Rising Sun,IN—Prosecutor Lynn Deddens announced Monday that charges have been filed and an arrest made in a March 2020 shooting. Joseph Louden, 21, of Rising Sun, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies related to the March 3 incident.
Louden originally reported to police that at approximately 5 am on March 3rd, that he was held at gunpoint in his driveway and robbed of $6,400.00. He initially reported that the money was to be used to purchase a vehicle, but later told detectives the money was to be used to buy a large quantity of Percocet.
According to Louden, as he was driving down his driveway, an unknown white male, later identified as Sean Murphy, was limping down the drive. Louden said he was assisting Murphy to his vehicle when a masked individual approached him and placed a gun at his side. Louden told detectives he recognized the masked individual as Jesse Michel, based on his height, tattoos, and voice. Michel told Louden to give him the bag containing the money and threatened to shoot him if he did not hand it over. Louden reported that the two men then started kicking and punching him and Michel took the bag with the cash and ran away. Louden told police he then went to his vehicle, grabbed a handgun, and started shooting at the two men as they ran away. Michel returned fire as he continued running up the driveway. After the shooting stopped, Louden reported he turned around and returned to his residence.
Sean Murphy was located at approximately 5:30 am in his vehicle on Hartford Pike by a motorist. He was sitting in his vehicle with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The motorist called 911 and Murphy was transported to High Point Health and then to the University of Cincinnati Hospital. Murphy was shot four times as he was running away and as a result of his injuries, lost his spleen and part of his intestines.
Upon further investigation, police located and interviewed Marcus Donald. Donald told detectives that Louden asked him if he knew anyone that sold large quantities of Percocet. Donald knew Louden was looking to purchase 200, 30mg pills. According to Donald, he was able to set up a drug transaction for Louden with a person from Lima, Ohio and the transaction was to take place during the early morning hours of March 3, 2020.
Cell phone records obtained by police show text messages about the transaction and support Donald’s statements. Also discovered on Louden’s cell phone were several messages in reference to selling Percocet to other individuals and videos of him with Michel, often with guns. When Michel was arrested, similar evidence was found on Michel’s cell phone.
The quantity of Percocet Louden attempted to possess and sell was approximately 6 grams of Oxycodone.
Louden was arrested on Friday, June 5 and charged on allegations of Attempted Dealing in a Narcotic Drug, with an enhancing circumstance involving a firearm; Attempted Possession of a Narcotic Drug over 5 Grams but Less than 10 grams, with an enhancing circumstance involving a firearm; Aggravated Battery; and Battery with a Deadly Weapon.
