INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Formal charges have been filed against a 30-year-old Indianapolis man for his involvement in the murders of two women on Mitthoeffer Road, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office announced Friday.

David Hiner was arrested for his alleged role in the murders of 58-year-old Shannon Lassere and 52-year-old Marianne Weis, committed just days apart. Online court records show Hiner’s initial hearing was set for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in Marion Superior Court 20.

“This was brutal and evil what happened to them,” said Acting Chief Chris Bailey of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department during a news conference to announce the arrests. “These women defended themselves the best they could.”

Police on Jan. 27 found the body of Weis and on Feb. 1 found Lassere dead. Both bodies were found about 150 yards apart near 21st Street and Mitthoeffer Road on the east side of Indianapolis.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office determined both women were killed by multiple sharp force injuries.

Detectives say videos from businesses in the area showed a male and one of the women together on the the night of each murder.

On Tuesday, detectives with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s Human Trafficking and Vice Unit located a male they believed was the person in the video. The suspect, Hiner, was later pulled in to speak with homicide detectives.

Police on Wednesday executed a search warrant at the Hiner’s apartment in the 2200 block of Harbor Drive. Detectives found shoes in his apartment that appeared to have dried blood on them. A pair of jeans were also found soaking in a bucket of bleach in the bathtub.

The shoes were sent to the lab for expedited DNA analysis, police say, which later matched the blood of both victims.

Deputy IMPD Chief Kendale Adams said during the news conference, “That confirmed that the blood taken from the shoes of the suspect during the search warrant match to both victims. This confirmation from the lab was key to positively connecting the suspect David Hiner to the victims.”

Miner, who was already in police custody for a probation violation out of La Porte County, was arrested for double homicide.

IMPD says Hiner was released in September after serving more than a decade in prison. Hiner served 12 years of an 18-year sentence. According to court records, Hiner pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in 2012 for shooting a pizza delivery driver during a robbery. In the plea agreement, his attorneys said that Hiner’s mom was a heroin addict when he was born and he had suffered from mental health issues since childhood. He’d been diagnosed with impulse control disorder.

Kendale says the family of the victims were glad for the arrest. “They’re relieved that we made an arrest. I don’t know that I can call that excitement, but certainly they have lost a ton. They have lost two family members that did not deserve to die.”

Investigators want to know if Hiner might be connected to any other unsolved murders in the area.

Anyone with information can contact Detective Ryan Clark at 317-327-3475 or ryan.clark@indy.gov.

• RELATED: IMPD: 2 bodies recently found were 150 yards apart

Statements

“Today, we’ve taken the next step toward justice for Shannon and Marianne and those impacted by these horrific acts. I want to express my gratitude to our community for their unwavering support and cooperation throughout this investigation. I also want to recognize the relentless efforts of the IMPD officers and detectives on this case, and our criminal justice partners. Their commitment, expertise, and tireless work have been instrumental in bringing closure to this case and ensuring the safety of our community.”

IMPD Acting Chief Christopher Bailey

“I commend the efforts of IMPD, our deputy prosecutors, and the Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency— the collaboration between agencies has been around the clock since January 27 and will continue as the investigation is ongoing. Today is the first step toward justice for the victims and their families, and we will continue to support them in their time of need as they try to move forward from these unthinkable tragedies.”

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears

“I’m proud of the investigators whose quick work has brought us one step closer to justice for the victims and their families in this case. I commend the collaborative efforts of our city’s law enforcement agencies and the community members who stepped up to help.”

Mayor Joe Hogsett