Local pair face murder charges

Two Mercer County residents are awaiting extradition to Indiana to face murder charges in the beating death of an 81-year-old Marion man.

Lacy Bradley, 21, and James Griffith, 33, both of 12001 state Route 81, Rockford, were apprehended Aug. 1 at a Frankfort, Ky., gas station. They were served with murder warrants three days later. No date has been set for extradition hearings.

Court documents filed in Grant County, Ind., allege the pair went to the Marion home of 81-year-old Duwayne Lindsey, a known coin collector, during the early morning hours of July 21 on the pretext they wanted him to check out some old coins.

The affidavit alleges that Bradley struck the man in the head with a hammer and Griffith, using a long knife and brass knuckles, allegedly stabbed and beat the man before slitting his throat.

The pair allegedly ransacked the home and took cash, coins and guns valued at $100,000 before driving to Fort Wayne, Ind., to pick up Eddie Herring, described as a friend. The couple also purchased a van and a motorcycle with the proceeds from the home invasion.

Kentucky State Police reported the suspects pulled into the Frankfort gas station, and Griffith approached two troopers asking for directions. Upon finding expired tags on the motorcycle, Bradley left the van and explained she had just purchased the motorcycle, which he was driving home for her.

Troopers also discovered the van plates did not match the vehicle description and they asked her to step away from the vehicle. She reportedly attempted to bribe them with marijuana and then resisted arrest by head butting and kicking two officers. At one point, she reportedly lunged for her purse containing a concealed handgun. She was subdued with a taser and taken into custody.

A subsequent search of the van yielded more guns - at least one of which reportedly matched the description of a weapon listed as missing from the Marion home, an antique coin collection, cash and prescription medication in unlabeled bottles.

Bradley is being held at the Franklin County Regional Jail in Kentucky on more than a dozen charges including resisting arrest, possession of marijuana and multiple counts of assaulting police officers.

Griffith also remains incarcerated on charges involving receiving stolen property, trafficking and providing a false name and address to authorities.

The couple were booked into the Mercer County Detention Center in June on charges of passing bad checks, theft by deception and falsification filed by the Celina Police Department.

Herring also remains under arrest in Kentucky but the charges - trafficking and receiving stolen property - are not related to the murder.

"Detectives from Marion contacted us regarding the case but I think Bradley and Griffith were already in custody at the point," police chief Dave Slusser said.