A young boy and a stepmom were found murdered 20 years ago. Police say they just arrested the killer
Por Graig Graziosi — – World RSS Feed
A young boy and a stepmom were found murdered 20 years ago. Police say they just arrested the killer
A grand jury reviewed evidence against the suspect for three weeks before handing down indictments for murder
Graig Graziosi in Washington, D.C. Saturday 03 October 2026 13:31 EDT
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Police in Indiana have made an arrest in a decades-old cold case involving the deaths of a young boy and his stepmother.
Michael Jerome James, 35, has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly murdering both Chynna Dickus and her stepson, Blake Dickus, according to the Franklin Police Department.
On July 24, 2006, Sean Dickus returned to his home and found the bodies of his 10-year-old son, Blake, and his wife, 26-year-old Chynna, according to Fox 59.
Over the 20 years that the case went unsolved — billboards and posters were put up offering $25,000 rewards for information that led to an arrest.
Then, last month, the billboards began offering more. Beginning in September, the reward for information leading to an arrest rose to $100,000. It seems that did the trick.
open image in galleryNow, police believe they have a suspect.
“For 20 years, Blake and Chynna’s families have carried the weight of an unimaginable loss waiting for this day,” a statement from the FPD said. “On behalf of the Franklin Police Department, I want them to know that we have never forgotten their loved ones, and we have never stopped seeking justice. Today’s development is an important moment, not only for our department, but most importantly for the families and Blake and Chynna whose lives were taken from them.”
FPD Police Chief Kirby Cochran said that investigators used forensic science and persistence to bring the case against James.
Grand jury members reviewed the evidence for three weeks before delivering the indictment.
Johnson County Prosecutor Lance D. Hamner said on Friday that the cold case motivated him to become a prosecutor.
“This tragic crime occurred during my first tenure as Johnson County Prosecutor in 2006, and the tragedy has remained with me ever since,” Hamner said. “In fact, a primary driving force behind my decision to leave the bench as judge and run for prosecutor once again was to seek justice in this case. This was something I could not talk about at the time.”
He said during the presser that his office cannot share further details about the evidence leading to James’ arrest or the grand jury’s deliberations at this time.
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