Lebanon man arrested in murder of West Lafayette woman
KENTLAND, Ind. (WLFI) – The Newton County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 21-year-old Garrett K. Kirts of Lebanon in the murder of 30-year-old Nicole Bowen.
Bowen’s body was found just north of Kentland in a field on Saturday.
Newton County Sheriff’s Capt. Shannon Cothran said Tuesday that a property owner found Bowen’s body Saturday afternoon about 2 miles northwest of Kentland or about 45 miles northwest of West Lafayette.
The FBI assisted in identifying the West Lafayette woman’s body.
Kirts has been charged with murder and is currently being held in the Newton County Jail without bond. He was also arrested on a Jasper County charge of resisting law enforcement on Sunday.
Several others were also arrested in connection to the crime.
Jasmine Parker, 34, of Kentland and Ashley Garth, 26, of Delphi were charged for assisting a criminal, which is a level five felony.
A warrant has been issued for Christopher Channing Mathis, a 27-year-old from Kentland for assisting a criminal. Anyone with information as to Mathis’ whereabouts should call the Newton County Sheriff’s Office 219-474-5661.
“I’m extremely pleased with the timely resolution in this case and very proud of the dedication shown by our Deputies,” said Newton County Thomas Sheriff VanVleet. “I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the assisting agencies for their involvement and aid in this investigation.”
