Indiana Murder Trial Dismissed Due to “Staffing Crisis”

HOWARD COUNTY, Ind.–An Indiana murder suspect has been released from custody after his trial was dismissed due to a staffing crisis and a busy courthouse schedule in Howard County.

The suspect, 48-year-old Kevin Maddox of Indianapolis, was charged in the cold case murder of Chad Rouse, who was killed in 2006. The trial against Maddox was dismissed on Tuesday, which is the same day it was scheduled to begin because of “staffing shortages and an overburdened team” facing the Howard County Prosecutor’s Office.

Arrests in the case were made in 2023. Maddox was arrested and so was 36-year-old Amber Brigham of Kokomo.

Warrants were granted on May 30, 2023. Shortly after that, police arrested Maddox in Indianapolis and Brigham in Miami County.

Maddox was charged with murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury and conspiracy to commit robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. Brigham was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery resulting in serious bodily injury and aiding, inducing or causing robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.

Charges against Brigham were dismissed April 7. While Brigham’s lesser charges in the case had been dismissed, the murder and robbery charges against Maddox remained until Tuesday.

Both suspects in the case have had their charges dismissed without prejudice.

Court filings stated several reasons for the dismissal, including the following:

-Faces a “significant and ongoing staffing crisis,”
-Just finished a “major jury trial” approximately 10 days ago,
-Is prepping for another “major jury trial” starting on April 29,
-Is “overburdened with pretrial motions”
-Has not yet reviewed discovery provided by the Defense.