation, the county jail trusties and the influence parks in general and young people’s organizations like 4-H and scouting and rodeo and animal husbandry have on reducing the environment from which criminal conduct occurs was a good use of these dollars intended for rehabilitative purposes. Though not required to do so, I asked the county council to approve or not the proposal and agreed to abide by their determination.

I asked the county council their opinion by making the request. As is obvious, only rehabilitation has been severely shorted in the distribution of these funds.

The prosecutor’s office was not and is not involved in the construction of any building or its bidding or approval. This office was asked to assist a county agency on property owned by this county to help occupy kids’ time in a productive endeavor and support rehabilitation locations for probation workers and trusties. It is this office’s responsibility to attempt to curb criminal conduct before it occurs and the proposal in front of the county council meets that responsibility countywide by returning funds derived from the citizens to the benefit of all county residents.

April 4, 2006

Prosecutor’s Prayer

A LaPorte man found guilty in November of two charges of Class A felony child molestation was sentenced Friday, two-and-a-half years after the sexual contest he held between two girls, ages 7 and 9 at the time.

James Rosetto, 48, of 7701 S. U.S. 35, will serve the next 40 years in prison and 10 more on probation. In addition, he was ordered by LaPorte Circuit Court Judge Robert Gilmore to pay the cost of his incarceration, which was figured at $860,000.

Gilmore said three aggravating circumstances served as the basis for his ruling: (1) court documents indicate Rosetto molested one of his victims multiple times; (2) Rosetto was supposed to be in a position of trust as the victim’s babysitter; and, (3) Rosetto molested the child in front of a second child.

After almost seven hours of deliberation Nov. 10, 2005, a jury delivered Rosetto’s guilty verdicts. Rosetto plans to appeal. According to court documents, Rosetto held a sexual contest in the summer of 2003 between a then-7-year-old and 9-year-old, offering ice cream as a prize to whichever one of them could perform a sex act on him the longest.

Rosetto pleaded not guilty and was characterized throughout the trial as a good neighbor by the mobile home community in which he lived.

“Justice can be scary,” Deputy Prosecutor Jennifer Evans addressed jurors in her closing arguments. “Justice can find a wolf dressed up in sheep’s clothing. The defendant is a child molester. It’s that plain. It’s that simple.”

Rosetto’s face was drawn when Gilmore announced his sentence, the same as it was when the verdicts were read in November. He nodded his head that he understood the process and in a barely audible voice confirmed he’d appeal his conviction.

The victims’ families and several of Rosetto’s neighbors watched and listened quietly from seats directly behind him as Rosetto’s sentence was handed down.

Colleen Mair

The testimony of Justin Ludwig was important in the case against convicted murderer James N. Smith.

To help secure that testimony, the LaPorte County Prosecutor's Office extended an offer to the 21-year-old for a more lenient sentence in return for his cooperation.

"Through his testimony, Mr. Ludwig gave us the most accurate version of what happened the night Lenny Bradley was killed," LaPorte County Prosecutor Robert Beckman said Friday, adding that the testimony matched the forensic evidence found at the scene.

On Friday morning, Ludwig pleaded guilty to one count of Class B felony robbery for his part in the crime in September 2001. His sentence will be argued on April 12 at 9 a.m.

He faces between 6 and 20 years in prison for the Class B felony charge.

According to court testimony, Smith shot Bradley in the head on Sept. 28, 2001 while the two sat in the front seat of his mother's Chevy Blazer. He took Bradley's wallet and the keys to his Ford Mustang. The two were neighbors at the Terrace Acres Mobile Home Court at 1204 W. U.S. 20 in Michigan City.

Ludwig, who lived with Smith at the time, was following behind the Blazer in his own station wagon.

Bradley's body, dragged into a Porter County cornfield, was not found until a month later when Smith was arrested in Ohio following a high-speed chase in Bradley's stolen Mustang. On Jan. 30, he was sentenced to 65 years in prison for the murder.

