Five people have been charged in connection with the shooting of Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, including a Lafayette man who was scheduled to stand trial in Meyer's courtroom just two days after the attack.
Steven Meyer and Kimberly Meyer were found shot in their Lafayette home Jan 18. Both are recovering from injuries. The Lafayette Police Department announced late Thursday that a multi-state manhunt following the shooting led to the arrest of five suspects.
While police have not released a motive for the attack, public court records reviewed by WFYI show a direct link between the judge and one of the suspects, 43-year-old Thomas Moss.
According to the online records, Moss is currently facing multiple felony charges in Tippecanoe Superior Court 2, the court over which Judge Meyer presides. Moss was scheduled for a jury trial beginning Jan. 20, two days after Judge Meyer was shot at his home.
The charges pending against Moss in Meyer's court include unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, intimidation with a deadly weapon, and domestic battery. A hearing was set for Friday to reschedule that trial to a later date, according to court records
Now, the five suspects face varying felony charges ranging from attempted murder to obstruction of justice in Tippecanoe County Superior Court.
Prosecutors have formally charged three of the men with attempted murder, a Level 1 felony, and conspiracy to commit murder, a Level 2 felony. Prosecutors are also seeking a "criminal gang" sentencing enhancement against all three:
- Thomas Moss, 43, of Lafayette, IN.
- Raylen Ferguson, 38, of Lexington, KY.
- Blake Smith, 32, of Lafayette, IN.
Two women were arrested on lesser charges:
- Amanda Milsap, 45, of Lafayette, IN, charges include bribery and obstruction of justice
- Zenada Greer, 61, of Lexington, KY., faces charges of assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice
Court records show a request has been filed with the Indiana Supreme Court to appoint a special judge to preside over the cases.
Multiple local and federal agencies are involved in the investigation, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Indiana State Police, and police departments in Lexington, Kentucky. and Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Eric Weddle is WFYI's education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow him on X at @ericweddle.