Glenn Linderman, 33, of Bourbon, was sentenced October 1, in Marshall Superior Court Number 1 to 10 years imprisonment for manufacturing methamphetamine. Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman expressed his gratitude and admiration to Detective Leo Mangus of the Plymouth Police Department and to an essential witness for reviving a four year old case for prosecution.
The case began on March 13, 2011 when Plymouth Fire and Plymouth Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to the 700 block of Pearl St., in Plymouth. A resident of Thayer Street had called 911 reporting she heard an explosion and looked outside to see a man on the roof of a house on Pearl St. trying to put out a fire. Sgt. Joe Deisch and Patrolman Wallace Derifield of the Plymouth Police Department responded to the scene but could not find anyone around the house.
Radio traffic then came across that a white van had just dropped off a severely burned female at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. It was reported the white van then sped away. Officer Derifield then reported seeing a white van pull into the residence at 707 Pearl St., driven by an individual later identified as Scott Davis. Davis denied knowing of any fire or burn victim and refused to allow fire or police personnel to enter his residence. Chief Andy Metsker would not take no for an answer, and in the interest of public safety insisted that fire personnel enter the residence to check the source of the explosion with the objective of fire suppression. Firefighters confirmed the fire was out and observed a suspected methamphetamine one-pot lab consisting of a plastic bottle with a hose sticking out and containing white crystal substances. Firefighters and law enforcement had no choice but to then leave and secure the residence.
Fireman Art Jacobs then interacted with Mr. Davis who then advised him that a methamphetamine lab was inside the residence, along with various chemicals in the upstairs bathroom. Davis denied any involvement with the meth manufacturing activity, but remained uncooperative to officers and firefighters and requested an attorney. Consequently, a search warrant was requested and obtained and the meth lab was seized, photographed and destroyed with the assistance of the Indiana State Police Methamphetamine Suppression Team.
Detective Jim Cox was able to identify Glenn Linderman as another male individual from the fire scene. Detective Cox was able to locate Linderman on Olive Trail. Linderman was suffering from numerous burns and was eventually transported to a burn unit in Ft. Wayne, IN. He too was uncooperative and denied any involvement with the meth lab on Pearl Street.
On June 7, 2011, Davis finally cooperated and gave a detailed statement identifying the individuals at his home as Glenn Linderman and Dawn Brauneker. He continued to deny any involvement with the manufacturing process and insisted he left those two individuals in his home for several hours. He stated he returned home about 3:30 am and that an explosion occurred at about 4:00 am. Davis said he observed Linderman leave the residence with burns on his face and that he went upstairs to investigate and found the female on fire and a fire burning on the roof. He put the fire on the female out and then attended to the roof fire. When that was suppressed, he returned to the female and found she was ablaze again and put that fire out too. He then drove her to the St. Joseph Hospital in Plymouth and left her there.
The female suffered extensive burns and scarring, and was hospitalized for a lengthy period of time. She eventually pled guilty to methamphetamine related charges and received a twelve year sentence on home detention, that was recently modified to six years. The case involving Linderman remained dormant as there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
On November 5, 2014, the female met with Detective Leo Mangus of the Plymouth Police Department and gave a detailed statement of the incident. Subsequent investigation by Det. Mangus resulted in charges against Linderman for Dealing in Methamphetamine as a Class A felony, Aggravated Battery as a Class B felony, and Arson as a Class B felony. After extensive pre-trial negotiations and trial preparation, a plea agreement was entered into between Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tami Napier and defense attorney Tom A. Black. In exchange for pleading guilty to manufacturing methamphetamine, the State dismissed the Arson and Aggravated Battery counts. Evidentiary challenges were prevalent throughout the case, not the least of which was the accuracy of the victim’s memory since she was in a coma for an extended period of time. Judge Robert O. Bowen accepted the agreement and sentenced Linderman to 10 years imprisonment at the Indiana Department of Correction, with two years of the sentence suspended for an executed sentence of 8 years of imprisonment.
Chipman expressed his appreciation to the Plymouth Fire Department and Plymouth Police officers for the diligent, public safety efforts the night of the explosion and fire four and a half years ago. He also emphasized his admiration to Ms. Brauneker for coming forward after so long and fearlessly telling the truth about that night. “Without her courage, Mr. Linderman would not have been held accountable for participating in the life changing events that night. Justice sometimes has a strange way of coming around. And sometimes, you have to be patient,,,,, very patient.”
