Kathy Jo Wylie:1974, Summitville, Indiana
Kathy Jo Wylie was only 19 when she stopped by her Grandmother’s little store in Summitville on July 22nd, 1974. Kathy was a 1973 graduate of Wes-Dale High School in Gaston, Indiana. She was described as friendly and outgoing. She was a Warriorette Baton Twirler in school. (When I was a kid we all wanted to twirl a baton and be able to do all the tricks and tosses. I rarely caught mine and sustained many bruises from my misses.)
Kathy’s Grandfather had sadly passed away recently and Kathy Jo was in the habit of coming everyday for a few hours to give her Grandmother a break. It was a Mom and Pop store and even though the family was grieving this loss they had to stay open to make a living.
When Kathy Jo first stopped in that day her Grandmother asked her to run an errand to buy fish food for her tropical fish. Kathy took the cash her Grandmother gave her and headed off to get the fish food.
While Kathy was gone, a man,Charles Richard Martin, entered the store with the intent to rob the place. Kathy’s Grandmother prayed that Kathy would not walk back in the door while the robbers were there. Unfortunately Kathy Jo returned while the men were still there.
Lester Dewayne French was anxiously waiting by the car outside. This was all taking too long and now that Kathy Jo had come back this robbery was getting more complicated.
Inside the store Charles Richard Martin pulled the phone cord from the wall to prevent Kathy’s Grandmother from calling the police. He forced Kathy to come with him. He said he would drop her off at the county line. Kathy Jo looked at her Grandmother and said “Keep it cool. Keep it cool.” She seemed to feel that if they cooperated they would both be okay. She was very brave to go along without too much protest. I’m sure she was trying to protect her Grandmother.
Kathy’s Grandmother looked toward the car for a plate number as they drove away but the two men had covered it with silver furnace tape before attempting the armed robbery.
Kathy’s Grandmother called the police from the house phone which was not affected by the loss of the phone line in the store. Police were looking for Kathy Jo almost immediately. It was 5 p.m. Monday evening.
Charles Richard Martin and Lester Dewayne French got away with about $60 dollars and a carton of cigarettes. They took Kathy Jo southwest on IN-37 towards Strawtown and Cicero.
They sexually assaulted Kathy Jo Wylie and repeatedly hit her in the head near the banks of the White River. They threw her body, clad only in a shirt and underwear, down an embankment toward the White River. She initially did not end up in the water so one of the men made their way down to Kathy’s body and shoved her into the water. The blows to the head hadn’t killed her. She was still alive when she went into the water. Her cause of death was drowning.
The two men were caught in the following days near their homes. Both had criminal records and were easily tracked down as their descriptions were well known to police. Many police agencies cooperated in this investigation and that communication and willingness to work together likely contributed to the quick apprehension of the two killers.
Charles Richard Martin and Lester Dewayne French were tried and convicted.
Lester Dewayne French died in prison in 2013 of liver disease. Charles Richard Martin was given a death sentence. Just three years later that death sentence was commuted to life in prison. The Indiana Incarcerated Database lists him as deceased but I can’t find a date of death. He was still alive in the year 2000 because I did find an appeal decision document. That appeal was unsuccessful because he apparently died in prison.
I was actually pleasantly surprised to see that they both were kept in prison until they died. 1970’s criminals, even murderers, tended to be paroled after 15 or 20 years, inexplicably.
Rest in Peace Kathy Jo Wylie.
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