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Killer’s scheming internet searches help Attorney General Todd Rokita and team preserve murder conviction

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Attorney General Todd Rokita and his team successfully argued that the ominously specific internet searches conducted by a murder suspect constitute compelling evidence — prompting the Indiana Court of Appeals to affirm a Winchester man’s conviction in killing his lifelong acquaintance.

“The browsing history of this cold-blooded killer painted a clear picture of someone planning to commit murder, to dispose of a human body and to evade authorities by going ‘off-the-grid,’” Attorney General Rokita said. “Combined with other evidence, this kind of internet activity is a very legitimate piece of the puzzle. I’m proud of our team for helping ensure justice in this case and hold a violent criminal accountable under the law.”

According to court documents, convicted murderer Monty Cook, 63, grew up with David Brumley, the victim, and the two men stayed in touch as adults. At some point, Cook began plotting to kill Brumley and steal his prized 2004 Ford Mustang GT show car — crimes he carried out in the fall of 2018.

As court documents recount: “Brumley was found dead in his home on November 3, 2018. His body was lodged between a bed and a wall, and his head was covered by both a pillowcase and a black plastic garbage bag. The pillowcase was secured over Brumley’s head by black electrical tape, which was wrapped around his neck.”

Investigating the murder, police obtained security-camera footage showing Cook depositing the victim’s check at a local bank and driving the victim’s Mustang. They then obtained Cook’s internet browsing history.

In the weeks prior to Brumley’s death, Cook searched such terms as “how to disappear off the grid,” “Is there any poison which cannot be detected,” “can you get DNA from a burned body” and “how fast does it take a body to burn.”

After Brumley’s death, Cook searched such terms as “jobs in Bahamas,” “how to disappear,” “Winchester Indiana murder investigation,” “how to run from the law with no money” and “fugitives on the run the longest.” Cook’s visited website history revealed a distinct obsession with news articles tied to the homicide investigation – just another key fact pointing to a killing, and not just uncanny coincidence.

In its decision affirming Cook’s conviction, the court this week stated that the browsing history was part of an overall sum of evidence that “supports a reasonable inference that Cook was the person who knowingly or intentionally killed Brumley.”

Attorney General Rokita thanked his criminal appeals team, and specifically Deputy Attorney General Steven Hosler, for their work on this case.

Eagles start cold, fall to #4 Michigan State

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EAST LANSING, Mich. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball could not get the offense into gear in the first half and lost to fourth-ranked Michigan State University, 74-51, Thursday evening at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. The Screaming Eagles start the year 0-2, while Michigan State begins 2023-24, 1-1.
 
The first half saw the Eagles’ offense stuck in neutral, while USI defensive effort held the Spartans to under 40 percent from the field for the first 12 minutes of the contest. Michigan State also took good advantage of 11 trips to the line for nine of their 19 points.
 
The Spartans took command and used an 18-0 run to lead, 29-6 with 5:25 left in the opening half. Eagles had a small run that broke an 11-minute scoreless drought before the Spartans closed out the half with a 37-14 lead.
 
In the second half, USI was able to get the offense running, outscoring Michigan State, 14-6, during the opening minutes of the final stanza by shooting 60 percent from the field (6-10). Junior forward Jack Mielke (Downer’s Grove, Illinois) led the way with a pair of three pointers and six of the 14 points.
 
Michigan State re-established control with a 10-3 run of its own to push the score back to 22, 53-31, with over 12 minutes to play. USI closed the gap to 19 points, 62-43, but that would be as close as the Eagles would come the rest of the way despite battling the Spartans
 
The second half saw USI shoot drastically better, shooting 48.1 percent from the field (13-27), compared to 14.8 percent in the opening stanza (4-27).
 
For the game, junior guard Jordan Tillmon (Pine Bluff, Arkansas) led the Eagles with 10 points and tied for second on the team with five rebounds. Mielke followed in the scoring column with nine points, while senior forward Nolan Causwell (Duluth, Georgia) led the squad with seven rebounds.  
 
Next Up For USI:
USI will host Chicago State University Sunday at 3:30 p.m. for the 2023-24 home opener at Screaming Eagles Arena. The game will start a two-game homestand for the Eagles.
 
