Lebanon — Michael Stayer pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and battery charges Monday stemming from the death of his ex-wife in Whitestown.
Police allege Michael Stayer, 31, Zionsville, repeatedly smashed his ex-wife in the face and head with a hammer, fracturing skull and facial bones. He is being held in the Boone County Jail without bond. Beth Stayer, 33, had been in critical condition at Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis, since being rushed there following a 9:05 a.m. attack Thursday.
Boone County Prosecutor Todd Meyer said he will be formally charged with murder this week, likely today.
Stayer, 9400 block of Windrift Way, Zionsville, had been arraigned on attempted murder, aggravated battery, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and domestic battery counts Friday morning in Boone Circuit Court.
Murder alone carries a 45- to 65-year prison term; the other crimes carry a maximum combined 29 year sentence.
A jury trial is set for Jan. 19, 2010, in the Boone Superior Court I. When asked whether Stayer will claim he was defending himself, Meyer said Stayer claimed he was struck in the head.
“Up until now, he has no signs of (head) injuries,” Meyer said. He added that the state of Indiana has filed a motion to obtain blood and hair samples.
Beth Stayer, who worked as a nurse for Clarian North Medical Center in Carmel, was found in a room of her condominium in the 6300 block of El Paso St., in an Anson townhouse development, police said. She had lived there about two weeks. The Stayers lived in Zionsville before they were divorced in May.
The couple’s 4-year-old child witnessed the attack, police said.
Local News
Stayer pleads not guilty
- Local News
-
-
Ferrell steps down as LHS girls coach
Hours before the sectional semifinal, Lebanon Tigers girls basketball coach Dave Ferrell voluntarily stepped down as coach for the rest of the season.
-
Future of Memory Hall unsure
Historic Memory Hall could go up for Sheriff’s Sale as early as April 1, but Indianapolis developers Flaherty and Collins are working on plans to purchase the property before then.
-
GOP voters have choices in three races
Republican voters must choose from seven persons who are seeking the party’s nomination for three seats on the Boone County Council, while one Democrat will oppose those nominees in the November general election.
-
Indianapolis man dies in three-car interstate crash
A vehicle driving in the slow lane of Interstate 65 with a flat tire caused an accident that claimed the life of a 73-year-old Indianapolis man Friday morning.
-
Group considers balance between growth and farmland preservation
Wanted or not, development is coming to Boone County, and now is the time for the county’s residents to determine where and how that growth will occur.
-
Alleged meth dealer arrested in Lebanon
Diners at a Lebanon fast-food restaurant received a start when a suspected drug dealer was arrested at gunpoint in the parking lot.
-
Measles outbreak may include Boone
Two Boone County residents appear to have measles, while two Hamilton County residents — including at least one who visited the Super Bowl Village in Indianapolis on a day it was attended by about 200,000 people — have been confirmed as having the disease.
-
Skillman brings tour to county
Elected officials in Boone County are being proactive in “trying to address issues they know are coming down the road,” Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman said after meeting representatives of nine local governments.
-
County council field expands to 6
An incumbent at-large member of the Boone County Council will seek election to the board, while a sixth candidate has joined the field for the Republican Party’s nomination for the three at-large seats.
-
Stocking Up
The store is still hiring. “We are very excited to come to town,” said General Manager Jon Keller.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
79 Turtles Seized at Shanghai Airport
Severe Cold Wreaks Havoc in China
Fuel Removal Under Way on Capsized Italian Ship
Police: Houston Found Dead in Her Hotel Room
Paul Suffers Narrow Loss to Romney in Maine
Palin Brings Anti-Washington Message to CPAC
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