According to Beckman, the State of Indiana believes Ludwig agreed to take part in the robbery, but that he was not aware of the murder plans.

"We do not believe he had any knowledge of the murder," Beckman explained of why Ludwig was charged with robbery.

Ludwig was arrested two months after the murder at the Great Lakes Naval Base where he was in training in the military. He has remained in the LaPorte County Jail ever since.

"He came forth with the information and was willing to cooperate," Beckman said. "He was able to describe the abduction, confinement and location of the body in graphic detail. Our case would have been much, much more difficult to prove without his testimony."

April 13, 2003

Solved ... after 21 years 

Investigators have told the family of a murder victim they have solved the case - more than 21 years after the crime. 

Tim Wood said LaPorte County Prosecutor Robert Beckman, Chief Deputy Atley Price, and Michigan City detectives Lt. Ben Neitzel and Sgt. Larry Litchford laid out the situation for him on Monday.

They told Wood the killer of his late wife, Cindy Wood, is a man who was sentenced Thursday to 65 years in prison on an unrelated attempted murder charge involving an attack May 19, 2002, on a 63-year-old woman.

Price confirmed Thursday that Billy Ray Ashley, 54, confessed in great detail to the 1982 murder of Wood.

But the road to this point has been a hard and brutal one for Tim Wood in his quest to find his late wife's killer. Wood said he now has some level of closure, but still feels that in some way complete closure will never come.  
 
Price characterized the attack on Wood as a "random act. A crime of opportunity," which added even more difficulty in trying to find leads to the killer for the last 21 years. "Up until recently we had no indication Mr. Ashley was ever connected to this case."

It was early on the morning of Feb. 20, 1982. Cindy Wood was walking to her Holliday Street home from the former Cedar Tap, 2317 Franklin St.

The mother of a young boy and girl only had a short time to live.

Tim Wood said investigators told him Billy Ray Ashley was returning from Gary that night after using heroin. Ashley drove off of Franklin Street and onto Greenwood Avenue, where he spotted Cindy Wood walking alone. He circled the block to come back and offered her a ride, Price said.

Because it was so cold, Wood accepted. Price said as Ashley drove, he asked Wood for money. When she refused, he then demanded sexual favors. Wood then became mad and called Ashley names.

At some point, Wood showed Ashley she had no money, but Price said Ashley said he thought she may have thrown the wallet out of the car. A passing motorist would find it later that day on Poplar Street.

Ashley became incensed, fought with Wood and then held her head down near the floorboard as he drove. In his confession, Ashley said he drove to the sand mining pit off of Washington Park Boulevard and pulled Wood from the vehicle.

At one time, Ashley had been a barber, and he had with him a straight razor. He allegedly used the razor to cut Wood's throat at least twice, cut her across her face and other parts of her body.

The slicing blows were so strong that a piece of the razor was left in Wood's cheek, Price said. "He initiated injuries that led to her almost immediate death."

During the attack, Ashley apparently cut his thumb.

He left Wood's body at the sand pit.

Needing medical attention, Ashley drove to LaPorte Hospital. His girlfriend at the time worked at St. Anthony Memorial Health Center in Michigan City, and he didn't want to raise suspicions, Price said.

Ashley told police he tossed the razor out of his car somewhere along Johnson Road at a bridge. "As near as we can ascertain, we believe he was talking about the bridge that goes over the Toll Road," Price said.

Authorities were able to verify that Ashley had been treated for a thumb injury that week in a follow-up appointment at the Medical Group. The girlfriend also verified to investigators there was a large amount of blood splashed in his car during that time.

Price said Ashley was smooth and began immediately laying the groundwork for an alibi, including telling his girlfriend he had been cut while defending her honor. He said another man had called her names and a knife fight ensued.

Ashley, as part of an agreement with the prosecutor's office, underwent a polygraph test and was hypnotized to help him recall details. Price called the hypnosis a wonderful tool.