The Eagles, who are slated to host 14 home games this year at Screaming Eagles Arena, has single-game tickets on sale now on USIScreamingEagles.com.
 
Chicago State fell to 0-2 after losing its home opener to Mercer University, 66-61, tonight in Chicago. The Cougars who lost their season-opener to Bowling Green State University, 70-41, was led by junior guard Jahsean Corbett, who had 10 points.
 
USI lost the first-ever meeting with Chicago State last year on the road, 78-61.

EVSC Public Notice

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In accordance with Indiana Code 20-29-6-19, the EVSC Board of School Trustees will hold a
special meeting to ratify the Tentative Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Evansville Teachers Association (ETA). Prior to the ratification vote, the Board will accept public comment regarding the Tentative Agreement. This special meeting is scheduled to take place Monday, November 13, 2023 at 5:30 PM in the Board Room of the EVSC Administration Building, 951 Walnut Street, Evansville IN 47713. The Tentative Agreement can be viewed online at evscschools.com.

VU Volleyball earns All-Region 24 honors

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VINCENNES, Ind. – Four Vincennes University Trailblazer volleyball players earned Division I First Team-All Region 24 honors this week.

Sophomore Paige Parlanti (Las Vegas, Nev.) successfully defended her crown as Division I Region 24 Player of the Year becoming the first ever two-time Division I Region 24 Player of the Year.

Parlanti earns the fourth Division I Region 24 Player of the Year honors since moving to Division I in 2016, including Allison Smith (Oakland, Ill.) in 2018, Grace Earp (Mattoon, Ill.) in 2021 and Parlanti last season.

“It is a great honor to be rewarded and recognized as Player of the Year for the Region two years in a row because there are many talented athletes in our Region,” Parlanti said. “I have worked hard to try to be the best player and teammate that I can be by challenging and pushing myself every time I step on the court. I feel that my hard work has not gone unnoticed. I would like to thank all the coaches that have molded me into the player I am today.”

Parlanti is joined on the All-Region 24 team by freshman Elisa Dalla Pozza (Vincenza, Italy) and sophomores Maecy Johnson (Chrisman, Ill.) and Morgan Netcott (Montague, Mich.).

Parlanti followed up a stellar freshman campaign with an even more impressive sophomore run this season, finishing with 514 kills, 408 digs, 73 blocks and 46 aces.

Parlanti is currently second in the nation in kills per set at 4.36 and points per set at 5.1, third in the country in points with 603.5 and fourth in kills.

Parlanti finished with 21 double-doubles this season, including setting season-highs with 28 kills and 33 digs at Jefferson College.

“My favorite memory from this season was when we played in the P.E. Complex again after all of the difficulties with the court,” Parlanti added. “it was so surreal, I thought I was never going to experience that again with my teammates.”

Parlanti closes out her two-year VU career with an outstanding 1,049 kills, the first VU hitter in the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-present) to achieve this milestone.

Parlanti also ended her Trailblazer career with 946 digs, 117 blocks and 105 aces, giving her a total of 1,236.5 points in just two years with the Blue and Gold.

“It felt amazing to reach 1,000 kills in two years of college,” Parlanti said. “I am a competitive person that likes to push myself and set goals. In high school, it took me three years to reach 1,000 kills. So being able to reach that goal in two years is exciting.”

“I would like to tell future players coming into Vincennes to hold yourself accountable, work hard, never give up and be a good teammate,” Parlanti added. “Remember in games, you play the way you practice, so every time you step foot on the court in practice, you need to work hard and give everything you’ve got.”

Freshman Elisa Dalla Pozza made an immediate impact for the Trailblazers at the net after missing the first five matches of the season with an injury.

“Being named First Team All-Region 24 means I reached one of the many goals I have set for my life,” Dalla Pozza said. “Making your way in a country that isn’t yours is hard and to have been selected for this honor is truly gratifying for me.”

