A second suspect in a 2019 double homicide case in Porter County was arrested on Saturday, May 23 and booked into the Porter County Jail.
Nineteen-year-old John Silva II, who listed his residence in Bourbon, faces two counts of murder in perpetration of a robbery in connection with the deaths of 19-year-old Molley Lanham of St. John and 18-year-old Thomas Grill of Cedar Lake, according to the Porter County Sheriff’s Department. The other suspect in the case, 19-year-old Connor Kerner, of Valparaiso, was initially arrested on two counts of murder in the case on March 2, 2019.
The investigation began when Lanham and Grill were reported missing in late February of 2019. According to a report from the Porter County Sheriff’s Department, the pair was last seen on Feb. 25 and Feb. 26, respectively. On March 2, 2019, police reportedly received information that Connor Kerner, who was 17 at the time, allegedly killed the teens and placed their bodies in a black Honda Civic. The information also allegedly revealed that the vehicle was driven to a point in rural Porter County by the suspect and lit on fire, as indicated by the original press release sent on March 4, 2019.
Police say the vehicle was soon located where the remains of two individuals were found. A follow-up release states that DNA tests conducted on the remains later confirmed the identities of Lanham and Grill.
The Porter County Coroner found that the manner of death for Lanham was homicide by gunshot. Grill was reportedly shot and then beaten to death.
The incident allegedly occurred after Grill attempted to rob Kerner during a drug deal.
Kerner pleaded not guilty to the charges and a jury trial is anticipated to begin on July 7, 2020 and will last the entire month. His attorneys have argued to move the trial out of Porter County.
As processing of evidence and information continued, probable cause was reportedly found to issue an arrest warrant for John Silva II for his alleged involvement. The Northwest Indiana Times reports that Silva allegedly cleaned the crime scene and his fingerprints were later found on a handgun retrieved at the scene. He is being held without bond in the Porter County Jail. His court dates are pending.
The Porter County Sheriff’s Department was assisted in this case by the Cedar Lake and St. John Police Departments, the Porter County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigations Team, the Valparaiso Police Departments Crime Scene Investigations Team, A.T.F., Porter County Prosecutor’s Office and the Porter County Coroner’s Office.
Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
