PERRY COUNTY — Early on the morning of March 1, multiple suspects were arrested stemming from an Indiana State Police investigation into an alleged attempt to commit murder in December 2022.
ISP M/Trp. Stinson began the investigation after the victim, who will remain anonymous, was lured to an undisclosed location by 23-year-old Elizabeth Potts of Eastview, KY. Once the victim arrived, 30-year-old Jacob Burch of Huntingburg and 28-year-old Dakota Hedinger of Cannelton allegedly battered the victim repeatedly with baseball bats. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries that required being flown by a medevac helicopter to Deaconess Trauma Center in Evansville.
As instructed by the Perry County Circuit Court Judge, M/Trp. Stinson presented his findings to a Special Judge from the Spencer County Circuit Court, which resulted in arrest warrants being issued for Burch, Hedinger and Potts.
After the incident, police say Potts fled to Kentucky before being arrested in January. Potts was extradited back to Indiana soon thereafter and is currently incarcerated in the Perry County Jail.
On March 1, Indiana State Troopers and numerous other law enforcement officers from various agencies took Burch and Hedinger into custody without incident. Burch is being lodged in the Spencer County Jail with no bond, while Hedinger and Potts are both being lodged in the Perry County Jail; Hedinger with no bond and $960,000 or 10% cash for Potts’ bond.
All three suspects were arrested on warrants for Attempted Murder (level 1 felony); Conspiring to Commit Murder (level 2 felony); Aggravated Battery (level 3 felony); Conspiring to Commit Aggravated Battery (level 3 felony); Aggravated Battery with Serious Permanent Disfigurement (level 3 felony); Conspiring to Commit Battery with Serious Permanent Disfigurement (level 3 felony); Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury (level 5 felony); Conspiring to Commit Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury (level 5 felony); Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon (level 5 felony); and Conspiring to Commit Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon (level 5 felony).
Indiana State Police were assisted by Perry/Dubois County Prosecutor Offices, Tell City and Huntingburg Police Departments, and Dubois, Perry and Spencer County Sheriff’s Offices.
Indiana State Police reminds the public that all suspects are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
