Full Notification

 ISP Putnamville Investigating Interstate 70 Shooting that Results in One Death

Putnam County—Indiana State Police Detectives from the Putnamville Post, with assistance from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, are currently investigating the shooting death of a 33-year-old black male believed to be from Columbus, Ohio. Investigators believe the shooting occurred in a vehicle that was westbound Interstate 70 just east of Exit 41 near Cloverdale.

Deceased:        Mario L. Edwards, age 33, of Columbus, Ohio (Family notified)

Preliminary investigative information has led officers to believe that four individuals were traveling from Columbus, Ohio to the state of Missouri.  While en-route, two individuals in the back seat of the vehicle entered into an argument. During the disagreement, one rear seat passenger fired multiple gunshots, from what is believed to be a handgun, into the victim’s torso. After the shooting, the occupants of the vehicle found their way to Putnam County Hospital where they relinquished the victim to the emergency room staff and immediately left. Also leaving behind a witness. Law enforcement were initially looking for the vehicle involved, a white 2016 Kia Sedona van with Ohio registration GPF6801, along with two black males.

At approximately 2:00a.m. this morning, a Putnam County Sheriff’s deputy located the suspect vehicle westbound on State Road 240 near County Road 500 East. The vehicle was stopped approximately one-half mile north of Indianapolis Road on Round Barn Road near Greencastle. PCSO deputy and a Greencastle PD officer took two black males into custody without incident. ISP and PCSO detectives are currently interviewing the two individuals. When and if an arrest is made, that information will be released at that time. The van was taken to the Putnamville Post for processing.

Initial reports of the shooting came into Putnam County Emergency Dispatch Center at 9:50p.m. on Sunday, May 8, with officers initially believing a shooting incident had occurred at Putnam County Hospital. Officers from Greencastle Police Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Office arrived at 9:54p.m. with ISP troopers arriving moments later.

An autopsy is scheduled for later this week.

The lead investigator is ISP Detective Don Curtis. Assisting were ISP Detectives First Sergeant Jason Fajt and Sergeant Sam Stearley, Putnam County Sheriff Scott Stockton and deputies, including PCSO Detective Doug Nally, Putnam County Coroner’s Office, Greencastle Police Department and the Cloverdale Police Department.

Anyone with information in this case or the whereabouts of the Kia van are urged to call the Indiana State Police Putnamville Post at 765-653-4114 or the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office at 765-653-1810.

Please direct all inquiries about the investigation to ISP Sergeant Joe Watts.

Any inquiries about PCSO deputy locating the vehicle should be directed to Putnam County Sheriff Scott Stockton.

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Auth/Sergeant Joe Watts