The Odon Journal

05/27/2026

Great job, Kenny!

If you are a LEGO fan come and see the Titanic set I just completed. On display at Odon Pharmacy. Over 9000 pieces and took me 5 months to complete.

05/27/2026

SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH LEAVES ONE DECEASED
The Daviess County Sheriff's Office is investigating a traffic fatality accident that occurred on State Road 57 near CR 575 S, Sandyhook
Curve area.

At approximately 11:27am, Daviess County Central Dispatch received a call of a vehicle that struck a guardrail.

The investigation shows Amanda John, age 50, of Velpen Indiana, was driving a white 2024 Chevy Tahoe, south bound on State Road
57. For an unknown reason, the vehicle went off the west side of the roadway, striking a guard rail, and came to rest in a deep ditch.
Mrs. John was pronounced deceased at the scene. Mrs. John’s family has been notified.

The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office is the investigating agency.
The Daviess County Sheriff's Office was assisted at the scene by the Veale Township Volunteer Fire Department, the Washington
Township Volunteer Fire Department, the Daviess County Ambulance Service, the Daviess County Coroner’s Office, and Countryside Wrecker Service.

05/27/2026

Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit has identified the killer from a 1997 cold case. On Sunday December 21st, 1997, 25-year-old Angela S**o was found deceased on Huntington County Reservoir property off County Road 100 East north of County Road 100 South in Huntington County. The Huntington County Coroner’s Office, Huntington County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Conservation Officers, and the Indiana State Police responded to the scene and a murder investigation ensued. An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death was stab wounds.

Witnesses reported that Angela was last seen at her place of employment in Fort Wayne during the early morning hours of December 21, 1997. Angela lived in Fort Wayne and had a 2-year-old son.

Nearly 100 people were interviewed during the initial investigation; however, detectives were unable to develop enough probable cause to charge anyone with S**o’s murder. As the years passed, law enforcement continued to investigate the case. The Indiana State Police spent extensive time over the next twenty-nine years continuing the investigation.

In 2024, the Indiana State Police formed their Cold Case Unit, and a renewed focus was placed on S**o’s murder utilizing advancements in DNA testing. Twenty-eight years after S**o’s murder, evidentiary items collected and preserved at the crime scene were submitted for testing with Identifinders International, a forensic genealogy company in California founded by Colleen Fitzpatrick. A DNA profile was developed using Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) DNA testing. In February 2026, forensic genetic genealogists identified Stephen L. Shlater as a candidate suspect; he was later confirmed through STR testing as the contributor of the DNA at the crime scene. Stephen L. Shlater was 50-years-old at the time Angela S**o was murdered. Ironically, he had been released from federal prison on another case in the Spring of 1997, just five months before Angela’s murder. Shlater died in 2021 in Huntington County. His last known residence was in Markle, Indiana.

Huntington County Prosecutor Jeremy Nix advised that if Stephen L. Shlater were alive today, he would be charged with the murder of Angela S**o. Colleen Fitzpatrick stated, “Identifinders International is proud to have supported the Indiana State Police to bring long overdue answers to Angela’s family. This case is another example of a case that would have not been solved without the use of forensic genetic genealogy.”

The conclusion of this case again demonstrates the tenacity of the Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit seeking answers for victims and their families. The professionalism and expertise displayed by the initial responding law enforcement officers of the Huntington County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Conservation Officers, and Indiana State Police preserved evidence that yielded answers nearly three decades after Angela S**o’s tragic death. The work ethic of detectives from the agencies combined with the assistance of numerous witnesses, the Huntington County Coroner’s Office, the Huntington County Prosecutor’s Office, plus advancements in scientific technology enabled the detectives from the Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit to assemble the pieces of this nearly thirty-year-old puzzle.

05/27/2026

This week's Photos From The Past (2)....The Odon Brownie Scout Troop #707 held a spring style show and concert for the residents of Ketcham Memorial Nursing Center the evening of May 7. Pictured above, in the back, is Leader Theresa Winklepleck. Standing left to right is Trinity Crecelius, Halie Smith, Shannon Winklepleck, Brooke Karns, Elizabeth Cupps, Ashley Deisher, Ansela Thompson. Kneeling is Brittany Boyd, Cindy Kay, Breanna Cupps, Jessie Webster and Bailee Fisher. Not pictured is Stevi Beck and assistant leader Teresa Webster.

05/27/2026

This week's Photos From The Past... The Girl Scout Daisy Troop #707 took a tour of the Odon Madison Township volunteer fire department, April 16. Volunteer firefighter Ron Bell gave the tour and talked about turnout gear and why firemen use the gear. Pictured are Katelyn Deisher, Kaylee Potts, and Ashley Troutman with firefighter Bell and scout leader Linda Potts.

05/25/2026

A great day and an incredible turnout as the Odon VFW Post 9627 - Odon, Indiana, joined by guest speaker U.S. Representative Mark Messmer, commemorated Memorial Day with a ceremony at Walnut Hill Cemetery in Odon. Honoring and remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

05/25/2026

On this episode of The Juice, Grant Swartzentruber sits down with Eric Bassler to discuss the end of his legislative career, the controversy around Senate Bill 1 and its effects on property taxes, recent primary battles and redistricting, and township consolidation. Bassler also offers personal reflections on retirement plans, family milestones, travel, and practical advice for parenting teens in the era of social media.

Welcome to The Juice by The Odon Journal! This is a weekly podcast bringing you local news, community conversations, and the people shaping life in and around Daviess County, Indiana. Be sure to like, subscribe, and share this podcast so more people can stay connected to local stories. You can listen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠odonjuice.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts. Join us next week for another episode of The Juice by The Odon Journal, covering the people, news, and conversations that matter right here in Daviess County.

https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-vgkcy-1ad13ff

On this episode of The Juice, Grant Swartzentruber sits down with Eric Bassler to discuss the end of his legislative career, the controversy around Senate Bill 1 and its effects on property taxes, recent primary battles and redistricting, and township consolidation. Bassler also offers personal refl...

05/25/2026

On this episode of The Juice, Grant Swartzentruber sits down with Eric Bassler to discuss the end of his legislative career, the controversy around Senate Bill 1 and its effects on property taxes, recent primary battles and redistricting, and township consolidation. Bassler also offers personal refl...

05/25/2026

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a road closure for State Road 57 for Daviess County.

Beginning on or around Monday, June 1, crews will close State Road 57 in Washington. This closure will occur at the railroad tracks near Railroad Street.

This road closure will allow for a railroad crossing replacement project. Work is expected to take a week to complete, depending on the weather.

The official detour for this project is State Road 358 to State Road 67 to State Road 550 to U.S. 50. Local traffic will have access up to the point of closure. INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution, and avoid distractions when traveling in and near work zones.

05/25/2026

To ensure our readers receive their newspaper this week, our dedicated employee is hard at work today and our office remains open. We appreciate your continued support and wish everyone a happy, safe, and meaningful Memorial Day as we honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.