Defendant in Cass County Child Molestation Case Found Dead

Mikel Fort, who was facing several charges related to child sex abuse, was found dead Tuesday morning in Fort Wayne while his trial was about to resume.

A middle-aged man with a beard wearing an orange prison uniform, standing in front of a gray wall. — Mikel Fort (Source: Cass County Jail)

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The defendant in a child molestation case in Cass County was found dead Tuesday morning in Fort Wayne.

Mikel Fort of Logansport was facing several charges related to child sexual abuse. Fort’s trial, which was set to resume on Tuesday, was terminated, and the jury was released.

“Our first thoughts today are with the victim and their family,” Cass County Prosecutor Noah Schafer said in a press release. “This case has already asked so much of them. They have shown extraordinary courage in coming forward and in preparing to testify again.

Schafer noted that justice was only partially served as the jury did not have the opportunity to reach a verdict in the case against Fort.

“While today’s outcome was not the one we set out to achieve in the courtroom, we are deeply grateful that the victim will not have to relive this trauma on the witness stand a second time,” Schafer said.

The prosecutor’s office also expressed sympathy to Fort’s family.

“Suicide is always a tragedy, regardless of the circumstances that precede it,” said Schafer. “We recognize that the defendant leaves behind family members who are grieving today, and we extend our sympathy to them as they process this loss.”

Fort’s codefendant was convicted last year and sentenced to more than 200 years.