Trusted Tippecanoe County Murder Attorney
Finding yourself accused and arrested for murder in Tippecanoe County is serious, and it is very possible your freedom is on the line. Whether you live in Odell or call Clarks Hill home, hiring a Tippecanoe County murder lawyer is essential to the protection of your rights. A conviction of murder is devastating and can have lasting impacts on both you and your loved ones. At The Criminal Defense Team, a Tippecanoe County criminal defense lawyer is here to help.
Face a Murder Charge With Effective Representation From The Criminal Defense Team
With over 100 years of combined defense experience and over 1,000 criminal defense trials behind us, The Criminal Defense Team is ready and able to serve you. No two murder cases are the same, and you deserve an attorney who understands this. When you work with our Indiana-based firm, you are assigned at least two defense attorneys and a paralegal who can work together to defend you and handle every aspect of your case.
Our experienced lawyers, Andrew Baldwin, Kathie Perry, Maxwell Wiley, Kelly Pyle, and Michael C. Cunningham, are Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialists, as certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Find out why having a Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialist as your defense lawyer is important here. There are only six total Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialists in Indiana, and five of them work for The Criminal Defense Team.
Defining Murder in Tippecanoe County
Indiana sees an annual murder rate of around 5.5 per every 100,000 residents, and in the first half of 2025, Tippecanoe County witnessed four homicides. However, it is important to remember that homicide and murder are not necessarily the same charge. Many individuals mistakenly lump these charges together, yet murder is actually just one type of homicide.
In Indiana, there are four main categories used to define murder charges. These include:
- Killing an individual while committing a separate felony: This can include the killing of another person while committing a burglary, an act of arson, kidnapping, robbery, carjacking, an act of child molestation or rape, or any other kind of felony. Though the death itself might not have been intentional, the intention to commit the underlying felony makes the offender allegedly guilty of murder.
- Intentionally or knowingly killing another person: This is typically the most familiar and traditional form of murder. In these cases, the alleged offender knows their actions can result in the death of the victim and decides to proceed anyway, or they are acting with the specific intent to harm someone. While it is not required, premeditation can often form the basis for these acts of murder.
- Killing someone while attempting to commit or committing a dealing of a controlled substance: In cases where the alleged offender is dealing a pharmaceutical drug, narcotic, or other form of controlled substance, and someone is killed during the dealing, then the offender is culpable for murder.
- The intentional and knowing killing of a viable fetus: In cases where the fetus is actually capable of living outside of the womb, and the pregnancy is terminated anyway, this is considered an act of murder.
While many states set murder penalties by using different degrees, such as “first-degree murder” or “second-degree murder.” In Indiana, however, the penalties for murder are set based on the victim’s and defendant’s specific age, the way in which the victim was murdered, and the circumstances that surrounded the offense.
Murder is typically punished with thousands of dollars in fines and decades in prison. In the most severe cases, the death penalty may also be involved. However, in order for the prosecution to pursue the death penalty, there must be one of the following aggravating circumstances present in the case:
- Someone was hired by the defendant to commit the murder.
- The defendant was hired by another individual to commit the murder.
- The victim was murdered by the defendant as the defendant was committing another crime.
- The defendant has previously been convicted for battery, kidnapping, or a sex crime against the murder victim.
- The defendant tried to burn, mutilate, or decapitate the victim.
- The defendant has a criminal record with a prior murder conviction present.
- The murder was committed on school property.
- The victim of the murder was a judge, probation or parole officer, firefighter, or law enforcement officer.
FAQs
What Should I Do If I Am Arrested for Murder?
In Tippecanoe County, if you are arrested for murder, the first thing you need to do is exercise your right to remain silent and call The Criminal Defense Team of Baldwin Perry & Wiley, P.C. Remain calm and polite, and do not try to evade the arrest. Do not answer any of the law enforcement officer’s questions until your attorney has arrived, and avoid making any kind of statement.
How Can You Defend a Murder Charge?
Depending on the circumstances involved in your murder case, there are a number of defenses that may work. These can include proving that you acted in self-defense or in the defense of others, pleading that you were suffering from insanity when the murder occurred, proving that you are actually innocent of the murder, or demonstrating the fact that the killing was accidental.
What Are the Other Kinds of Homicide in Indiana?
In addition to a charge of murder, there are six other types of homicide in Indiana that an individual may be charged with. These include the assistance of suicide, intentionally causing a suicide, an act of involuntary manslaughter, voluntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, and feticide. The Criminal Defense Team is here to defend you against any of these charges.
What Evidence Is Used in a Murder Case?
In a murder case, the prosecution generally uses two main forms of evidence to prove their case against you. Direct evidence can include any eyewitness testimony, recorded confessions, or threats made that prove a defendant’s intention. Circumstantial evidence includes facts from which a jury can reasonably infer intent, such as owning a gun.
Hire a Murder Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one has been charged with murder, hire a murder lawyer from The Criminal Defense Team Today. A Board-Certified* Criminal Trial Specialist is on call 24/7, ready to serve you any time of the day or night. Contact our Indiana-based firm today to schedule a consultation.