Rob Shute charged for killing Brenda Stuckey

Updated: Friday, 06 Aug 2010, 9:46 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 05 Aug 2010, 4:05 PM EDT

CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (WLFI) - A Lafayette man has been formally charged for the murder of a Crawfordsville woman.

37-year-old Rob Shute appeared in Montgomery Circuit Court today, facing murder charges for the death of 62-year-old Brenda Stuckey.

Stuckey was found dead inside her Crawfordsville home on July 26.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed in Montgomery County, she died of blunt force trauma to the head.

The document stated police tracked Shute down at his home in Lafayette later that day on July 26, after witnesses provided police with tips linking Shute and his car to the scene.

According to police reports, Shute originally denied playing any role in Stuckey's death, saying he went to her house and saw her body on the floor through the window.

The affidavit went on the say police served a search warrant at Shute's car at his house at 1005 Archway Drive in Lafayette on July 27, finding what appeared to be blood stains in the car and on hand tools in the car.

Shute was interviewed by police again on July 30, and according to court documents he admitted to going to Stuckey's house, taking a hammer from his car and hiding in his pants, and using it to hit her in the head after she refused to give him money.

A friend of Stuckey's, Kyllee Wills, said Thursday's hearing will help bring closure for Stuckey's family and friends.

"We're very lucky that they caught Rob, and that he confessed for one, but I think it's the start of a long healing process and finally we're going to hopefully get justice for Brenda because that's all that really matters at this point," she said.

Shute was originally arrested at his house in Lafayette, and was being held in the Tippecanoe County jail. He has now been transferred to Montgomery County.

http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local/lafayette-man-charged-for-murder

Shute's MS: http://www.myspace.com/rshute3