10:20 p.m.: UPDATE: ISP probing Elwood PD

By Shawn McGrath

August 26, 2008 10:20 pm

— ELWOOD — The Indiana State Police is investigating the Elwood Police Department after allegations surfaced of missing evidence earlier this week.
ISP Sgt. Mike Burns, department spokesman, said in a news release Tuesday that Elwood Mayor Merrill Taylor and Police Chief Jack Miller asked state police officials to launch the investigation.
It wasn’t immediately clear Tuesday if any officers have been placed on administrative leave or terminated due to the allegations. Taylor didn’t return messages left at his office and home, or on his cell phone. Miller could not be reached.
Burns, with the Pendleton Post, said Elwood officials contacted the state police with the allegations on Monday. He said he could not reveal the type of evidence missing, but said no arrests have been made. He said Detective Sgt. Keith O’Donnell would be in charge of the investigation.
“When it’s done, we’ll turn it over to the prosecutor,” Burns said.
It was not known how long the investigation would take. The state police investigation into the Elwood Police Department is the second launched in the last six months.
In May, ISP Detective Mike Minnicus began an investigation into the hanging death of U.S. Army Spc. Timothy K. Israel, 23, inside a holding cell at the Elwood Police Department. The Madison County coroner’s office determined Israel’s May 9 death was a suicide, Israel having used the drawstring from his pants to hang himself.
Elwood police had arrested Israel, an Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart Medal recipient, earlier that day on suspicion of domestic battery, claiming he had battered his former live-in girlfriend. Elwood police later filed an affidavit saying the former girlfriend was 15 years old, and a judge determined the officer had probable cause to arrest Israel on suspicion of sexual misconduct with a minor.
Israel’s relatives previously said he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder related to his military service, and had been the target of police harassment.
Burns said Minnicus was expected to conclude the investigation into Israel’s death later this week and forward that information to the Madison County prosecutor’s office for review.