Appeals court upholds convictions of men who left victim for dead in Henry County
NEW CASTLE, Ind. — The Indiana Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of two men who abducted a woman in Indianapolis, tried to kill her and then left her for dead along Interstate 70 in Henry County.
A Henry Circuit Court 2 jury in March 2023 found Christopher Thomas Williams, now 39, guilty of attempted murder, criminal confinement, intimidation, theft and criminal mischief.
He was later sentenced to 38 years in prison by Judge Bob Witham.
Last August, another Circuit Court 2 jury found Williams' co-defendant, Jonathan D. O'Connor, also 39, guilty of criminal confinement, aiding in the commission of aggravated battery and aiding in the commission of theft.
Williams also received a 38-year sentence, from Judge Kit Crane.
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Indiana State Police said Williams and O'Connor abducted the woman after she dropped her children off at an Indianapolis daycare facility on June 12, 2018.
Williams severely beat the woman as O'Connor drove their car eastbound on Interstate 70.
Williams threw the woman — who had apparently been choked until she was unconscious — over a ravine after O'Connor stopped the car along the interstate near Knightstown in Henry County.
The following day, passersby found the badly injured woman near the 8400 block of Grant City Road.
Investigators said Williams had been acquainted with the victim, who had declined to date him.
In his appeal, Williams maintained a member of the jury who convicted him should not have been allowed to remain on the panel because she had been the victim of a sexual assault and confinement.
The state appeals court recently rejected that argument, upholding his convictions in a 3-0 vote.
The judges noted that during jury selection, the juror had twice indicated "she had the ability to give Williams a fair trial."
In his appeal, O'Connor maintained there was insufficient evidence to support his attempted murder conviction.
In a 3-0 decision rejecting his appeal, another three-judge state panel ruled O'Connor became aware of Williams' intention to kill the victim and continued to assist him in committing the abduction.
Williams is incarcerated at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City and has a projected release date in June 2047, according to a state Department of Correction website. He received credit for more than four years of incarceration while awaiting trial in the Henry County case.
O'Connor, held at the Pendleton Correctional Facility, has a projected release date in January 2052.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Court upholds men's Henry County attempted murder convictions
