Brazil murder suspect appears in court

Jon McGuff

BRAZIL — Jon L. McGuff, 25, formerly of Reelsville, has entered not guilty to the murder charge of Billy Matherly, 48, Cloverdale, which occurred last Thursday in Brazil.

In his initial court appearance on Tuesday afternoon in Clay Superior Court, McGuff entered a not guilty plea and was appointed a public defender, Matthew Robert Effner.

Clay Superior Court Judge Robert Pell has set two court dates for McGuff concerning the murder. A pre-trial conference is set for July 17, and the jury trial for Dec. 18.

McGuff has been incarcerated at the Clay County Justice Center since his arrest in Terre Haute on May 12. While previously reported as having lived in Reelsville, the address listed on court documents have him residing in Brazil.

Reports of shots fired and a person down came into Clay County Dispatch shortly before 4 p.m. on May 11, with officers from the Brazil Police Department and Clay County Sheriff’s Office responding.

They arrived at 310 N. Leavitt St. to find the body of Matherly.

In the probable cause affidavit (PCA), Indiana State Police Det. Don Curtis stated that at least six different witnesses had been interviewed in the case.

Witness No. 1 told police that Billy Matherly was visiting the same house as they were when a white pickup pulled into Matherly’s drive at a high rate of speed. According to court documents, McGuff and a female passenger were in the truck.

According to the PCA, McGuff exited the truck, began arguing with Matherly, and pointed a gun at him. Witness No. 1 recognized the gun because, he said, McGuff had pointed it at them earlier in the week.

The witness stated that McGuff pointed the gun at Matherly and shot him four times. McGuff and his female passenger returned to the truck and took off. Witness No. 1 ran to a neighbor’s house and told them to call 911.

A second witness also claimed to have seen McGuff and the female passenger pull into the driveway. Witness No. 2 also told Curtis that McGuff had shot Matherly at close range before he and the female took off.

According to the Flock camera systems, which recognize plates of vehicles, McGuff’s truck was seen fleeing westbound on U.S. 40 and Miami Gardens at 4:07 pm.

According to the PCA, Witness No. 3 saw the white truck hit the curb and heard four shots. Witness No. 4 listened to the gunshots, and then someone came to his door and asked him to call 911 because a man had been shot.

During the investigation, officers learned McGuff had texted Witness No. 4, stating “the guy pulled a knife” on him, and he needed a good attorney.

According to the PCA, police received information that McGuff was at a residence in Terre Haute. At that address, police located the white truck, but the camper top and some decals were gone, and it had a busted taillight.

Police could talk to Witness No. 5 at the Vigo County Jail. According to court documents, Witness No. 5 identified McGuff as having been at the Terre Haute address shortly before Witness No. 5 had been arrested. He was able to describe McGuff to police.

Witness No. 6 was interviewed in Terre Haute. According to the PCA, Witness No. 6 had spoken with the female passenger in McGuff’s truck. They were told by the female passenger, according to the PCA, that Billy had attempted to stab McGuff. The passenger then told Witness No. 6 she feared McGuff was going to kill her, according to the PCA.

On Friday, May 12, officers learned that McGuff would turn himself in at a Terre Haute attorney’s office. At 10:30 a.m., McGuff, the female passenger and a family member arrived at the attorney’s office.

When taken into custody, McGuff reportedly said a gun in the vehicle “was the one he used in the shooting.”

The white pickup truck was later located at a gas station.

McGuff told police that he and the female passenger had spent the night in the woods in Clay County the night of the shooting.

The female passenger reportedly told police that when they arrived at Matherly’s, “Billy came charging toward the pickup with his knife out in the open, threatening to kill” her and McGuff. The female passenger stated that McGuff repeatedly told Matherly he would shoot him.

According to court documents, the autopsy showed that Matherly had been shot four times in the chest.

McGuff remains in the Clay County Justice Center with no cash bond.