NORTH VERNON — A Seymour man has been charged with murder, accused of killing his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend in Dearborn County on Thursday, August 14. The Dearborn County Prosecutor’s Office accused Brent D. Wellman, 33, of murder, resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, and a firearms enhancement.
The victim has been identified as 39-year-old Dennis W. Adams Jr., of Erlanger, Ky.
According to police, the incident began on Wednesday at the home of Wellman’s former girlfriend in North Vernon. The woman and Adams were at her house when they heard a loud noise as if someone was breaking in, but they found nothing. Adams left for work at 4:45 a.m. Thursday.
At about 5:42 a.m., Dearborn County emergency dispatchers received a report of shots fired on U.S. 50. A second caller reported seeing a vehicle stopped on the highway with a man behind the wheel covered in blood. The caller said a second man climbed from the back seat to the front and drove away.
Shortly after, a deputy located a vehicle matching the description. The driver, later identified as Wellman, drove away during questioning. Police later found the SUV after it had crashed. At about 7:20 a.m., a deputy found Adams’ body in a nearby tree line. An autopsy determined he died from multiple gunshot wounds to the back.
At about 11:12 a.m., Indiana State Police troopers found a man wearing only his underwear in a nearby creek. The man was identified as Wellman and was taken into custody.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
