TV Show May Lead To A New Trial For A Convicted Killer
Source: Warrick County Jail / other
BOONVILLE, Ind. — A convicted murderer in Warrick County may get a new trial.
Isaiah Hagan is the man who was found by a jury to have murdered Halee Rathgeber back in 2017. Her body was found in a soccer field that spring. Hagan is serving a 60-year prison sentence for the murder.
But, a recent episode of “Dateline” spurred a private citizen to do their own digging into the case recently
That citizen, remaining anonymous, recently discovered new evidence that may suggest someone else may be the killer.
That someone is said to be Thadius Rice, who is already in prison serving a 40-year prison sentence for the killing of 10-month-old Jaxon Wheeler that same year.
In a hearing on Tuesday, Rice testified that he was not at home the entire night on which Rathgeber was murdered. Detectives originally concluded that he was at home the whole night and couldn’t have been the killer.
The new evidence turned up by the private citizen appears to show that Rice and his mother knew Rathgeber was going to go to the police with information about Wheeler’s death. The interview in which they said that to the cops was originally ruled inadmissible.
Hagan’s attorneys want a judge to consider the new evidence and vacate their client’s sentence. In doing so they have asked for a new trial.
