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Bloomington Lawyer Pleads Guilty After Making Up Story Of Being Shot

Last updated on Monday, September 30, 2013

(SPENCER). - A Bloomington lawyer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of false informing in Owen Circuit Court after conservation officers discovered 44-year-old Peter Raventos shot himself but reported to police he was shot by an unknown suspect.

Owen Circuit Court Judge Lori Thatcher Quillen dropped the felony charge of obstruction of justice.

Raventos was arrested after he told police he was shot at McCormick's Creek State Park in June of 2012.

Judge Quillen sentenced Raventos to 365 days probation, 24 hours of community service, 180 days in jail suspended with 1 day served, appropriate counseling, and $168.00 in court costs. He is also banned from any DNR property.

Indiana Conservation Officers responded to a 911 call reporting that a man had been shot at McCormick's Creek State Park on Monday, June 25th at 10:05 p.m. Raventos told conservation officers that he had been shot in the back while jogging along a trail by an unknown assailant.

Conservation Officers suspected early in their investigation that something was awry in Raventos' story.

They later discovered that Raventos shot himself in the back by securing and firing a shotgun from some distance away.

Raventos was taken to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he was treated and later released for 22 separate shotgun pellets found under his skin.

Indiana conservation officers did an extensive investigation and discovered the following:

The morning of June 25th Raventos was in a Lawrence County court hearing until 11 a.m. He then went to Bedford's Ace Pawnshop and paid $85.60 for a 20-gauge shotgun.

Ninety minutes later, he was at Lowes in Bloomington, buying plywood and a Mt. Dew soft drink. From there, he went to nearby MC Sports and purchased a box of shells for the shotgun.

Then Raventos drove to Walmart on Ind. 45 to buy bungee cords. And at 2:50 p.m., he drove into the state park gate. From 6 to 8 p.m., he watched his son play baseball at Ellettsville's ballpark, then said he was returning to the park to jog, something he had not done in a long time.

At 10:05 p.m., Raventos called 911 from his cell phone reporting he had been shot.

Two Indiana State Police troopers arrived at the park four minutes later and found an injured Raventos near the camping area at 10:22. He approached them, and fell to the ground.

The officer observed pimply and bruised spots on Raventos' backside, and noted they did not seem fresh and were not bleeding much. They noticed two smeared bloodstains on his shirt.

Raventos told them he was jogging along the White River when shot, and had walked up Trail 7 to the road. He said the shot came from across the river.

An ambulance transported Raventos to Bloomington Hospital, and he was transferred to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for further treatment, than released.

Indiana Conservation Officer scuba divers searched the nearby White River and located a loaded shotgun shell casing, a spent shotgun shell casing, and a 20 gauge shotgun that was later linked to Raventos.

Indiana Conservation Officers obtained search warrants for the home, smart phone, and vehicle of. Raventos, finding additional evidence.

The man's ex-wife told police Raventos was facing foreclosure on his home near Ellettsville and repossession of his white Jeep. He was to appear in court three days after the shooting because he was behind in child support payments.

After reviewing reports and statements from the 17 state troopers, sheriff's deputies and conservation officers who investigated Raventos' claim someone had shot him, Owen County Prosecutor Donald Vandermoere charged Raventos with obstruction of justice, a felony, and false informing, which is a misdemeanor.

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