Bledsoe trial moved back to Oct. 18

Friday, May 7, 2010
Bledsoe

GREENCASTLE -- The trial of a Reelsville man accused of murdering his wife has been pushed back.

Jeremy Bledsoe, 31, is charged with felony murder in connection with the shooting death of his wife Kathryne Bledsoe, 31, on Jan. 13.

Bledsoe's trial had been set for June 21, but in court Thursday at a pretrial conference for his client, Bledsoe's court-appointed attorney Todd Sallee requested the trial be set out further.

"I would like to ask the court to indulge me," Sallee said. "I would like additional time to go through files and evidence and confirm that I have everything I need."

Sallee said he had been in regular contact with Putnam County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Justin Long, and that Sallee needed more opportunities to confer with his client about the case.

"This is going to take considerable time," Sallee said. "Some time in October might be more realistic."

Judge Matthew Headley granted Sallee's request, setting Bledsoe's trial for Oct. 18. Bledsoe's final pretrial conference is set for Sept. 30.

Bledsoe did not appear in court Thursday.

According to court documents, Kathryne Bledsoe was shot to death in her Reelsville home on the morning of Jan. 13.

Two of the Bledsoes' three children -- a 3-year-old boy and a 20-month-old girl -- were in the house when the shooting occurred. The third child, a 6-year-old-son, was in class at Reelsville Elementary.

Also present in the home when the crime was committed was Jeremy Bledsoe's grandmother Ava Bledsoe, who lived with Kathryne and Jeremy and reported the shooting to police.

Eyewitnesses told authorities Jeremy Bledsoe had shot his wife. Bledsoe remained at large for over 12 hours after the shooting, and was apprehended without incident in the Cataract Falls area.

At his initial hearing on Jan. 15, Bledsoe pled not guilty to the murder charge. On the recommendation of the state, Headley ordered Bledsoe held without bond.

The Bledsoes had been married for 10 years and had lived in Reelsville for two years. Kathryne Bledsoe's family members said she had been getting ready to move out of the couple's home and file for a divorce.

Bledsoe's criminal history includes a 1996 conviction for public intoxication; convictions in 1996 and 1998 for misdemeanor illegal consumption of alcohol; convictions in 1999 for felony resisting law enforcement and misdemeanor driving while suspended and driving while intoxicated, as well as several probation violations and traffic infractions.

He has also had counts of intimidation and battery brought against him in the past, but those charges were dismissed.

In Indiana, a felony murder charge can carry a death sentence or a life sentence without parole. The minimum sentence is 45 years, and the advisory sentence is 55 years.

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