Pubdate: Sat, 21 May 2005
Source: Courier-Journal, The (KY)
Copyright: 2005 The Courier-Journal
Contact:  http://www.courier-journal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/97
Note: Only publishes local LTEs
Author: Harold J. Adams

NEW FIGURE CHARGED IN KATIE COLLMAN SLAYING

Prosecutor: First Suspect Falsely Confessed

BROWNSTOWN, Ind. -- Prosecutors dropped charges yesterday against the man 
originally accused of killing 10-year-old Katlyn "Katie" Collman, and then 
charged a second suspect with murder. Jackson County Prosecutor Stephen 
Pierson said Charles "Chuckie" Hickman, 21, who was arrested Feb. 2 and 
charged with Katie's murder, had confessed to a crime he did not commit. 
"It is unusual . but certainly not unheard of," Pierson said in a 
statement. At a press conference, Pierson said he had filed a motion 
seeking the death penalty against Anthony Stockelman, who previously had 
been charged with molesting Katie and now also faces charges of murder and 
confinement. Stockelman, 38, of Seymour, Ind., appeared in Jackson Circuit 
Court yesterday on the new charges. Pierson said there "was much more 
evidence to come" and that there might be other suspects in the case. Katie 
was reported missing on Jan. 25 after running an after-school errand at a 
store near her home in Crothersville, Ind. Her body was found five days 
later, her hands tied behind her back, in a creek at Cypress Lake, about 20 
miles north of Crothersville. According to police, Hickman said Katie was 
abducted in an effort to scare her after she witnessed methamphetamine 
activity at a local apartment complex. Referring to Hickman's account of 
the crime, Pierson said yesterday that "it now appears that the alleged 
sighting of a meth lab by Katie Collman was more false information provided 
by Mr. Hickman." The Indiana State Police Crime Laboratory presented 
additional evidence in the case this week, according to a state police 
affidavit. Lab results showed on Wednesday that Stockelman's DNA matched 
DNA found on the binding material used to tie Katie's hands behind her 
back. Pierson has declined to reveal what was used to bind her hands. DNA 
also led to the molestation charge filed against Stockelman on April 6. His 
DNA was matched that day to semen found on Katie's body and to a cigarette 
butt found near the creek, the affidavit says. The lab also determined on 
Thursday that fibers found on Katie's body "cannot be . eliminated as 
originating" from carpet at a home where Stockelman's mother lived.

The affidavit said the fibers would be tested further. The house in which 
Stockelman's mother lived, at 405 Kovenor St. in Crothersville, is in the 
middle of a three-block stretch between the Collman home and the store at 
which she ran her errand the day she disappeared. Stockelman has told 
investigators he was at the Kovenor Street house that day from about noon 
until 5 p.m. to move his mother's belongings. Katie was last seen walking 
away from the Penn Villa apartment complex behind the house toward Kovenor 
Street. Yesterday's developments left Pierson at a loss to explain why 
Hickman confessed to a crime he didn't commit, and they brought charges of 
a rush to judgment from Stockelman's family and lawyer. Pierson said, "We 
had doubts early on as to some of the things that he (Hickman) said. But 
when you're in the middle of a murder investigation and someone . says, 'I 
did it,' you cannot ignore that." The prosecutor said Hickman's story set 
the case back about nine weeks -- and cost taxpayers tens of thousands of 
dollars -- while investigators tried unsuccessfully to confirm it. "Why he 
did that, I can't say," Pierson said. He added that he was considering 
charging Hickman with false informing. Meanwhile, Stockelman's wife, 
Tabitha, voiced anger at investigators. "I think they have no idea what 
they're doing," she said. "He didn't do this." Marylou Stockelman, his 
mother, said, "I think . he's being used as a scapegoat." Defense attorney 
James Kilburn said Pierson is "wrong with Anthony Stockelman" and voiced 
skepticism about the DNA evidence. "I have not seen DNA evidence," he said. 
"I don't know if they have it or not." Hickman still faces a 
child-molestation charge in an unrelated case -- and remained in the 
Jackson County Jail yesterday -- but his grandparents said they were 
relieved that he had been cleared of the murder charge. Farrell Street, 
Hickman's grandfather, said the family "would like to thank the 
law-enforcement agencies for their efforts." He expressed gratitude for 
"people in our community who have supported us by bringing food, by 
offering us encouragement, and by keeping us in their prayers." Johnathon 
Neace, Katie's father, said he was pleased by Pierson's decision to seek 
the death penalty against Stockelman. Neace said he was not fully convinced 
that Stockelman acted alone and added that he is "confused, just confused" 
by the turn of events. Pierson said he would ask Jackson Circuit Judge 
William Vance to consolidate the molestation and murder cases against 
Stockelman. Kilburn said he would probably oppose that motion. Vance 
entered a preliminary not-guilty plea on the new charges against 
Stockelman, who is being held in the Jackson County Jail without bond.

[Sidebar]

Events In The Case

Jan. 25: Ten-year-old Katlyn "Katie" Collman is reported missing after 
running an after-school errand at a store near her home in Crothersville, Ind.

Jan. 30: Searchers find Katie's body in a creek at Cypress Lake, about 20 
miles north of Crothersville.

Feb. 2: Police arrest Charles "Chuckie" Hickman, 21, of Crothersville, who 
is charged with murdering Katie. According to police, he confesses to being 
involved in the crime, saying she was abducted in an effort to scare her 
after she witnessed methamphetamine activity at a Crothersville apartment 
complex.

April 6: Authorities charge Anthony Stockelman, 38, of Seymour with 
sexually molesting Katie shortly before or after her death.

Investigators connected Stockelman to the crime by matching his DNA with 
DNA they found on Katie's body and on a cigarette butt near her body.

April 28: Jackson County Prosecutor Stephen Pierson says in court, while 
arguing against a reduction in Stockelman's bond, that he is a suspect in 
Katie's murder.

May 20: Pierson announces that he is dropping charges against Hickman and 
that he is charging Stockelman with Katie's murder.

He says Hickman lied in making his confession and that false-informing 
charges may be filed against him. Pierson also says he will seek the death 
penalty against Stockelman.
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