A three-day trial was held in Starke Circuit Court last week.
Charles Householder II was accused of one count of aggravated battery as a Level 3 Felony, two counts of criminal recklessness as a Level 6 Felony and one count of domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury as a Level 6 Felony in an incident at his home on State Road 39 in North Judson on July 13, 2022.
He was found not guilty on all charges.
Charles Householder II’s ex-wife, Harvest Householder, testified that she and her now-ex-boyfriend Shawn Conley went over to Charles’ house to get more information about a car accident that involved her daughter. She parked at the neighbor’s residence in case Charles Householder would get upset and have her car towed off the property due to the nature of their relationship. She testified that he battered her and also battered Shawn Conley as he intervened in the scuffle after he saw Charles hitting her. The fight then ceased. Harvest Householder testified that Charles Householder went into a building on his property referred to as the “clubhouse”, retrieved a rifle and asked who would be shot first. Householder testified that Conley stepped in front of her and he was shot. A surgeon testified that Conley had three bullet wounds.
Charles Householder took the stand in his defense where he testified that Harvest Householder and Shawn Conley attacked him by punching him and kicking him and he attempted to defend himself. The incident moved into the clubhouse just at the doorway, when a rifle kept by the front door hit him in the head and shoulder. He testified that the rifle was then picked up and all three struggled with the rifle when it went off, striking Conley. He testified that he does not know how the rifle was fired and had trouble seeing after being battered. He also stated that he was being threatened.
There were nine people who testified in the trial, including Harvest Householder, Shawn Conley, North Judson Police Department officer Derek Russell, former Starke County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Cameron Price, Dr. Kevin Taubman, Indiana State Police Crime Scene Technician Alyssa Partyka, Indiana State Police Crime Scene Investigator Lamar Helmuth, Ashlynn Householder, and Charles Householder II.
The 12-member jury heard testimony from Wednesday, March 13 to Friday, March 15 and returned with the verdicts Friday, March 15 in less than an hour. There were two alternates with the jury. The State of Indiana was represented by Starke County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matt Poulos and the defendant was represented by Codey Lee Spear, Jason Ray Moseley, and Paul Michael Namie. Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall presided over the case.
