Law enforcement officials said on Thursday (January 22) that five people have been arrested for allegedly shooting a judge and his wife in their home in Indiana, United States. The arrests were made during a multi-state operation involving Indiana and Kentucky.
Three individuals were arrested in Lafayette, Indiana, while two were apprehended in Lexington, Kentucky. They are facing multiple serious charges, with 43-year-old Thomas Moss from Lafayette being charged with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
Previously, on January 18, Judge Steven Meyer and his wife Kimberly Meyer were shot in their home on Mill Pond Lane in Lafayette, Tippecanoe County, Indiana. The judge was shot in the arm, and his wife in the hip, but fortunately both survived.
Both victims are 66 years old.
Authorities have remained silent on the motive behind the shooting and have not commented on the incident’s motivation.
Online court records show that Moss was scheduled to appear before Judge Meyer on January 20, facing charges of illegal possession of firearms, intimidation, reckless endangerment, and domestic violence.
According to WTHR, Moss is currently being held without bail in Tippecanoe County Jail.
Raylen Ferguson, 38, from Lexington, and Blake Smith, 32, from Lafayette, are facing charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault, firearm offenses, and gang-related crimes. Two other suspects are facing charges of obstructing justice.
Previously reported by The Washington Post, Judge Meyer had made a sentencing decision in 2025 on a case involving a shooting accident due to improper gun storage, sentencing a man to 40 years in prison. The man failed to secure the gun properly, leading to his girlfriend’s 5-year-old child accessing the gun and accidentally shooting and killing his own 1-year-old child. The tragic nature of the case and the severity of the sentence attracted widespread media coverage in the local community.
(This article references reporting from The Independent)