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Last updated on Monday, August 22, 2016
(SULLIVAN CO.) - An arrest has been made in connection with the Sullivan County death investigation
Indiana State Police reports 32-year-old Joshua Travis Hall of Shelburn is being charged with voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, criminal confinement and battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
This case began when 35-year-old Rustin M. Rehmel was found unresponsive in her home at 115 West Broadway Street in Shelburn just before 3 a.m. on Monday.
Officials report Rehmel and Hall had been Mickey's Bar in Farmersburg during the evening of Aug. 14 and then into the early morning hours of Aug. 15. That is when officials report an argument happened between the two which resulted in Hall allegedly battering her outside of the bar and in the parking area.
A witness outside the bar saw the altercation and attempted to break it up. That is when Hall struck that witness in the face.
ISP reports 'the battering' of Rehmel was stopped by the nephew of the witness who then took her home. When they arrived at 115 West Broadway Street, officials report Hall had already forced his way into the home (which he shared with Rehmel).
It was after the nephew left the home after dropping Rehmel off that officials report she became unconscious and unresponsive. Officials report Hall was still inside the home and he was the one who called 911 to report her condition.
"Sheriff Clark Cottom and EMS personnel attempted rescue efforts at the scene, but Rustin Rehmel was pronounced deceased in the home," a press release by Indiana State Police Sgt. Watts stated.
After the autopsy was done at Regional Hospital in Terre Haute, the cause of death has been determined to be blunt force trauma to the head and the manner of death is homicide.
A warrant for Hall was served on Thursday at the Sullivan County Jail as he was already incarcerated on allegations of battery against the witness in the parking lot of the bar.
"Hall's incarceration mitigated public safety concerns and allowed investigators adequate time to gather evidence and conduct numerous interviews related to the death of Rustin Rehmel's," Watts stated.
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