Ashley recalled that Wood had talked about her family and that she had children and lived on Holliday Street. "There were facts that he would only know if he had contact with her," Price said.

Litchford kept close tabs on the case over the years and had pursued various leads in it in the 1980s and 1990s, but none of them panned out. He had been able to confirm many of Ashley's details - including little things that police had not known before, Price said.

Finding answers in the case is a relief to Litchford. He said not a day has gone by since Wood was killed that he hasn't thought about the case in some way. "I have thought about it just about every day that I have walked in the door."

The most important part for Litchford is being able to tell the family what happened to their loved one. He said the murder affected many lives in many ways. Former detectives no longer with the department - Kenneth Waltz, Dennis Schultz and Steve Bacztub - all worked the case, Litchford said. "They live with it, too, even though they are retired," he said.

Rumors, false leads, and false statements made to media also made the investigation difficult. "Things were said to the media that we just couldn't respond to."

Litchford said the people who were key in solving the case are the citizens of Michigan City. "People came to me with leads and one more time, if not for the people of Michigan City we wouldn't have solved it. I'd like to thank the people who came forward with leads. They know who they are."

Litchford regrets the case couldn't have been solved years ago, but there was nothing to point the way to Ashley as the killer. "There was never anything that would point to Billy Ashley up until last May (when Ashley tried to kill a 63-year-old woman)."

Amazingly, officials also believe Ashley may be linked to another Michigan City death - the Oct. 8, 1974, killing of Emmett Ard.

Ard's body was found in Trail Creek and his death had always been suspect, but leads, again, were few. Price said Ashley has indicated a knowledge of the crime.

"There is every indication he was involved, but we are not as confident in that case as we are in the Wood case. It is a much older case and there is nowhere near the amount of documentation available, either."
 

April 13, 2003

Chief Deputy Prosecutor Atley Price said the immunity offer came after lengthy consideration and discussion about the situation between police and prosecutors. 

At one point, authorities used hypnosis techniques to get information out of Ashley, Price said. The information matched up enough that officials felt comfortable in saying he was Wood's killer and that he acted alone.

Price said a look at Ashley's criminal record shows he often committed violent acts, such as robbery, when he also was using drugs.

On May 19, 2002, Ashley robbed and tried to kill a 63-year-old neighbor of his on Dupage Street. He thought she died, but the woman survived and identified Ashley as her attacker.

The woman was in LaPorte Superior Court 1 on Thursday as Ashley was sentenced.  

Ashley, wearing a green and white-stripped jail uniform, said he was sorry for the attack.

Ashley said he thought after serving 18 years in prison he was ready to return to society. He told his victim, "You did nothing wrong. I apologize to you. My prayer, my hope, is that you will forgive me. The man you met on May 19 is not the man who was released by this court (in 2000)."

Ashley asked Judge Walter Chapala to "not judge everybody else by what Billy Ashley did."

He said he would likely die in prison.

Chapala then sentenced Ashley to 65 years in prison on charges of Class A felony attempted murder and Class B felony robbery.

Ashley's victim was distraught and was helped out of court while in tears.

Meanwhile, Tim Wood, husband of the late Cindy Wood, also was in court to watch the sentencing. It was the first time he had seen his wife's admitted killer.

With Tim was his son, Clinton, and for him, the pain of his mother's death the last 21 years has been great. She was killed on his fourth birthday.

Tim and Cindy also had a daughter, Kelly. She couldn't be present.

Tim later remarried in 1985 to his current wife, Debi. He said the impact on their lives has been great and having the rumors and suspicion pointed at him over the years took its toll. It even forced him to move from Michigan City, lose jobs and even have a stint of being homeless.

Wood said watching Ashley in court was "pretty disturbing. There is some closure. We're not completely satisfied, but there's nothing else much we can do."

Wood said he takes some satisfaction in knowing Ashley will likely die in prison, but it does little to make up for the death of his wife and mother of his children.

