Reelsville incident autopsy results consistent with murder-suicide findings

Friday, August 31, 2012

REELSVILLE -- Autopsies on a rural Putnam County father and son, victims of an apparent murder-suicide, were conducted Thursday afternoon at Terre Haute Regional Hospital by Pathologist Dr. Roland Kohr.

Putnam County Chief Deputy Coroner Dave Brown has released the autopsy results as:

-- Jeremy Boatright, age 14, cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was a homicide.

-- Kevin Boatright, age 40, cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was a suicide.

Toxicology tests for the father and son are pending and could take up to eight weeks for the final results.

The Indiana State Police investigation into the shootings will remain active until review of the toxicology results.

Meanwhile, an ISP investigation related to allegations of contributing to the delinquency of two females under the age of 18 against Kevin Boatright will not conclude until forensic examination of electronic evidence from the Boatright home is completed and a determination has been made there are no other suspects, Putnamville State Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Joe Watts reported.

The tragic incident began to unfold Wednesday afternoon when Putnam County 911 received the initial call for help from a relative at 1:35 p.m.

The family member had reportedly gone to the Boatright residence at 6503 W. County Road 450 South, Reelsville, for a visit and found the bodies in the northwest bedroom of the rural Washington Township home.

Putnam County Sheriff's Department deputies were first on the scene. Deputies subsequently requested assistance from the Putnamville Post after receiving information that earlier in the week ISP detectives had initiated a criminal investigation involving Kevin Boatright as a person of interest.

On Tuesday afternoon, State Police officials had started an investigation by speaking with Kevin Boatright in person at his home about allegations he had contributed to the delinquency of two female juveniles, Sgt. Watts confirmed.

However, based on that initial investigation, State Police officials determined there was insufficient information to result in an immediate arrest of the elder Boatright, Watts explained.

The death investigation is ongoing and no further information is being made available at this time, Watts said.

ISP Det. Brian Maudlin is the lead investigator along with ISP Crime Scene Investigator Jim Cody, ISP Dets. Lt. Donna Elam, First Sgt. Jeff Hearon and Jim Dungan assisting, along with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office and Putnam County deputy coroners Brown and Steve Caulkins.