By Dave Stafford, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer
ANDERSON, Ind. — The weekend slaying of a Pendleton man was drug-related, authorities said Monday.
“In the initial investigation ... the shooter stated he was there purchasing pills,” Pendleton Police Chief Marc Farrer said.
Ryan L. Stamm, 29, of Clifford Street in Anderson, was in the Madison County Jail on Monday on suspicion of murder in the death of Michael Dickey, 33, 520 Taylor St., Pendleton.
Police found Dickey in his home late Saturday, where he had been shot three times. Mortally wounded, Dickey told them he’d been shot by Stamm, police said. Dickey was airlifted to Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis, where he died at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.
“They recovered pills from Stamm’s vehicle,” Farrer said, “a large number of pills.” He said the prescription medications included hydrocodone and others that as of Monday had not been identified.
Madison County Prosecutor Thomas Broderick Jr. said a 72-hour hold on Stamm gives authorities until 1 p.m. Thursday to file formal charges. Stamm also will have an initial court appearance by that time, Broderick said.
“We’re still in the process of receiving information from police. Their investigation is not complete yet,” Broderick said, noting other charges could be filed.
Drug charges are possible, as are charges of resisting law enforcement and criminal recklessness requested by Anderson police.
Stamm was arrested after he led police on a high-speed chase through Anderson early Sunday morning. A probable cause affidavit said Anderson Police Department officers had been on the lookout for Stamm after being alerted by Pendleton officers.
Anderson Police Department officers set up a felony stop at a convenience store on North Madison Avenue, and when officers called for Stamm to throw the keys to his Jeep from the ignition, “he paused for about 20 seconds and then accelerated out of the lot onto Madison Avenue northbound at a high rate of speed.”
The chase reached speeds of 90 mph before Stamm stopped his car in the 700 block of Lafayette Street and fled on foot into a wooded area. When Stamm resisted police dogs in the woods, they used a Taser on him and made the arrest, according to the affidavit.
The Marion County coroner’s office completed an autopsy Monday, but could provide no information. Farrer, the Pendleton chief, said he was waiting on official autopsy and toxicology reports.
Authorities said Dickey and Stamm each had lengthy criminal records. Farrer said he had known Dickey since he was employed at a Henry County juvenile detention facility when Dickey had been housed there.
Contact Dave Stafford: 648-4250, dave.stafford@heraldbulletin.com
Second homicide of 2009
The weekend shooting of Michael Dickey in Pendleton marked the second homicide in the county this year, according to the Madison County Health Department.
Rodney Clay, 23, died from multiple gunshot wounds in January. He was found slain inside his Home Avenue residence in Anderson. No arrests have been made in that case.
The rate of homicides this year compares favorably to 2008, when there were six deaths ruled homicides, according to the health department.
