Two plead not guilty in murder of pastor's wife
INDIANAPOLIS -- The two men charged in the shooting death of an Indianapolis pastor's pregnant wife said little when facing a judge for the first time since their arrest.
A Marion County judge entered not guilty pleas for 18-year-old Larry Taylor Jr. and 21-year-old Jalen Watson during a hearing on Tuesday morning.
They quietly answered the judge's questions about whether they understood the charges, but didn't say anything about the accusations that they broke into the home of 28-year-old Amanda Blackburn shortly after her husband left for the gym about 6 a.m. Nov. 10 for a trip.
Taylor has been charged with felony murder, three counts of burglary, three counts of theft, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, criminal confinement, auto theft and carrying a handgun without a license, reports CBS affiliate WTTV. Watson has been charged with murder, three counts of burglary, three counts of theft, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury and auto theft.
Prosecutors may choose to seek the death penalty, reports the station. If the suspects are convicted, prosecutors may also seek a sentence enhancement of six to 20 years because Blackburn was pregnant, the station reports.
Court documents say Taylor shot Blackburn three times, including once in the back of the head.
In an affidavit filed Monday, investigators wrote that two of the suspects left Blackburn's home to attempt withdrawing money from ATMs using her debit card, and left Taylor with Blackburn in the home.
A witness allegedly told detectives that later in the day, Taylor told him, another witness and the other suspects that Blackburn charged him and he shot her "so he would not be scratched," according to the affidavit.
"Taylor then told them that he leaned over her body and shot her in the back of the head. He leaned further, looked at her face, and watched her bleed," a detective wrote in the affidavit.