LAWERNCE CO. – In June 2023, Lawrence County Superior Court I Judge John Plummer III ruled Shawn Hays was incompetent to stand trial for his father’s murder, Heidelberg Materials celebrated the opening of its new cement plant and volunteer fire departments, and the fairgrounds received ARPA funds.
Judge ruled Shawn Hays was incompetent to stand trial for his father’s murder
Lawrence County Superior Court I Judge John Plummer III, on June 2, 2023, ruled Shawn Hays was incompetent to stand trial for the murder of his father.
Hays, 53, of Mitchell, is facing charges of murder, aggravated battery, reckless homicide, domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, battery using a deadly weapon, abuse of a corpse, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, pointing a firearm at another person, obstruction of justice, and resisting law enforcement by force.
On December 20, 2022, at 5:51 p.m., Lawrence County Central Dispatch received a request to conduct a welfare check on Rodney E. Hays at his residence at 588 Easy Street in Mitchell.
The caller reported they had received a call from someone claiming to be Shawn E. Hays, Rodney’s son, who also lives at this residence. Shawn told the caller, who called the police that his father had turned into a robot, and he told the caller he had shot and mutilated the robot.
When deputies arrived, they found a male hastily attempting to exit the property in a silver Chevrolet pickup. Due to the nature of the call, deputies stopped the truck and encountered Shawn Hays with a shotgun in the seat next to him.
While one deputy was communicating with Hays, distracting him, the other deputy was able to grab the shotgun from the truck.
When asked about his father, Shawn Hays said it was not his father living in the home but a robot that looked like his father. Shawn was asked where Rodney was, and Shawn told deputies Rodney was “laying over there” and gestured toward the residence directly behind the vehicle.
When asked to exit his vehicle, Shawn became verbally combative and refused to exit. During a verbal
exchange, he stated, “It’s a robot that looks like a human…laying over there. I had to shoot at it to
destroy it.” Deputies said Shawn’s body language and communication were very agitated and confusing.
Officers removed him from the vehicle as Hays actively resisted. He was eventually placed in handcuffs.
Officers found Rodney E. Hays deceased in front of the residence. It appears he suffered gunshot wounds to his head and chest. His body had been mutilated and partially dismembered.
When interviewed by investigators, Shawn Hays admitted to the shooting, mutilating, and partially
dismembering the robot, who he said looked like his father.
A search warrant was granted to investigate the crime scene. Detectives with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, assisted by an Indiana State Police Crime Scene Technician, processed the scene.
During the investigation, it was determined that Shawn Hays had attempted to destroy physical evidence.
Heidelberg Materials leadership celebrated the opening of its new cement plant
Heidelberg Materials leadership celebrated the opening of its new cement plant on Tuesday, June 13, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Mitchell.
The event is closed to the public.
The more than $600 million state-of-the-art facility, the newest in North America, will be the most technologically advanced and sustainable plant built to date by Heidelberg Materials. The new plant will more than triple current production levels while significantly reducing CO2 emissions and energy consumption.
Heidelberg Materials CEO Dr. Dominik von Achten; Chris Ward, president and CEO of Heidelberg Materials North America; and other federal, state, and local government, business, and community attendances the ribbon cutting.
The plant is the largest capital investment in Heidelberg Materials’ 150-year history and North America’s second-largest single cement production facility.
The Mitchell plant will be capable of producing more than 2.4 million tons of cement a year, more than tripling the production of the previous plant. It will efficiently serve the growing market demand and future customer needs. It opens on the heels of the 2021 passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.Â
With the increased capacity and commitment to efficient delivery, Heidelberg Materials is improving the facility’s distribution process. The company will bring an additional 1,000 rail cars to serve the newly renovated rail yard near the site. The new distribution terminal accommodates 32,000 tons of additional cement storage.
Volunteer Fire Department and Fairgrounds received ARPA funds
On June 20, 2023, the Lawrence County Commissioners signed agreements with the county’s eight volunteer fire departments and the fairgrounds board to receive American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Each volunteer fire department, Huron, Indian Creek, Marion, Marshall, Oolitic, Perry, Pleasant Run, and Shawswick, received $106,250.
The money for the fire department can be used to purchase new equipment, fire engines, building construction, building maintenance, and other items.
The Fair Board will also receive $100,000. Their funds have been earmarked to improve the fairgrounds.
