NEWS

16-year-old arrested in murder probe

Douglas Walker
dwalker@muncie.gannett.com
A Muncie police evidence technician works at the scene of a July 2 homicide.

MUNCIE -- A Muncie teenager was arrested Thursday evening and preliminarily charged with murder in last week's slaying of Christian Orebaugh.

Muncie Police Chief Steve Stewart said the suspect was taken into custody when investigators served a search warrant in the 1900 block of East Cedar Street shortly after 6 p.m.

Because of his age -- 16 years old -- the slaying suspect for now will be dealt with as a juvenile, and not publicly identified by name until formal charges are filed.

At that point, the case would likely be automatically waived into adult jurisdiction, and the teen would be transferred from the Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center to the Delaware County jail.

Orebaugh, 18, died as a result of a single gunshot wound in the torso suffered after intruders entered his home, at 201 W. 23rd St., shortly before 11 p.m. on July 2.

Witnesses said they saw three men fleeing from the house after the shot was fired.

"This investigation is continuing to develop at a rapid pace," Stewart said. "There are other persons of interest we want to interview."

The police chief said "many items of evidence" were collected at the Cedar Street address.

Stewart would not speculate on a motive for the slaying, and declined comment when asked whether the teen arrested Thursday was believed to have fired the fatal gunshot.

Any person alleged to have participated in the events leading to Orebaugh's death could likely be charged with murder.

Deputy Prosecutor Zach Craig said Thursday night he was uncertain whether formal charges against the 16-year-old suspect would be filed before next week.

Anyone with information on the slaying is asked to call the Muncie Police Department at 765-747-4838. Anonymous tips can also be made by calling Muncie Crime Stoppers at 765-286-4050, or submitting information online at www.munciepolice.org.

Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. You can also follow him on Twitter @DouglasWalkerSP.