“This honor is satisfying not only for my volleyball life, but also my personal life,” Dalla Pozza added. “Every day I have to face new obstacles and people who have challenged my abilities. I would also like to say that with the help of my family, especially my mother, who made an effort to let me experience all of it, all of my coaches who taught me to always give my best and the teams in Italy who always gave me the opportunity to play at a high level. Therefore, I am especially grateful to all my teammates and friends who take care of me when things turn tough.”

Dalla Pozza recorded an outstanding seven blocks in her first collegiate match against Richard Bland College and seemingly never looked back, finishing with 151 total blocks this season, which currently places her third in the country.

Dalla Pozza is also third in the Nation in block assists, with 131 and second in blocks per set at 1.35.

Dalla Pozza also recorded 216 kills, 85 digs and 42 aces this season for the Trailblazers.

Dalla Pozza’s best blocking game came against Lincoln Trail College in September, where she recorded 13 blocks in VU’s three-set sweep over the Lady Statesmen.

Dalla Pozza also took advantage of being an excellent hitter from the middle blocker position, recording 10 or more kills five times this season, including 17 kills in a five-set win over Southeastern Iowa.

“My favorite memory from this past season was when I played my first college match after missing the first two weeks of the season,” Dalla Pozza added. “My biggest takeaway from this season is you always have to have a positive attitude and to be mentally strong to face a Championship match like we did. It is very important to be able to improve and to grow.”

Maecy Johnson made a tremendous impact for the Trailblazers this season, running the VU offense from the setter position to the tune of 1,142 set assists this season, eighth most in the country this season.

“Being named First Team All-Region 24 is a great honor,” Johnson said. “The 2023 VU volleyball team has several skilled and talented players, so having been chosen for the First Team is an honor I will forever cherish.”

Johnson entered the starting lineup this season after sitting behind two sophomore setters last season in Josephine Mulligan (Saint John, Ind.) and two-time First Team All-Region 24 honoree Hannah Graber (Montgomery, Ind.).

Johnson made the most of her opportunity, surpassing the 1,000 career set assists milestone, while also recording 167 digs, 43 kills, 29 aces and 30 blocks this season.

Johnson recorded three double-doubles this season, including setting a career-high with a staggering 53 set assists against Southeastern Iowa.

“My favorite memory from this past season has been winning the Region 24 Championship game and bringing a three-peat championship and adding the 2023 VU volleyball team into the history of the VU volleyball program,” Johnson added.

Johnson closes out her Trailblazer career with a total of 1,323 set assists, becoming the seventh Trailblazer in the 25-point rally scoring era to surpass the 1,000 set assists milestone.

Johnson also continued to be an all-around presence for the Trailblazers at the net, finishing her two years at VU with 237 digs, 89 kills, 44 blocks and 44 aces.

“Surpassing 1,000 set assists this year was a personal goal I had been working toward since the beginning of the season,” Johnson said. “After not having much playing time as a setter my freshman year, I knew I had my work cut out for me. With the assistance of our defensive players and our phenomenal offensive lineup, I knew that it could be accomplished, so I worked hard to get the numbers each match.”

“The advice I would give to the next group of VU volleyball players is that each set is a new challenge,” Johnson added. “You will make mistakes but shake it off and look forward to the next point, even when you are down. Be a leader that gives good, solid advice and never give up.”

Sophomore libero Morgan Netcott was once again named First Team All-Region 24 after putting together another great season defensively for the Blazers with 692 digs, third most in the country this season.

“Receiving this honor means a lot, especially as a libero,” Netcott said. “We often don’t get a lot of recognition, so it goes to show how good the rest of our team is that I’m able to get this award again.”

Netcott surpassed the 1,000 career digs milestone this season, making her the third VUVB player in the 25-point rally scoring era to do so, finishing her two year career at VU with 1,389 digs.

Along with being a stellar defensive player, Netcott continued to serve the ball very well, finishing with 12 aces on the season.

“As funny as it is, I love the hard times with the team,” Netcott added. “When it’s 7 a.m. and we are all walking to our third two-a-day of the week. It’s just something that we all do together and I’m going to miss the camaraderie of it.”

Netcott closed out her VU career with 1,389 digs, 125 set assists, 30 aces and three kills.

