“Truck Stop Serial Killer” Convicted of Killing Indianapolis Woman

Source: WISH-TV

INDIANAPOLIS–The man known as the “Truck Stop Serial Killer” was convicted in a Marion County courtroom on Wednesday for the 2007 murder of a woman from Indianapolis.

Bruce Mendenhall is a former truck driver from Illinois. He was brought to Marion County from Tennessee to stand trial for the 2007 murder of 31-year-old Carma Purpura of Indianapolis, a mother of two children. Purpura was last seen July 11, 2007, near Mendenhall’s truck at the Flying J truck stop at the Harding Street exit off Interstate 465 on the south side of Indianapolis. Her body was found four years later on the side of an interstate in Kentucky. She had been shot through the skull.

Not long after Purpura’s body was found, a Tennessee police officer pulled Mendenhall over in his big rig. The officer says Mendenhall had blood in the cab and a bag of bloody clothes. After searching the truck, that officer also said he found Purpura’s ATM card and a receipt from an Indianapolis gas station.

Despite Mendenhall’s denial of killing Purpura, investigators say the blood in Mendenhall’s truck was a DNA match to DNA provided by Purpura’s parents. They also said the clothing belonged to Purpura.

Mendenhall is still accused of murder in Birmingham, Alabama and is a suspect in several homicides across the United States.

“It is my hope that today’s verdict brings resolution to Carma’s family and others who have waited years for answers and accountability after losing their loved ones,” commented Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears. “This case broke due to a hard-working detective who was dedicated to working across state lines to ensure that justice was achieved for the victims and their families.”

Mears also emphasized that key elements included forensic evidence, eyewitness accounts, and a confession that linked Mendenhall to a series of heinous crimes.

“During the trial, the courtroom bore witness to the harrowing details of the crime while forensic experts highlighted techniques that led to the discovery of crucial evidence. The guilty verdict marks a significant moment in the fight against crimes that often span jurisdictions and evade detection,” said Mears.