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Last updated on Wednesday, October 12, 2016
(DUBOIS CO.) - A Ferdinand man charged with murder and felony rape could be offered a plea deal.
Kyle Popplewell is charged with felony counts of murder, two counts of rape, burglary, criminal confinement, battery resulting in bodily harm and intimidation.
According to police, 25-year-old Popplewell entered the home in St. Henry on County Road 50 West through a back door around 2:30 a.m. on January 10.
Police say three people were in the home sleeping; 37-year-old Jeffrey Perry and two adult women, Perry's girlfriend and his foster daughter.
Popplewell is accused of stabbing Perry to death on the couch, slashing another woman who attempted to stop him from injuring Perry and then confining another woman and raping her multiple times during a three-hour police standoff.
A jury trial is scheduled to begin November 14 but according to Popplewell's attorney Steve Ripstra, he is in talks with the Dubois County Prosecuting Attorney's office on a plea agreement.
Ripstra told the Dubois County Free Press the agreement includes Popplewell serving a substantial sentence for the counts against him.
No decision was made at Monday's court appearance as the continuance hearing was moved to Thursday at 8:30 a.m.
Ripstra believes a decision on the plea agreement would be reached by Thursday.
He added that if the prosecuting attorney's office did not agree to the plea deal, he felt Popplewell could be facing the death penalty.
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