Prosecutor: Suspect Could Soon Be Charged In Woman's Disappearance

FRANKLIN, Ind. -- The Johnson County prosecutor says new information regarding the 2002 disappearance of a Greenwood woman may soon prompt him to charge Joseph Nowicki with murder.

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Prosecutor Cites 'New Information'

Nowicki, 54, whose doctors say he is dying of throat cancer, has long been named a suspect but is not charged in the disappearance of Brookley Louks. He recently was in federal custody on a firearms charge, but a judge released him last week so he could die at home.

Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner said Monday he would decide within days whether to charge Nowicki (pictured, left) in the Louks case.

"We have had new information come to us from Greenwood police -- information that they've obtained by interviews with this suspect," said Hamner, who did not elaborate.

Louks was 19 when she was reported missing June 24, 2002, and has not been seen since. Authorities believe she is dead.

Police in September said drops of what they believed to be Louks' blood were found on Nowicki's property. The blood was found during a search July 17, 2002, police said.

Louks (pictured, right) used to do errands for Nowicki, who was a friend of her father.

Nowicki has denied involvement in the disappearance.

Nowicki's attorney, Jay Hoffman, said prosecutors should have filed charges long ago if they have evidence against his client. Still, Hoffman said he anticipates Nowicki will be charged with murder if Nowicki does not give authorities "information that will lead to the discovery of the body of Brookley Louks."

"I don't know what he knows. I don't know if he knows anything. But I don't anticipate he's going to be giving some sort of an 11th-hour confession that would lead them to discover Brookley Louks' body," Hoffman said.

RTV6 reported last month that Nowicki recently hinted in a letter to authorities that he has information that could help the probe.

RTV6 reported Nowicki wrote the following: "If I were to tell you all I know right now, then your case would be cleared up." RTV6 learned of the letter through a source on condition that the source not be identified.