Price said he hopes the Wood family is able to rest easier now and have closure. He also hopes people understand that the deal struck with Ashley is one that puts him into prison for life and also opened the door to solving a 21-year-old murder.

"We did our best with the cards that were dealt us in this case," Price said.
 

October 22, 2002

By Amanda Haverstick 
 
Joined with their family members, friends and partners, Officers Tim Hazel and Nick Krause were both presented the Officer of the Year Award Tuesday afternoon by the Michigan City Exchange Club. 

“We get involved in many presentations throughout the year,” said Lou Weber, master of ceremonies, “but one of our proudest is our Police Officer of the Year.” 

Hazel and Krause were nominated by Assistant Chief Steve Jesse for an incident on May 18, involving the abduction and torture of a woman. The officers rescued the victim, but were soon involved in a fight for their lives while trying to disarm the suspect. As a result of the confrontation, Hazel was shot in the hand and the suspect died in gunfire. 

“They probably could not have picked two better officers to handle the situation,” said Jesse. “Right there you have the picture of two very fine police officers.” 

“What happened to you is what some folks never witness,” said LaPorte County Sheriff Jim Arnold. “What you did was something that had to be done.” 

Both officers received plaques and medals, which were presented by Exchange Club President Bob Johnson. Upon receiving his award, Hazel thanked Jesse, the Exchange Club, his fellow officers and his family. 

Also nominated for Officer of the Year were Officer Timothy Baker and Sgt. Sue Harrison. 

“I would like to thank my mom and my dad for bringing me up the way that they did,” he said. Hazel also acknowledge his partner, Nick Krause. “I have a lot of confidence in him. We’re great friends.” 

After receiving his award, Krause acknowledged Jesse, the Exchange Club and Hazel. “Everyday I look at my two kids and I thank God everyday that I get to spend the time that I do with them. I think He saved my life too that day,” Krause said. 

An Officer of the Year plaque with Hazel’s and Krause’s name was also presented to Police Chief Gene Simmons for display at the police department. Simmons acknowledged the support of the Exchange Club and all the nominated officers. “I would like to congratulate all our nominees for distinguishing themselves as Michigan City Police Officers.” 

Also present was Mayor Sheila Brillson and LaPorte County Prosecutor Rob Beckman. “The ceremony was touching,” said Brillson. “Many of the members of our department go above the call of duty.” 

Beckman noted all officers deserve the thanks of the community everyday. “I’m proud of these two officers for upholding the thin blue line and for doing what they were taught to do, and the rest of the community should be proud of them.” 

Simmons added, “It was a well deserved award for both recipients. They are both fine young officers. They do a good job for the Michigan City Police Department. We’re proud of them.” 

Hazel’s grandmother, Irene Taylor, also expressed pride in her grandson’s honor. “He loves his work. I’m proud of them both.” 

The Exchange Club also acknowledged the late LaPorte Sheriff Bob Blair, who was honored posthumously at last year’s program. The Officer of the Year Award has been presented by the Exchange Club for over 25 years
 

June 1, 2002

Beckman: Officers’ Actions Saved Lives 

LaPORTE — Authorities can now say for certain a woman held captive was not only beaten but tortured until she complied with numerous sexual demands from a former Indiana State Prison guard fatally shot by police. 

It’s also clear the victim and two policemen who responded to the woman’s 911 call in all likelihood would have died had one of the officers not grabbed 48-year old Dennis Zonyk as he was pulling out a gun, said LaPorte County Prosecutor Rob Beckman. 

More details of the May 18 ordeal at Zonyk’s Michigan City home were released during a news conference at Beckman’s office in LaPorte on Friday. 

According to Beckman, the 30-year old woman was at a tavern in LaPorte on the night of May 17 and got a ride to a bar in Michigan City from a man she knows. 

The woman stayed the night in Michigan City at a friend’s house. 

The next morning, she was walked along Wabash Street near Lighthouse Place looking for a pay telephone so she could get a ride back to LaPorte where she lives. 

