Bartholomew Co. Prosecutor's Office formally charges Rudy Minton with murder

COLUMBUS, Ind. –Bartholomew County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Holden formally charged Rudy Minton with one count of Murder related to a recent investigation on Tuesday, July 28.

On July 21, at approximately 8:36 p.m., officers with the Columbus Police Department were dispatched to the 1400 block of Pearl Street reference a welfare check on Jerrell McCullough. When officers arrived on scene, they made contact with the resident of the home Rudy Minton who advised he had just ingested bleach. When asked if he knew anything about the whereabouts of McCullough, Minton advised McCullough was inside the residence in a trash can.

Minton was detained and upon executing an exigent safety sweep of the home, officers located a deceased male inside who was later identified as Jerrell McCullough. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and the subsequent search revealed blood throughout the home as well as items belonging to McCullough. Minton was placed under arrest on a preliminary charge of murder.The prosecutor filed formal charges of one count of murder. The case is pending in Bartholomew Superior Court 1. Judge Jim Worton will set the case for an initial hearing. 

The filing of a criminal charge is simply an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.