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Last updated on Thursday, February 4, 2016
(MITCHELL) - Indiana State Police say they have found probable cause through their investigation, interviews and recovered evidence that 34-year-old Lincoln Pickett shot and killed 29-year-old Kamie Ratcliff.
"After interviewing witnesses, detectives have found probable cause to believe Lincoln Ray Pickett shot and killed a victim believed to be Kamie Ratcliff while both were in his vehicle," wrote ISP Sgt. Curt Durnil.
Police believe after the shooting, Lincoln Pickett then parked his vehicle inside his garage. Police believe Ratcliff's body remained inside the vehicle during this time.
"Jasmine Pickett also advised detectives of the same information," Durnil says.
Lincoln Pickett admitted to investigators that on January 28th, he placed Ratcliff's body in a fire that was burning behind his house at 3413 U.S. 50 West.
"The timeline of events appears to be from January 24th through January 28th," Durnil wrote.
He added that the physical evidence will not be publicly released until discoveries are made at the trial.
"The remains of the body had been taken for further medical review and investigation last week," Durnil wrote. "It could be months until DNA can positively identify the victim believed to be Kamie Ratcliff."
When Lincoln and his wife Jasmine Pickett were first questioned by police they said Ratcliff "freaked out" and shot herself.
"Jasmine Pickett told officers that she and Lincoln were in their vehicle when Kamie started freaking out and all of a sudden, she heard a pop," the affidavit states.
On Wednesday, officers spoke with a relative of Lincoln Pickett's. She told police she had not seen Lincoln for about six months, when suddenly he appeared at her home the morning of January 22. She told police he was driving his red Chevrolet Blazer.
"Lincoln claimed he had not slept or ate in two weeks, and he was pacing and bouncing," according to the probable cause affidavit.
The relative says Lincoln had a "Taurus gun in his pocket." Lincoln then allegedly gave the gun to his relative.
Lincoln then allegedly told the relative that he shot a "buddy in the face" and that the "girl he shot was in his Blazer."
Lincoln then told the relative that he, the girl and Jasmine were going for a ride when the girl hit Lincoln in the head a couple of times, so he shot her in the face.
Lincoln then asked his relative to borrow a vehicle. That is when the relative drove to Lincoln's house. On the way to the Pickett home, they stopped at a gas station. While parked in the lot, the relative told police she saw blood splattered on the driver's side rear window of the Blazer.
Once at the Pickett home, Lincoln allegedly backed the Blazer into the garage.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on January 24, Mitchell Police Officer Matt England went to the Pickett home to talk to them about Ratcliff's disappearance. Lincoln told police Ratcliff could be in Ellettsville with a man named Dillon.
Then on January 25, Officer England returned to the Pickett home and the couple told him they had left to go to Walmart to buy diapers and formula and when they returned Ratcliff was gone.
On January 28, police, armed with a search warrant, returned to the home to search for Ratcliff's belongings. When officers arrived there was a fire burning behind the home.
"Within the fire, officers located what appeared to be bones," the affidavit states.
According to the Lawrence County Police log, at 2:42 p.m. officers requested Huron Volunteer Fire Department to the Pickett home to extinguish a small bon fire.
Officers then secured a search warrant for Pickett's home. Inside they found a loaded handgun under a mattress and three long guns.
Pickett is being charged with Ratcliff's murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent offender; obstruction of justice, abuse of a corpse, two counts of false informing and failure to report a dead body.
Because of the additional charge of murder, Lincoln Pickett is being held without bond.
30-year-old Jasmine Picket posted a $755 cash bond on Sunday and was released from jail. She will appear in court on February 10 at 10 a.m. to face charges of failure to report a dead body, false informing and obstruction of justice. No additional charges have been filed against Jasmine.
Anyone with any information regarding this case is encouraged to call (812) 332-4411. Tips can remain anonymous.
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