Zonyk pulls up and offers her the use of a telephone at his home and she got in his car. 

Zonyk drove into his garage, which is attached to the home, closed the garage door and escorted the woman inside. 

After a few minutes of small talk, Zonyk grabbed her and said “you’re taking all of your clothes off. You’re not going anywhere,” said Beckman. 

The woman, described as petite, exchanged blows with the much larger Zonyk but eventually succumbed to the beating and agreed to remove her clothing if Zonyk stopped hitting her. 

For more than six hours, the woman was brutalized and abused numerous times, Beckman said. 

At one point, the woman came close to escaping but Zonyk stopped her in the garage where he was hit several times the head with a pipe by the woman. 

He eventually wrestled the pipe away and repeatedly beat her with it until dragging the woman back inside the home where he put a leather belt around her neck. 

Like a “hangman’s nuise,” Zonyk tightened the belt each time until she submitted to his numerous other demands for oral sex, Beckman said. 

His method of torture took a different twist when Zonyk forced the woman into a shower and “washed her from head to toe in cold water,” Beckman said. 

After the shower, Zonyk put handcuffs on the woman. 

He was in another room when the woman spotted a cordless telephone on a coffee table. 

Despite hands handcuffed behind her back, she managed to lift the telephone off the receiver and dial 911. 

Afraid of drawing Zonyk’s attention, the woman didn’t talk. 

She just slid the telephone underneath a pillow or the couch, Beckman said. 

The call, though, registered with a 911 dispatcher at the county complex in LaPorte who then contacted a dispatcher with Michigan City Police to return the call to determine if some sort of assistance was needed, Beckman said. 

After Zonyk replied everything was fine, Michigan City police officers Nicholas Krause and Tim Hazel were dispatched to the scene which is standard procedure as a final precaution for 911 calls involving no response or hang ups, Beckman said. 

Realizing police were coming, Zonyk taped the woman's mouth shut, grabbed a gun and told her “in a few minutes I’m going to be dead and so are you.” 

He greeted the officers by stepping onto the front porch holding the gun behind his back. 

The naked and bloodied woman also made her way onto the porch and may have run out into the yard, Beckman said. 

Knowing police saw the woman, Zonyk started to draw his weapon. 

Officer Hazel, who was just a few feet away, charged and grabbed Zonyk in hopes of preventing him from getting a good shot and to get the gun. 

Both men tumbled off the porch onto the ground struggling over the weapon. 

Officer Krause then jumps on top of Zonyk who was on his back when he fired a shot that flew right past Krause's ear. 

“He could hear it. He could feel it. He actually thought he was shot,” said Beckman. 

With one hand on Zonyk’s chest to help keep him on the ground, Hazel fired a shot that first grazed Zonyk on the cheek then penetrated his chest just below the skin. 

Officer Hazel’s hand was also in the way of the bullet which took off the tip of his left index finger. 

As the struggle continued, Zonyk fired another shot past Krause’s mid-section. 

It was then that Hazel fired a second shot into Zonyk's forehead which proved fatal a short time later, Beckman said. 

The entire ordeal between the officers and Zonyk was over in less than a minute. 

Beckman and Michigan City Police Chief Gene Simmons commended the officers for grabbing Zonyk instead of trying to out draw him. 

Because Zonyk was already holding a gun, chances are he would been able to fire first “and in all probability our two officers get shot,” said Beckman. 

Authorities didn’t know why Zonyk tortured the woman or if he wanted to die at the hands of police. 

However, Beckman said dying may have been Zonyk’s wish because he told the woman both he and her would soon be dead as police were approaching. 

“We’re in no position to get into somebody’s head, but the most important aspect of that is the statement he made,” Beckman said. 

Zonyk was a correctional officer at Indiana State Prison from 1979 to 1999 when he resigned for undisclosed reasons. 

Neighbors described Zonyk as kind of a loner who exhibited unusual behavior, often talking or mumbling to himself and lapsing into fits of rage. 
 

January 24, 2002