On October 4, 2024, at approximately 8:55 PM, officers from the Washington Police Department’s 2nd shift responded to the 700 block of Center Street after receiving a tip about an unreported death of an elderly woman. Upon arrival, officers encountered 54-year-old Marcus Lane. They proceeded to another residence in the 800 block of Center Street, where they found his mother, 91-year-old Phyllis Lane, deceased. Based on her condition, authorities believed that she had been deceased for some time.
A WPD detective, along with an Indiana State Police Crime Scene Investigator, the Daviess County Coroner’s Office, and the Daviess County Prosecutor’s Office, arrived on the scene to assist. A search warrant was obtained for the residence, and an autopsy later confirmed that Phyllis Lane had passed away from natural causes.
Marcus Lane was arrested and charged with Failure to Report the Discovery or Handling of Human Remains, a crime under Indiana law that carries significant penalties. In Indiana, this offense is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, which can result in up to one year in jail and fines of up to $5,000. In cases where neglect or intentional misconduct is involved, the charges could escalate, but in this instance, authorities confirmed that Phyllis’s death was due to natural causes.
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