IN - Ray Hanish, 49, strangled to death, poss. conn. to Nicole Bowen’s murder, Kentland, 17 Mar 2019

Family of Ray Hanish first were told he died of natural causes. The death certificate now says, ‘Homicide.’ Prosecutor says Garett Kirts, suspect in Nicole Bowen’s murder, is connected in some way.

Suspect in Kentland torture-murder case tied to strangulation death weeks earlier two counties away
Loads more from Tippy's link but here's approx 10%

"Suspect in Kentland torture-murder case tied to strangulation death weeks earlier two counties away

Dave Bangert Lafayette Journal & Courier
Published 2:24 PM EST Dec 28, 2019
a29f8689-448d-4395-9904-8c62f018e6d1-49676392_10210885693776747_7230402706366529536_o.jpg

Ray Hanish, 49, a nurse living in Reynolds, was found dead in his home on March 17, 2019. The coroner has ruled his death a homicide.
Photo provided

KENTLAND, Ind. – The November morning a bailiff escorted Garett Kirts, a Lebanon 21-year-old shackled and dressed in an orange jumpsuit, into Newton Superior Court, Dottie Hoagland-Hanish had squeezed into one of two rows of the gallery already filled with more than a dozen people in light blue T-shirts printed with a hashtag #justicefornicole.

Hoagland-Hanish was a mismatch in a white T-shirt with big block, rainbow letters.

She’d made the two-hour-plus drive from Warsaw with her daughter, Roxanne Collins – who had come from her home in North Carolina, there in an identical white T-shirt – knowing she’d have to explain the message across her chest, “Justice for Ray,” and what it had to do with a murder case on another side of Indiana, in another time zone.

When her son, Ray Hanish, died in March at age 49, his body found in his Reynolds duplex days later, there were no accounts in a newspaper in or around the White County town 25 miles north of Lafayette. Nothing on TV, either. Nothing much on social media, even. The initial word she received was that Hanish, a nurse at a nursing home in Monticello, had died of natural causes.

“It didn’t add up,” Hoagland-Hanish said.

Months later, in September, Ray Hanish’s death certificate was released by the White County coroner. Under the manner of death section, the coroner put a checkmark next to “Homicide.”

The cause of death: “Asphyxia due to ligature strangulation.”

The how and the why still are sketchy from official sources.

Sgt. Kim Riley, spokesman for the Indiana State Police post in Lafayette, said results of an ISP investigation into Hanish’s death were turned over to the White County prosecutor. Beyond that, Riley said he wasn’t in a position to share details of what police suspect happened to Ray Hanish.

What the family knows from the prosecutor is that Kirts – charged in Newton County, jailed and waiting a trial in connection with the strangulation death of Nicole Bowen, a West Lafayette mother of two found dead in late March a few miles from Kentland – was somehow tied to Ray Hanish’s death, as well."
 
Loads more from Tippy's link but here's approx 10%

"Suspect in Kentland torture-murder case tied to strangulation death weeks earlier two counties away

Dave Bangert Lafayette Journal & Courier
Published 2:24 PM EST Dec 28, 2019
a29f8689-448d-4395-9904-8c62f018e6d1-49676392_10210885693776747_7230402706366529536_o.jpg

Ray Hanish, 49, a nurse living in Reynolds, was found dead in his home on March 17, 2019. The coroner has ruled his death a homicide.
Photo provided

KENTLAND, Ind. – The November morning a bailiff escorted Garett Kirts, a Lebanon 21-year-old shackled and dressed in an orange jumpsuit, into Newton Superior Court, Dottie Hoagland-Hanish had squeezed into one of two rows of the gallery already filled with more than a dozen people in light blue T-shirts printed with a hashtag #justicefornicole.

Hoagland-Hanish was a mismatch in a white T-shirt with big block, rainbow letters.

She’d made the two-hour-plus drive from Warsaw with her daughter, Roxanne Collins – who had come from her home in North Carolina, there in an identical white T-shirt – knowing she’d have to explain the message across her chest, “Justice for Ray,” and what it had to do with a murder case on another side of Indiana, in another time zone.

