Identities released in frantic 911 call

Law enforcement officials unraveled the mystery behind a frantic 911 phone call made Friday after thoroughly searching for two days to find the identity of the caller.

Putnam County Sheriff Mark Frisbie told the BannerGraphic Monday authorities now have a name to go with the voice.

According to Frisbie, 19-year-old Madonna Owens of Coatesville, had an argument with her boyfriend Matthew Bishop, 23, Avon, at Owens' s residence in the Patriots Landing section of the subdivision Friday morning. After the fight calmed down, Bishop, who has no driver's license, talked Owens into driving him to a friend's house.

Frisbie reported that the two began to fight again during the drive, and Owens alleged Bishop tried to strangle her. Frisbie said Owens then put the car in park and ran to the Heritage Lake Clubhouse, while Bishop hopped into the driver's seat and followed Owens. She reported she believed he was trying to run her over.

Once at the clubhouse, Owens made a frantic phone call to the Putnam County 911 Dispatch Center. She told the dispatcher, "He's in my car and he tried to run me over."

The last thing the dispatcher heard before the line went dead was Owens saying he was coming toward her. Frisbie said Bishop disconnected the call by slamming down on the phone cradle.

Bishop reportedly dragged Owens back to the car, and calmed her down enough to drive him to Avon. After dropping him off, Owens went to work at the Casey's convenience store in Danville. Meanwhile, Frisbie and his deputies were canvassing the Heritage Lake subdivision, attempting to find more information on the phone call. Copies of the 911 tape were sent to Indianapolis television news stations, with the hope that a family member or a friend would recognize the female's voice.

Owens' mother, Monica, heard the tape on the news and felt quite confident it was her daughter. Once Owens returned home from work, she was questioned by Monica about the phone call, but she denied the female on the tape was her.

Frisbie said that Owens was at work Saturday when Bishop showed up and started arguing with her. Someone reportedly called 911. After Hendricks County officials arrived on the scene, they learned Bishop had a warrant for probation violation on a previous theft charge. He was arrested and taken to the Hendricks County Jail.

Frisbie said Owens returned home and admitted she was the female on the tape. Monica Owens reportedly contacted the sheriff's department, and Reserve Deputy Barry Barger took her statement.

Frisbie told the BannerGraphic that sending the tape to the media was the right thing to do. With the media's help, Frisbie said that calls were flooding in with different leads and information.

The sheriff's department, along with Putnam County Family Support Services, investigated every domestic case they had in the Heritage Lake area. According to Frisbie, Owens was on their list to check. Back on Aug. 25, the sheriff's department was called out to the Owens residence for a domestic disturbance, but no charges were filed because the officers found Owens to be uncooperative.

Frisbie said he believed Owens would not have talked to officers if her mother had not intervened.

The sheriff's department is currently considering charging Bishop with battery and interrupting a 911 call, but Frisbie said there could be additional charges after the prosecuting attorneys look over the case file.