‘I've been shot': Hammond man's trial opens for hog-tying, shooting man
When Lansing Police Officer Todd Yonker first showed up at an apartment for a 911 gunshot victim call in November 2022, he quickly clocked it wasn't a typical crime.
The victim was lying in a bed in a pair of black shorts. He was shaking and somewhat incoherent. His hands were partially tied with an electrical cord and tow straps.
All the cars surrounding the apartment – including the victim's own vehicle — were cold to the touch, a possible sign they weren't driven recently.
The man was clearly beaten in the face and he had a bullet wound in his leg where blood had already dried.
'I'm thinking he was shot somewhere and dumped here,' he speculated in bodycam footage.
Later, Lansing Detective Mike Lindemulder took pictures at Advocate Christ Medical Center where the man had a golf club-shaped bruise on his back. The victim said there he was hogtied, trapped, beaten and shot after his co-worker Aric Fulton's 50th birthday party in Hammond, Indiana.
Fulton, 52, is on trial this week in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point, Indiana.
He is charged with attempted murder, robbery, criminal confinement, aggravated battery, strangulation and three counts of battery. He has pleaded not guilty.
Court documents state he told the victim he was the 'black Jeffery Dahmer.'
The victim – who asked the media not to use his name – went through a 'living nightmare,' Deputy Prosecutor Michael Stewart told jurors in opening statements.
He had unknowingly walked 'into a trap,' the lawyer said.
The violence happened after Fulton kicked the couple of people there out, leaving the victim alone, Stewart said. Fulton's behavior turned 'very' strange and 'paranoid.'
Defense lawyer Jose Vega argued the story was turned around.
The victim was the aggressor, he argued. He brought a Hennessey bottle to the party and 'grew darker' and 'relentless' as the night progressed. His client was forced to shoot him in the leg in self-defense, he said.
Hammond Police didn't interview the other two people at the party, the lawyer argued.
Jurors saw about 30 minutes of Yonker's bodycam footage Monday as he and other police tried to figure out what happened.
A relative told officers the victim showed up at the apartment.
'Bro, I've been shot,' the man recalled he said.
Yonker, a now 28-year veteran, later conveyed the man's injuries to a co-worker outside.
'I looked at his face, I was like, 'Holy (smokes),'' he said on the footage.
Court documents state the victim told police Fulton invited him to his apartment Nov. 22, 2022, to celebrate Fulton's 50th birthday. He appeared drunk when the victim showed up.
He and Fulton played pool inside the apartment. Fulton told a couple visiting him briefly it was 'time to leave,' then locked the deadbolt on his apartment door, charges state.
Fulton told the victim he took the key to his deadbolt. They argued before Fulton took out a revolver and shot the victim in the left thigh as he ran behind the pool table, documents state.
The victim said his foot went numb. Fulton forced him to take off his clothes looking for the key, then let him put his underwear back on, he told police.
Fulton recorded him and later threatened to kill his family if he went to the police, the affidavit alleges.
Fulton allegedly hog-tied him with an extension cord and tow strap, according to court documents.
The victim said Fulton beat him with a golf club in the head, legs, thigh and arm, the affidavit alleges. He also hit him with a baseball bat.
Once Fulton dropped the revolver, the victim tried to grab it, but his hands were still tied. Fulton choked him until he lost consciousness at least twice and dragged him around the apartment with the extension cord around his neck.
The victim said he woke up in a garbage bag that 'smelled like bleach' in an enclosed porch. The victim also said he got kicked down a flight of stairs to a basement that had a light and chair.
The man said he begged Fulton to let him go, saying he had kids, promising he wouldn't call the police. Fulton allegedly put the bag over his head and walked him to his car. Fulton drove a 'short distance' before he stopped the car, cut the restraints and let him go.
The victim drove home where the relative called the cops, the affidavit states.
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‘I've been shot': Hammond man's trial opens for hog-tying, shooting man
When Lansing police Officer Todd Yonker first showed up at an apartment for a 911 gunshot victim call in November 2022, he quickly clocked it wasn't a typical crime. The victim was lying in a bed in a pair of black shorts. He was shaking and somewhat incoherent. His hands were partially tied with an electrical cord and tow straps. All the cars surrounding the apartment — including the victim's own vehicle — were cold to the touch, a possible sign they weren't driven recently. The man was clearly beaten in the face and he had a bullet wound in his leg where blood had already dried. 'I'm thinking he was shot somewhere and dumped here,' he speculated in bodycam footage. Later, Lansing Detective Mike Lindemulder took pictures at Advocate Christ Medical Center where the man had a golf club-shaped bruise on his back. The victim said there he was hogtied, trapped, beaten and shot after his co-worker Aric Fulton's 50th birthday party in Hammond, Indiana. Fulton, 52, is on trial this week in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point, Indiana. He is charged with attempted murder, robbery, criminal confinement, aggravated battery, strangulation and three counts of battery. He has pleaded not guilty. Court documents state he told the victim he was the 'black Jeffery Dahmer.' The victim — who asked the media not to use his name — went through a 'living nightmare,' Deputy Prosecutor Michael Stewart told jurors in opening statements. He had unknowingly walked 'into a trap,' the lawyer said. The violence happened after Fulton kicked the couple of people there out, leaving the victim alone, Stewart said. Fulton's behavior turned 'very' strange and 'paranoid.' Defense lawyer Jose Vega argued the story was turned around. The victim was the aggressor, he argued. He brought a Hennessey bottle to the party and 'grew darker' and 'relentless' as the night progressed. His client was forced to shoot him in the leg in self-defense, he said. Hammond Police didn't interview the other two people at the party, the lawyer argued. Jurors saw about 30 minutes of Yonker's bodycam footage Monday as he and other police tried to figure out what happened. A relative told officers the victim showed up at the apartment. 