“It was such a rewarding moment to surpass 1,000 career digs,” Netcott said. “It felt like all of our hard work paid off. Our defense is built around funneling the ball to me and when our block and defenders are all in the right spot, it sets me up for the best opportunity to get the ball. Our team has done an amazing job with that, so it only makes sense that I hit 1,000 digs.”

“My advice to future VU volleyball players is to work hard and work as a team,” Netcott added. “None of us could have gotten this honor without every other person on the roster. When a team works together and plays with great chemistry, it’s hard to beat them. With the support of your teammates it fells easy to do hard things.”

Together this group of outstanding VUVB athletes led the Trailblazers to a 32-7 record this season and VU’s first appearance in the Division I Midwest District Championship game in program history.

VU’s 32 wins this season is the most by a Trailblazers team since moving to Division I in 2016 and the Blazers capped off their third-straight undefeated Region 24 Championship.

The 2023 sophomore class closes out their two-years at Vincennes University with an outstanding 61-16 record, with a 26-0 record against Region 24 opponents.

The Vincennes University Athletic Department would like to congratulate Paige, Elisa, Maecy and Morgan on a great season and this tremendous honor.

2023 NJCAA Division I All-Region 24 Teams

Player of the Year – Paige Parlanti – Vincennes

First Team

Lexi Kosmopolis – John A. Logan

Elisa Dalla Pozza – Vincennes

Ellie McManaway – John A. Logan

Maecy Johnson – Vincennes

Morgan Netcott – Vincennes

Sarah Whittom – Kaskaskia

Second Team

Riley Kleber – Kaskaskia

Faith Shull – Lincoln Trail

Mia Trankler – John A. Logan

Julia Poole – Kaskaskia

Presli Karnes – John A. Logan

Hannah Saucerman – Lincoln Trail

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD

 

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

FOOTNOTE:  EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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Booked Last 24 Hours-Public – 2023-11-09

Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

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Courier Warrants – 2023-11-09

Vanderburgh County Crash Report

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Crash Report – 2023-11-09

“IS IT TRUE” NOVEMBER 9, 2023

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City-County Observer Comment Policy. Be kind to people. No personal attacks or harassment will not be tolerated and shall be removed from our site.

We understand that sometimes people don’t always agree and discussions may become a little heated.  The use of offensive language, or insults against commenters will not be tolerated and will be removed from our site.

Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers

IS IT TRUE history was made on Tuesday in Evansville, Indiana with the victorious campaign of Stephanie Terry who woke up this morning as Mayor-elect of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that the Citizens of Evansville, Indiana can hold their head high today for going to the polls and smashing two glass ceilings with one vote?…come 2024 we will all see Mayor-elect Stephanie Terry sworn in as the 34th Mayor of Evansville crashing both the gender and race barrier that had been in place since the 1800s?

IS IT TRUE that Mayor-elect Stephanie Terry has long enjoyed a level of popularity across party lines for her pleasant demeanor, her willingness to work hard, and her dedication to building a BETTER EVANSVILLE and VANDERBURGH COUNTY while being humble and respectful?

IS IT TRUE that Mayor-elect Stephanie Terry has promised that her staff and board appointments will be comprised of diverse, caring, intelligent, and qualified people?  …that we hope she will choose wisely because the masses are watching?

IS IT TRUE that this year’s mayoral election was one of the most competitive in years, aside from a few last-minute mud bombs that had very little to do with Ms. Terry?

IS IT TRUE that the voters of Evansville, Indiana can hold their heads high today for going to the polls and smashing two glass ceilings with one vote? …come 2024 we will all see Mayor Stephanie Terry sworn in as the 34th Mayor of Evansville crashing both the gender and race barrier that had been in place since the 1800s?

IS IT TRUE Ms. Terry did receive unexpected assistance from a source that recent elections have not had in years?… that the aggressive and intelligent Libertarian candidate Micheal Daughtry with enough support to garner over 2,000 votes or 11.4% of the vote total which was extremely hurtful to the likable and well qualified Natalie Rascher’s Mayoral campaign?

IS IT TRUE that Stephanie Terry was once, twice, three hundred times a lady during the campaign and that is why the people of Evansville bestowed this great honor upon her at this time?…members of the  “CCO Mole Nation” believe that with Mayor Terry at the helm we may just be entering a time of tranquility, togetherness and progress in Evansville that the previous administrations have never delivered?

