Senior Judge Page, who often presided here, shot and killed at Hobart

Thursday, August 16, 2018

HOBART -- A 64-year-old senior judge who has presided over dozens of cases in Putnam County courts over the past several years, was shot and killed Wednesday at his Lake County home near Hobart.

Judge T. Edward Page, who has served as senior judge in the scheduling conflicts or the absences of Putnam Superior Court Judge Denny Bridges or Putnam Circuit Court Judge Matt Headley, was reportedly fatally wounded by an 83-year-old former client whom he had represented in a civil matter.

Judge T. Edward Page

Page was due in Greencastle Thursday to preside over initial hearings Friday in Superior Court on behalf of Judge Bridges.

“It’s tragic,” Bridges told the Banner Graphic Wednesday night, noting that Page routinely came down the night before court for a “beer and pizza” visit.

“I can’t remember how long ago I first brought him down here to sit for me,” Bridges added, calling Page “a talented lawyer, great judge and an amazing friend that wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Page, who served as magistrate judge of the Lake Superior Court from October 1984 to December 2000, felt right at home in Greencastle and working with personnel in the court system, Bridges said.

“I’ll miss him,” Bridges assured. “He touched a lot of people here. And was welcomed with open arms. He even joined our Elks Club.”

About 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Page was killed outside his home by a man Hobart authorities characterized as a longtime friend and client. The suspect had been welcomed onto the attorney’s gated property Wednesday morning, Hobart police said.

The client, whose name is being withheld pending formal charges, reportedly showed up at Page’s home with two of his daughters to collect unspecified documents. Page had been representing the suspect and a daughter in a civil case.

Through the state’s senior judges program, Page continued to serve as a part-time judge and had been on the bench periodically in Putnam County since at least 2012. He reportedly submitted a letter of retirement Tuesday with the Lake County public defender’s office. He was expected to leave that office by the end of August to spend more time working as a senior judge and perhaps teaching.

In serving as senior judge in Putnam County, Page drew some of the more interesting cases in recent years, including the 2016 case of a Cloverdale woman who said she complied with the request of an uncooperative husband to hit him over the head with a frying pan, and a 2013 endangerment case of an intoxicated northern Putnam County man found walking down the middle of a dark road near Heritage Lake, pulling two small children along in a red wagon.

But one of his best decisions came in a January 2013 case that required a major dose of the patience of Job, seasoned with a heaping helping of the wisdom of Solomon. Sitting in for Judge Bridges that day, Page had his sense and sensibilities taxed to the max in making a landmark ruling in the intertwined history of Greencastle and DePauw University.

He was called upon to establish local boundaries to keep a former DePauw student banned from campus, yet allow him to continue to live and work in Greencastle.

While Judge Page didn’t have a baby to deal with like Solomon, he nonetheless had a touchy situation involving a defendant banned from campus because of a 2012 indiscretion involving alleged marijuana growing, dealing and using activities at university-owned housing. After that, the man resided just south of the courthouse square and around the corner from DePauw’s bookstore, Eli’s Books, while working at two eateries in the South End.

“This makes an exile order somewhat awkward,” offered Judge Page who had previously banned an Indianapolis man from entering Putnam County after he was found hunting rabbits and firing his shotgun on North Putnam school property.

“Unlike that case,” the senior judge added, “I can’t exile him from town.”

So Page carved out a zone, the interior of which the man had to resist entering or risk arrest and violation of his probation.

“Even if your apartment catches fire,” the veteran judge warned with wit and wisdom, “make sure you run north, not south.”

And as Judge Bridges said, “he will be missed.”

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: