Police say they've found Rural King attacker

Douglas Walker
The Star Press

 

Muncie police released this surveillance video image of the suspect in an attack on a Rural King assistant manager.

MUNCIE, Ind. – City police have tracked down a Wayne County man they say attacked the manager of Muncie’s Rural King store, inflicting grievous injuries when he struck him with a cane.

A story published in Sunday’s print edition of The Star Press – and later read online by Palladium-Item readers – detailed the lasting impact of the crime on the victim, 60-year-old Greg Collett.

The story included surveillance video images of the attacker, and an older man who apparently accompanied him to the store on Muncie’s northwest side last Oct. 26.

Greg Collett at an interview with The Star Press.

City police Capt. Joe Todd said Wednesday afternoon he had just returned from the Richmond home of the 29-year-old man – described as being “extremely mentally disabled” – who attacked Collett.

Todd said the man lives with his parents, who acknowledged their family was at the Rural King store on the day of the incident.

The parents, who are retirees, were “very remorseful and very apologetic,” Todd said. They maintained they had been unaware their son injured anyone.

READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

A sudden, devastating attack at Rural King changed Greg Collett's life

The parents appeared “shaken” when told about the extent of Collett’s injuries, the police captain said.

The attacker was asleep when investigators arrived at the home, and became ‘very agitated” when he awoke and realized strangers were there, Todd said.

The man’s parents – who said their son does not adjust well to changes in his daily routine – were able to calm him, however, and persuaded him to take a shower.

Todd said he did not believe the man’s mental abilities would allow him to be interviewed about the attack on Collett.

The parents told Muncie police they did not leave the Rural King store on Oct. 26 in a bid to avoid consequences for their son’s actions.

After their son became agitated in the store, he went outside with his father, who maintained he was unaware of any violence. The man’s mother continued to shop after her son and husband left the store.

Todd said he would be preparing reports on the attack, and the investigation, for Delaware County Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold’s office. Arnold will decide what criminal charges, if any, might be filed.

Arnold later said he and Deputy Prosecutor Steve Sneed would be “thoroughly reviewing the case, just like any case.”

“I’ve been told he may have some mental disability issues,” the prosecutor said. If that is confirmed, “we’ll need to take it into consideration.”

Arnold said he had not previously handled a case with circumstances similar to the Rural King attack, but had dealt with prosecutions involving “mentally challenged adults.”

“We treat (those cases) differently,” he said.

Two Wayne County residents contacted Todd this week after seeing The Star Press article on the Palladium-Item website.

One, who asked to remain anonymous, told Todd he recognized the photo of the man later identified as the attacker’s father.

The second caller, an Indiana State Police trooper, was familiar with the family, the police captain said.

Linda Pence, attorney for Greg Collett, said her client and his family were "very pleased that the suspect is identified."

"This information came because of the (Star Press) story," Pence said, adding she had also been contacted by the tipsters.

An issue going forward is "what can be done, if anything, to prevent this from happening to anyone else," she said.

Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. Follow him on Twitter: @DouglasWalkerSP.