Bond lowered for Stewart-Lane

GREENCASTLE -- A woman accused of stealing at a funeral in Roachdale was in court Tuesday for an initial hearing.

Heather Stewart-Lane, 32, of New Market has been charged with Class D felonies theft and attempted theft. She was arrested at Roachdale Christian Church, where she was attending a relative's funeral, on Saturday.

Stewart-Lane's bond was originally set at $10,000 cash or $7,500 surety. In court Tuesday, Judge Diana LaViolette reduced the bond to $3,000 with 10 percent authorized.

Stewart-Lane remained in jail as of late Tuesday afternoon.

Public defender Joel Wieneke has been assigned to represent Stewart-Lane, who entered preliminary not guilty pleas to both charges against her. A pretrial conference has been set for March 10.

Roachdale Police Department Lt. Michael Parks, who said Stewart-Lane allegedly tried to steal cash and identification from the purse of another woman at the funeral, was the arresting officer.

The alleged victim is the wife of an officer Hendricks County Sheriff's Department, Parks said.

The Hendricks County officer told Parks that in addition to seeing Stewart-Lane take items from his wife's purse, he also witnessed her going through the pockets of coats that were hanging in another part of the funeral home.

Parks said Stewart-Lane denied the accusations.

Stewart-Lane has no prior criminal history. If convicted on both charges, she could be sentenced to a maximum of six years in prison.