When her son, Ray Hanish, died in March at age 49, his body found in his Reynolds duplex days later, there were no accounts in a newspaper in or around the White County town 25 miles north of Lafayette. Nothing on TV, either. Nothing much on social media, even. The initial word she received was that Hanish, a nurse at a nursing home in Monticello, had died of natural causes.

“It didn’t add up,” Hoagland-Hanish said.

Months later, in September, Ray Hanish’s death certificate was released by the White County coroner. Under the manner of death section, the coroner put a checkmark next to “Homicide.”

The cause of death: “Asphyxia due to ligature strangulation.”

The how and the why still are sketchy from official sources.

Sgt. Kim Riley, spokesman for the Indiana State Police post in Lafayette, said results of an ISP investigation into Hanish’s death were turned over to the White County prosecutor. Beyond that, Riley said he wasn’t in a position to share details of what police suspect happened to Ray Hanish.

What the family knows from the prosecutor is that Kirts – charged in Newton County, jailed and waiting a trial in connection with the strangulation death of Nicole Bowen, a West Lafayette mother of two found dead in late March a few miles from Kentland – was somehow tied to Ray Hanish’s death, as well."

Thank you.
Personally, I believe 10 percent of people are responsible for about 90 percent of crime, and they get caught for about one in ten of their crimes.
Getting someone like Kirts and his gang locked up will save dozens of lives over the next 50 years.
 
There are a few "SUPPORT" groups and videos right now discussing the connection with Ray and Nicole's cases and the court cases coming up.
These include family members on a few of the youtube ones along with some information and how to support the families during this time.
#JusticeforNicole
#JusticeforRay
 
Does anyone know if this is normal to have to wait for justice when the person of interest is involved in another crime? Probably a lawyer question. Or anyone who has followed other such cases might have an idea.
 
Does anyone know if this is normal to have to wait for justice when the person of interest is involved in another crime? Probably a lawyer question. Or anyone who has followed other such cases might have an idea.

JMO but I think in other cases people have been charged in other crimes in other locations regardless of what their current charges are. Then they get transferred around. I find it odd but I don't really know. I know everyone says they are taking their time, no reason to rush since he's already in custody etc.

It really makes you wonder what other crimes GK may have committed but hasn't been charged with, doesn't it? ...
 
JMO but I think in other cases people have been charged in other crimes in other locations regardless of what their current charges are. Then they get transferred around. I find it odd but I don't really know. I know everyone says they are taking their time, no reason to rush since he's already in custody etc.

It really makes you wonder what other crimes GK may have committed but hasn't been charged with, doesn't it? ...
It does indeed.

Horrifying as these two murders were, they may be 'only' the tip of the iceberg. MOO
 
JMO but I think in other cases people have been charged in other crimes in other locations regardless of what their current charges are. Then they get transferred around. I find it odd but I don't really know. I know everyone says they are taking their time, no reason to rush since he's already in custody etc.

It really makes you wonder what other crimes GK may have committed but hasn't been charged with, doesn't it? ...

It sure does!!!
 
Does anyone know if this is normal to have to wait for justice when the person of interest is involved in another crime? Probably a lawyer question. Or anyone who has followed other such cases might have an idea.
It's all about money. If they're going to incarcerate someone for a long time I believe they just feel it's a waste of money to transfer or charge/court appearance etc. I really don't think it's personal choice but a financial one. I'm sure the families take it to heart and it hurts. It just seems there should be a more appropriate way to acknowledge the situation to lessen the pain for loved ones. moo
 
Who/What is the GK5?

The GK5 refer to a gang/group of criminal sorts that include GK, Garth, & 3 others charged with various charges in connection with the murder of Nicole Bowen.

The article above posted by @Tippy Lynn is long, but a great read and explains who the “GK5”’is.
 
Last edited:
Who/What is the GK5?

A group of friends/acquaintances who are defendants in at least one other NW Indiana murder, and possibly linked to other unsolved crimes as well, in the opinion of some. See Found Deceased - IN - Newton County, Fem, 30 Mar 2019 - Nicole Bowen

My understanding is that we're not supposed to mix case discussions that have not been linked by LE, nor can we discuss persons who are not named POI in reference to any case, so those other cases are off limits here. I hope the above link is allowed.
 

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