BRAZIL — A Clay County man is keeping public attention on an unsolved double homicide that shattered his family nearly four decades ago.
Shane Mustard was just 13 years old when his father, 32-year-old Ricky Mustard, and his 16-year-old stepsister, Tonya Pickett, were shot and killed inside their home in the 100 block of West Pinckley Street on November 16, 1988. Their bodies were discovered inside the residence shortly after midnight on November 19.
Now, nearly 38 years after the tragedy, Mustard continues reaching out to local media outlets and law enforcement agencies every year to ensure the cold case is not forgotten. He hopes an Indianapolis-based cold case team will review the investigation with fresh eyes.
The double homicide led to an extensive, decades-long investigation involving local authorities and state investigators.
Nearly 20 years after the killings, a grand jury indicted a former suspect—who had been in a romantic relationship with Pickett at the time of her death—on murder charges in 2008. However, the case faced procedural hurdles when a judge ruled key evidence, including Pickett’s personal letters and datebook, inadmissible due to hearsay rules. The pre-trial evidentiary rulings were later upheld on appeal in 2011, and the case ultimately did not proceed to trial, leaving the double homicide officially unsolved.
For Shane Mustard, the annual outreach remains a deeply personal mission to find closure and justice for his family.
“I just want answers,” Mustard has stated in past appeals, urging anyone who may hold information—no matter how small—to come forward.
Anyone with information regarding the 1988 deaths of Ricky Mustard and Tonya Pickett is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police or local law enforcement authorities.
