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Last updated on Thursday, February 4, 2016
(MITCHELL) - A Mitchell man has been charged with the murder of 29-year-old Kami Ratcliff.
According to a probable cause affidavit, 34-year-old Lincoln Pickett told police he burned Kamie Ratcliff's body in a fire behind his home on U.S. 50 West after he says Ratcliff shot herself.
He told police he, his wife Jasmine and Ratcliff were all in the vehicle at the home when on January 21 Ratcliff "freaked out" and shot herself.
After the shooting, Lincoln parked his vehicle in his garage with Ratcliff's body still inside. Then on January 28, he put Kamie's body in a fire burning behind his house.
Jasmine backed up Lincoln's story.
"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.
However the remains found in the fire at the Pickett home have not been identified. Indiana State Police are waiting on dental records and DNA test to positively confirm the identity of the victim.
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 arrive 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 at 3413 U.S. 50 West, 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.
Now 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.
Jasmine Picket posted a $755 cash bond on Sunday and was released from jail.
Lincoln Picket appeared in Lawrence Superior Court I in front of Judge Michael Robbins on February 1.
The judge entered a not guilty plea on the earlier charges. Pickett then requested a public defender. The Prosecution then amended the probable cause affidavit to include the addition gun charge and to increase Pickett's bond which Judge Robbins granted. An early pretrial conference was set for February 23, at 2 p.m. He will appear in court again to be charged with murder.
30-year-old Jasmine Pickett 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.
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