Lawrenceburg, IN— On Friday, William Skipton was sentenced to 18 years after entering a guilty plea for assisting in the suicide of Clarissa “Carrie” Schultz, among other related charges. Assisting suicide of another individual is a Level 5 felony in the State of Indiana. Dearborn County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens was satisfied with the outcome.
Following the hearing, Deddens said, “This was a difficult case. I want to thank the Lawrenceburg Police Department and the Indiana State Police for their thorough investigation as well as the victim’s family for their strength during this process.”
The charges and subsequent guilty plea stemmed from Skipton’s interactions with Schultz leading to her death by a self-inflicted gunshot wound on May 20, 2018, just outside the Levee Breaker bar in Lawrenceburg. According to the judgment of conviction and sentencing order, Skipton knew Schultz was contemplating suicide after struggling with depression over the death of a former boyfriend. In addition, Skipton knew Schultz was intoxicated at the time he provided her with a loaded firearm. Further, Skipton, who had a prior conviction for strangulation and was prohibited from possessing a firearm, admitted to purchasing a firearm (illegally) for the purpose of giving it to the victim. Skipton also admitted to driving to the bar with Schultz that evening, even though his license has been permanently revoked for prior convictions.
Upon hearing the gunshot, Skipton proceeded to run outside the bar where he found Schultz had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Rather than care for Schultz, Skipton searched instead for the firearm and casing, attempting to hide it from the police. The court noted the defendant’s actions, “provide a reflection of a selfish, non-empathetic character that chose not to assist his friend with a gunshot wound to the head, but rather rummage through a horrific crime scene to help himself with no empathy for the victim.”
Following his guilty plea to three counts, including Assisting Suicide, a Level 5 Felony, Carrying a Handgun without a License, a Level 5 Felony, and Operating a Motor Vehicle After Forfeiture of License for Life, a Level 5 felony, Dearborn Superior Court II Judge Sally A. McLaughlin sentenced Skipton to 6 years for each count to be served consecutively for a total of 18 years.
Prosecutor Lynn Deddens hopes this will provide the victim’s family with some closure. After the hearing, she stated, “We take all death investigations seriously and this was particularly difficult, especially for the family of the victim. Providing a firearm to a person known to be not only suicidal but also heavily intoxicated is more than poor judgment, it is a criminal act and I am glad justice was served in this case.”
