Man Faces Preliminary Murder Charge After Girl's Slaying

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- Police on Sunday arrested a 20-year-old man in the slaying of a 14-year-old girl who was found stabbed to death in an apartment.

Demetrick D. Shepherd was arrested shortly after 5 p.m. on preliminary charges of murder and burglary in connection with last week's death of Chelsea Porter, 14. Shepherd was being held in the Bartholomew County Jail without bond after being arrested at the Columbus Police Department.

"We looked at this person from Day 1," Columbus police Capt. Matt Myers said.

Shepherd lived close to the apartment, where Porter had been staying with a friend. Porter was found dead shortly after 3 a.m. Friday. Bartholomew County Coroner Larry Fisher said the girl died from massive bleeding from several stab wounds.

A preliminary autopsy found no other noticeable injuries, Fisher said. The coroner said he did not know what type of sharp instrument was used to stab Porter. A forensic pathologist was scheduled to perform a detailed examination, but results might not be available for several weeks.

The killing was the first in nearly a year in Bartholomew County.

Porter, who attended Central Middle School, did not live in the apartment where her body was found but was staying with a family friend to help prepare for a birthday party, relatives said.

She had moved to Alabama earlier this year but returned to Columbus following the deaths of her great-grandmother and grandfather. She was the third person in her family to die within a month.

"We're drained," said her father, Ray Porter.

"She was too innocent to know better," said Donna Porter, the girl's stepmother.

Relatives and neighbors described Chelsea Porter as a "good girl" who loved small children and makeup.

"She'd come over, play with my kids, spend the night at my house," said Christy Hibbs, who lives two houses south of the apartment building.

Hibbs said her son is close to the girl's age and knew her.

"He said, 'Mom, she didn't even drive,'" Hibbs said. "This was a 14-year-old kid. She hasn't even lived her life yet."

Police planned to release more information about the arrest during a news conference at 4:30 p.m. Monday.