FRANKFORT, Ind. -- Frankfort police have charged a 67-year-old woman with murder in connection with the death of a 96-year-old woman.
Police were called to a home in the 200 block of South Third Street around 8:11 a.m. Tuesday morning. When officers arrived they found the body of the victim, Betty Wann, 96, inside the home. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Linda Decker, 67 of Frankfort, is charged with Wann's. According to court documents released on Wednesday, Decker is Wann’s niece. Along with that, the documents show the disturbing details about how she was killed.
Police were dispatched to the Clinton County duplex for a report of an elderly deceased female with what was described as “blood everywhere and a back door busted in.” Police found Wann with her torso on the bed and her lower body hanging off the bed with a large laceration to her head. It’s believed she was hit by a ceramic lamp, which used to be kept at her bedside. Wann’s purse and wallet were also laying out.
The documents say that Decker lived in the other half of the duplex. After interviewing Decker, police searched her residence. They used blood reagents to detect a trail of blood from the area where Betty was killed, to the washing machine in Decker’s home, then to a sofa where Decker slept. That’s where police also found a bloody pillow. A detective also observed scratch marks on Decker’s face, hands and blood on her finger.
Police also spoke with a woman Monica Beard, who is Decker's daughter according to the court documents. Beard was able to lead detectives to a safe in Wann’s home. Wann kept a ledger where she documented all the money she loaned people. The ledger showed that Decker owed her thousands of dollars. Decker is also the beneficiary of Wann’s will.
An autopsy determined Wann died of sharp and blunt force injury to her head and face. She also suffered blunt force trauma to her chest and neck. Her death was ruled a homicide.
Decker pleaded not guilty Wednesday to one count of murder.
