(UNDATED) – In June 2019, a Bedford man was arrested on attempted murder charges, an F-2 tornado hit Greene County and a Norman man was sentenced to 80 years on child molestation charges.
Bedford Man Arrested on Attempted Murder Charges
A Bedford man was arrested on charges of attempted murder after he stabbed his godfather while he slept.
Lawrence County Sheriff detectives arrested 23-year-old Songbear Burke on charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery and battery with a deadly weapon.
According to Sheriff Mike Branham, deputies were called to a home at 360 Sasser Drive at 4:49 a.m. after Burke’s mother called the police saying her son had stabbed his godfather Steve Lualdi while he slept.
“Mr. Lualdi suffered 8 to 9 stab wounds,” says Sheriff Branham. “The worse were to his face and wrists. He was flown by medical helicopter to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. The wounds are not life-threatening. “
Burke was taken into custody at the scene without incident.
“He was then transported to a local hospital for medical and mental evaluations,” says Sheriff Branham. “He was there for more than 20 hours and then brought to the jail.”
Sheriff Branham says there was no altercation or argument between Burke and Lualdi before the stabbing.
“There were no issues between the two,” Sheriff Branham added. “The two had been sleeping in the same room. Mr. Lualdi woke to Mr. Burke stabbing him.”
A jury trial is set in Lawrence Superior Court 1 before Judge John Plummer III on March 11, 2020, at 8:30 a.m.
Tornado Hits Greene County
A tornado hit Greene County the night of Saturday, June 15, 2019.
The tornado hit near Crowe Road off Indiana 54 past near the Ridgeport Community and traveled east to Lawrence Hollow Estates.
National Weather Service reports it was an F-2 tornado with winds between 120 to 130 mph.
The path length of the tornado was 3.5 miles and the maximum width was 400 yards.
Center Jackson Fire Territory posted on Facebook that approximately 76 welfare checks were made to residences’ homes damaged in the path of the tornado.
Officials say three homes were destroyed and around 900 residents are currently without power.
There were reports of a gas leak, a car fire, and numerous power lines down.
Norman Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Molesting Case
A Norman man received an 80-year prison sentence in June on three counts of child molesting.
Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Richard Poynter sentenced 39-year-old Jason Bellamy on two felony counts of child molesting and one felony count of sexual misconduct with a minor associated with child molesting.
Bellamy was found guilty of the charges by a jury on April 18, 2019.
He received 35 years on each of the Level 1 felonies and 10 years on the sexual misconduct charge. The sentences will be served consecutively in the Indiana Department of Corrections.
Bellamy was arrested April 21, 2017, following an investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Division into allegations of child molestation reported by the Jackson County Department of Child Services.
During an interview at Children’s Advocacy Center of Southeastern Indiana in Dillsboro, a child said she had been living with a relative in Crothersville when the incidents began. The child said multiple incidents occurred for months during 2016. The incidents included sexual intercourse with Bellamy.
During a police interview, Bellamy denied having any sexual contact or inappropriate interactions with the child but refused to provide a DNA sample or undergo a lie detector test.
