Bond revoked for man accused of murder

A Brown County man charged with the murder of his neighbor will remain in jail after Judge Mary Wertz ordered he be held without bail last week.

A bail review hearing was held for Randy Small on Oct. 4.

The defendant was present by video from Brown County jail with his attorney Andrew Baldwin. The sworn testimony of Det. Paul Henderson with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department was heard, according to online court records.

Small was formally charged with murder on Sept. 22 and has been in jail since his arrest on Sept. 16.

Police say Small shot his neighbor, Robert Adair, over a mailbox dispute while Adair sat in his truck on Helms Road.

A jury trial has been set for Feb. 2, 2022.

Police: Local man cut woman with box cutter

A Brown County man faces multiple felonies after police say he cut a woman’s hand with a box cutter, requiring her to have surgery.

Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholson Briles was notified on Sept. 30 by dispatch that a woman at Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital wanted to report a battery that occurred in Brown County.

Briles made contact with the victim, who said that she and 45-year-old Christopher Feldmann had been in an argument that night and he cut her with a box cutter. She told Briles that Feldmann had battered her the night before as well.

She said he had threatened to kill her and cut her hand with a box cutter as she was closing a door in their house. She told police that it could have done damage to her tendon because of the depth of the wound and that her wound would require surgery.

Police then made contact with Feldmann at his home. He told police the night before, the victim had assaulted him. Police said they were asking about that night, Sept. 30, according to a probable cause affidavit.

After being questioned by Feldmann about why police were at his home, officers said the hospital had called them. Feldmann then told police that the victim had been attacking him that night and the night before. He said he used the razor blade in self-defense.

Feldmann told police that the two were “having issues” because of moving from their home. He offered to show police the box cutter.

He continued to tell police he was defending himself then said he would not answer any further questions and wanted a lawyer, the affidavit statse.

Deputy Kyle Minor noticed dried blood on Feldmann’s sleeve and he was then placed in handcuffs.

As they walked into the home to collect shoes for Feldmann, Minor found the knife used to cut the victim. As he took a photo, Feldmann reached up, grabbed then pinched his arm, causing pain, the affidavit said.

A body search of Feldmann yielded a vape pen and he told police marijuana was inside. He was transported to Brown County jail.

Police later returned to the home and spoke with the victim who said she was laying in her bed when Feldmann continued in and out of the room, allegedly waiving the knife in her face.

The victim said she stood up and tried to push him out of the room. She said he was turned with his back to her as she did this then he turned around and cut her hand with the box cutter. She then left the home.

Feldmann was charged Sept. 30 with domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon, Level 5 felony; criminal recklessness, Level 6 felony; battery against a public safety official, Level 6 felony; and possession of paraphernalia, Class C misdemeanor.

Columbus man charged with theft of chainsaw

A Columbus man was charged with theft after a victim reported him to police for stealing a chainsaw.

Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Bowling spoke on the phone with an individual who on Nelson Ridge Road who said Jeremy Vanantwerp, 39, Columbus, came to their residence around 9 a.m. on July 10.

The victim said that Vanantwerp and another individual spoke outside with him, according to a probable cause affidavit.

As they were talking, the victim turned to get something and when he turned back, he reported seeing Vanantwerp running back to the other individual’s vehicle with the victim’s chainsaw in hand.

The victim’s mother also witnessed the incident.

Bowling met with the victim on Aug. 6, who showed police messages from Vanantwerp stating if he met with him to talk, he’d give back the chainsaw. He also had a message from the other individual telling him he would get it back if he spoke with Vanantwerp.

The victim said Vanantwerp was “mad at him about something,” according to the police report.

Vanantwerp was formally charged on Sept. 1 with theft, a Level 6 felony. The theft charge was elevated to a felony because Vanantwerp had previously been charged with burglary in 2017.