Man gets life for 1975 murder of teen who "fought for her life"

An Indiana man has been sentenced to life successful situation for nan 1975 sidesplitting of a 17-year-old woman who was recovered dormant successful a stream aft she grounded to return location from her occupation astatine a religion camp.

A Noble County judge sentenced Fred Bandy Jr., 69, connected Tuesday to a life word pinch nan anticipation of parole successful Laurel Jean Mitchell's August 1975 death. The Goshen man was convicted of first-degree execution this period pursuing a chair trial.

A connection was near seeking remark from Bandy's lawyer Wednesday.

He was charged on pinch John Wayne Lehman, 69, of Auburn, Indiana, past twelvemonth successful Mitchell's killing. Lehman was sentenced to 8 years successful situation this period aft pleading blameworthy to conspiracy to perpetrate murder.

Mitchell was recovered drowned successful nan Elkhart River connected Aug. 7, 1975, nan greeting aft she grounded to return location successful North Webster, astir 140 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

Laurel Jean Mitchell WTTV

Although Mitchell's origin of decease was ruled arsenic drowning, constabulary opportunity nan autopsy study suggested that she "had fought for her life," truthful constabulary initiated a execution investigation.

Prosecutors charged Bandy and Lehman successful Mitchell's sidesplitting successful February 2023, astir a half-century later.

Lehman said successful an August deposition that Bandy raped Mitchell and drowned her. Lehman denied participating successful nan rape aliases nan execution and said his fearfulness of Bandy kept him from trying to extremity nan crimes, The News-Sun of Kendallville reported.

According to a probable origin affidavit, investigators said they believed Bandy and Lehman "forcibly, deliberately drowned" Mitchell aft taking her to nan stream successful Bandy's car.

A DNA floor plan was obtained successful caller years done testing connected Mitchell's clothing, which was saved on pinch different grounds collected successful 1975. According to nan affidavit, Bandy voluntarily provided a DNA sample successful December 2022 to authorities police, and testing wished he was 13 cardinal times "more apt to beryllium nan contributor of nan DNA successful Laurel J. Mitchell's clothing than immoderate different chartless person."

The DNA testing came aft 3 group who were teens astatine nan clip of Mitchell's sidesplitting tied Bandy and Lehman to nan crime based connected incriminating comments they had made astir her death, nan affidavit states.

CBS connection WTTV reported that because Bandy had to beryllium sentenced by 1975 standards, nan imaginable outcomes were either life pinch nan anticipation of parole aliases nan decease sentence, prosecutors said. The state's decease punishment arsenic of 1975 was later declared unconstitutional, ruling retired that option.

In:
• Cold Case
• DNA
• Indiana
• Murder