Two suspects were arrested Monday night in connection to the shooting death of a Ball State student, officials said.
Muncie resident Brandon Patterson, 18, was arrested at 7:15 p.m. and charged with the murder and armed robbery of Ball State sophomore Karl Harford, Muncie Police Sgt. Allen Williams said.
Patterson is not a Ball State student and Williams said he would not comment on whether Patterson was the one who pulled the trigger.
"He was directly involved," Williams said.
A 14-year-old male accomplice is being charged with assisting a criminal, Williams said. Information on the juvenile was not released.
A third individual who police believe was involved had not been found as of Monday night, Williams said.
Delaware County Coroner James Clevenger performed an autopsy on Monday and said a single shot to the left temple of 20-year-old Harford's head killed him instantly.
Harford was discovered in the alley of 1923 E. Hines Road at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday after residents complained to the phone company that their service was out.
Harford's car had crashed into a telephone box and was resting on a trash can, Muncie Deputy Police Chief Terry Winters said.
Clevenger said residents lost phone service between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m.
When police arrived at the scene, they noticed Harford's body in the back seat of a 1993 Mercury Cougar that belonged to his parents, Winters said.
On Monday night investigators received consent to search a house on the 1000 block of North Bellaire Avenue and a couple of other houses in the area.
The house on Bellaire Avenue had been vacant for two to three months but is believed to have once been the residence of one of the suspects, Williams said.
Williams said the house contained evidence inside and outside, leading investigators to confirm it was the scene of the crime.
Clevenger said Harford had abrasions on his torso, but Winters said these probably occurred after he was shot.
"They probably had to drag him to get him up into the car," Winters said.
Investigators found a gun when searching a house on Leland Avenue, but they have not determined that it was the gun used to kill Harford.
The two suspects had been brought in earlier Monday for questioning and were cooperative with police, Williams said.
Winters said Harford had attended a house party at 1010 W. Abbott St. on Saturday where he met Patterson, the juvenile and one other individual, and gave them all a ride home.
A video camera that recorded people at the party Saturday night was helpful in finding the identity of the suspects, Williams said.
Police will continue to question the 30 to 40 people in attendance at the party, Winters said.
"Some have still not come forward," Williams said. "Anyone at the party we hope will contact us."
Clevenger said there wasn't any drug paraphernalia found on Harford or in his car, and he did not smell alcohol on Harford.
The coroner performed a toxicology exam, but results will not be in for a couple weeks, Winters said.
Clevenger also said there was no identification found on Harford.
Williams said this crime was the result of a robbery that was taken to the next step and "totally senseless."
A press conference will be held at the chief's office at 1 p.m. today.
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