'Bro, I've been shot,' the man recalled he said. Yonker, a now 28-year veteran, later conveyed the man's injuries to a co-worker outside. 'I looked at his face, I was like, 'Holy (smokes),'' he said on the footage. Court documents state the victim told police Fulton invited him to his apartment Nov. 22, 2022, to celebrate Fulton's 50th birthday. He appeared drunk when the victim showed up. He and Fulton played pool inside the apartment. Fulton told a couple visiting him briefly it was 'time to leave,' then locked the deadbolt on his apartment door, charges state. Fulton told the victim he took the key to his deadbolt. They argued before Fulton took out a revolver and shot the victim in the left thigh as he ran behind the pool table, documents state. The victim said his foot went numb. Fulton forced him to take off his clothes looking for the key, then let him put his underwear back on, he told police. Fulton recorded him and later threatened to kill his family if he went to the police, the affidavit alleges. Fulton allegedly hog-tied him with an extension cord and tow strap, according to court documents. The victim said Fulton beat him with a golf club in the head, legs, thigh and arm, the affidavit alleges. He also hit him with a baseball bat. Once Fulton dropped the revolver, the victim tried to grab it, but his hands were still tied. Fulton choked him until he lost consciousness at least twice and dragged him around the apartment with the extension cord around his neck. The victim said he woke up in a garbage bag that 'smelled like bleach' in an enclosed porch. The victim also said he got kicked down a flight of stairs to a basement that had a light and chair. The man said he begged Fulton to let him go, saying he had kids, promising he wouldn't call the police. Fulton allegedly put the bag over his head and walked him to his car. Fulton drove a 'short distance' before he stopped the car, cut the restraints and let him go. The victim drove home where the relative called the cops, the affidavit states. mcolias@
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‘I've been shot': Hammond man's trial opens for hog-tying, shooting man
When Lansing Police Officer Todd Yonker first showed up at an apartment for a 911 gunshot victim call in November 2022, he quickly clocked it wasn't a typical crime. The victim was lying in a bed in a pair of black shorts. He was shaking and somewhat incoherent. His hands were partially tied with an electrical cord and tow straps. All the cars surrounding the apartment – including the victim's own vehicle — were cold to the touch, a possible sign they weren't driven recently. The man was clearly beaten in the face and he had a bullet wound in his leg where blood had already dried. 'I'm thinking he was shot somewhere and dumped here,' he speculated in bodycam footage. Later, Lansing Detective Mike Lindemulder took pictures at Advocate Christ Medical Center where the man had a golf club-shaped bruise on his back. The victim said there he was hogtied, trapped, beaten and shot after his co-worker Aric Fulton's 50th birthday party in Hammond, Indiana. Fulton, 52, is on trial this week in Lake Superior Court in Crown Point, Indiana. He is charged with attempted murder, robbery, criminal confinement, aggravated battery, strangulation and three counts of battery. He has pleaded not guilty. Court documents state he told the victim he was the 'black Jeffery Dahmer.' The victim – who asked the media not to use his name – went through a 'living nightmare,' Deputy Prosecutor Michael Stewart told jurors in opening statements. He had unknowingly walked 'into a trap,' the lawyer said. The violence happened after Fulton kicked the couple of people there out, leaving the victim alone, Stewart said. Fulton's behavior turned 'very' strange and 'paranoid.' Defense lawyer Jose Vega argued the story was turned around. The victim was the aggressor, he argued. He brought a Hennessey bottle to the party and 'grew darker' and 'relentless' as the night progressed. His client was forced to shoot him in the leg in self-defense, he said. Hammond Police didn't interview the other two people at the party, the lawyer argued. Jurors saw about 30 minutes of Yonker's bodycam footage Monday as he and other police tried to figure out what happened. A relative told officers the victim showed up at the apartment. 'Bro, I've been shot,' the man recalled he said. Yonker, a now 28-year veteran, later conveyed the man's injuries to a co-worker outside. 'I looked at his face, I was like, 'Holy (smokes),'' he said on the footage. Court documents state the victim told police Fulton invited him to his apartment Nov. 22, 2022, to celebrate Fulton's 50th birthday. He appeared drunk when the victim showed up. He and Fulton played pool inside the apartment. Fulton told a couple visiting him briefly it was 'time to leave,' then locked the deadbolt on his apartment door, charges state. Fulton told the victim he took the key to his deadbolt. They argued before Fulton took out a revolver and shot the victim in the left thigh as he ran behind the pool table, documents state. The victim said his foot went numb. Fulton forced him to take off his clothes looking for the key, then let him put his underwear back on, he told police. Fulton recorded him and later threatened to kill his family if he went to the police, the affidavit alleges. Fulton allegedly hog-tied him with an extension cord and tow strap, according to court documents. The victim said Fulton beat him with a golf club in the head, legs, thigh and arm, the affidavit alleges. He also hit him with a baseball bat. Once Fulton dropped the revolver, the victim tried to grab it, but his hands were still tied. Fulton choked him until he lost consciousness at least twice and dragged him around the apartment with the extension cord around his neck. The victim said he woke up in a garbage bag that 'smelled like bleach' in an enclosed porch. The victim also said he got kicked down a flight of stairs to a basement that had a light and chair. The man said he begged Fulton to let him go, saying he had kids, promising he wouldn't call the police. Fulton allegedly put the bag over his head and walked him to his car. Fulton drove a 'short distance' before he stopped the car, cut the restraints and let him go. The victim drove home where the relative called the cops, the affidavit states.
