4 Charged In Teen's Slaying

KOKOMO, Ind. -- Four men were charged Thursday in connection with the 2008 slaying of a Kokomo teen and wounding of her 19-year-old friend after a grand jury returned their indictments.

Police said Jessie Harris, 26, fatally shot Abby Rethlake, 18, and wounded her friend, Morgan Vetter, 19, in a car in a parking lot outside the Meadow Lawn apartments on April 5, 2008.

Three other men -- Michael Yates, 26; Reggie Balentine, 32 and Launden Lockett, 26 -- were also charged in the case for their alleged role in helping Harris commit the crime, officials said.

Rethlake and Vetter were not the intended targets of the shooting, authorities said, but another man in the car with them -- Mark Matthews -- was.

Police said all of the men charged were already incarcerated in connection with other cases. Their initial hearings were set for Nov. 20.

The case stumped investigators for many months, leading to an offer of a $10,000 reward for information in the case.

"It's been a long 17 months. Finally, finally some closure, some justice for Abby," Kathy Rethlake, Abby's mother, said.

"Morgan and Abby were such good kids, and it's just a senseless, senseless murder. It should have never happened," Mike Vetter, Morgan's father, said. "I just want to see these people get what they deserve and never to be able to hurt anyone again."