IS IT TRUE while Mayor-elect Terry did not hit the magical 50% level she came close with 48.6% of the vote for a victory margin of 8.6% over runner-up Natalie Rascher who had a disproportionate money advantage (one Million dollars in her campaign war chest) due to her heir apparent status with the outgoing Winnecke Administration?

IS IT TRUE that it isn’t surprising that three-term Mayor Lloyd Winnecke has landed a high-paying role leading the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana on his way out the door?

IS IT TRUE that we aren’t surprised to hear that the newly hired CEO of EREP Lloyd Winnecke is already talking about doing a new multi-million dollar project in Evansville proper?  …that we wonder if City Council members and members of the Vanderburgh County Commission will be allowed to give EREP their input on any future big-ticket capital projects created by EREP since both entities donated $300,000 to EREP?

`IS IT TRUE that it seems as though Evansville was ready for a departure from excessive spending and a maniacal obsession with tourism as the key to the future?…in the last 20 years, Evansville has gone from a Mayor who wanted to be President of the United States, to a chicken fat dancing Harold Hill act alike from The Music Man, to what appears to be a temperate, kind, considerate Mayor who is interested in making improvements at home?

IS IT TRUE across the Ohio River in Kentucky, Andy Beshear was re-elected to the Office of Governor over Daniel Cameron despite being a lifelong Democrat in a very Red State?…the Governor’s race in Kentucky featured two qualified candidates so it came down to personal preference?…while Governor Beshear did not get off to a great start, often mimicking the antics of California Governor Gavin Newsom with his COVID10 policies and posturing, the turning point was his compassionate and tenacious handling of the natural disasters that devastated the cities of Mayfield, Bremen, and his ancestral home of Dawson Springs?… Governor Beshear won his re-election on the ground serving the people of Kentucky at a time of disaster?… Andy, as his friends and constituents, call him broke some ground last night too winning 15 counties in Eastern Kentucky and that was likely 15 more counties than any Democrat has won in Eastern Kentucky in the last century?…it was apparent that the people of Kentucky have validated Beshear’s first term by giving him a second, in an election that saw both other statewide elections in the Commonwealth go heavily Republican?…that means straight-ticket voting was off the table in Kentucky and that is a good thing?…the time of partisanship is over in America?…the only question is when will the members of congress figure this out?

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USI President Rochon appointed Chair of AASCU Board of Directors

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Dr. Ronald S. Rochon, University of Southern Indiana President, was appointed Chair of the American Association of State College and Universities’ (AASCU) Board of Directors at the 2023 AASCU Annual Conference, held in Chicago, Illinois, on Tuesday, November 7. He will serve a one-year term as Chair.

Before assuming this position, Rochon served on the Executive Committee and chaired the Millennium Leadership Initiative Steering Committee.

“It is my privilege to assume the role of chair on the AASCU Board of Directors, collaborating with my dedicated colleagues who relentlessly strive to foster the growth and prosperity of our community of colleges and universities,” Rochon said. “I am enthusiastic about the essential and collective work ahead, ultimately, delivering meaningful results for our students.”

As President of the University since July 2018, Rochon has led USI in improving its rates of overall degree completion, at-risk degree completion, STEM degree completion, student persistence and on-time graduation. He has secured more than $250 million in state funding for capital projects and operations and led the University’s reclassification process from NCAA Division II to Division I athletics.

In October 2020, Rochon was appointed to Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb’s Workforce Cabinet for a two-year term and to the Midwest Higher Education Compact in 2021. He also serves on the NCAA Division I Ohio Valley Conference Board of Presidents and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Board of Directors, as well as the boards of WNIN Public Broadcasting, Deaconess Health Systems and the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership.

“Ronald Rochon has dedicated his work around advocating and promoting educational excellence, access, and equity, while creating an environment where diverse students can grow intellectually, culturally, socially and emotionally,” said José A. Cabrales, AASCU’s Executive in Charge. “We know he will bring that lifelong passion to this role and continue promoting the transformative power of postsecondary education.”

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