In what's marking a deepening investigation, local authorities have arrested a sixth individual linked to the January 18 shooting of Tippecanoe County Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kim Meyer. As reported by CBS News, 23-year-old Nevaeh Bell was taken into custody, joining five other suspects previously arrested in the case, cementing the gravity of the coordinated attack that appears to have been aimed at disrupting a court proceeding presided over by Judge Meyer.
Nevaeh Bell, who hails from Lafayette, has been charged with a slew of felonies, including two counts of attempted murder and four counts of conspiracy to commit murder among other accusations, according to a WTHR report; she came under the scrutiny of the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit and the Tippecanoe County High Tech Crime Unit, these agencies played instrumental roles in her apprehension and her arrest following intensive investigative collaboration, as affirmed by court records, she's yet to have an initial court date scheduled.
Police have been systematically unraveling the case since the assault occurred at Judge Meyer's residence, located on the 1700 block of Mill Pond Lane in Lafayette. FOX59 detailed that investigation efforts connected Bell with Thomas Moss, a “high-ranking member” of the Indiana Chapter of the Phantom Motorcycle Club and Bell's alleged boyfriend; four other individuals were pinpointed for direct involvement in the shooting and together with Moss, were previously charged with crimes ranging from attempted murder to conspiracy and battery.
According to the intricate narrative pieced together by investigators and outlined in a FOX59 release, the attack was not a random act of violence but seemingly a calculated measure tied to Moss's case, for which Judge Meyer was the presiding judge; court documents describe a plan involving intimidation and potential additional violence including an earlier attempt on a key witness's life with Bell purportedly supplying funds for that scheme, all pointing to a concerted effort to influence the outcome of Moss's forthcoming trial which sadly culminated in the shooting that left the Meyers with non-fatal injuries.
In an aftermath filled with community support, Kim Meyer expressed gratitude towards the local police and medical personnel for their prompt response and care. "We are also incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support from the community; everyone has been so kind and compassionate," she said in a statement obtained by CBS News. The Lafayette Police Department, through the due diligence and hard work of investigators, continues to piece together the events and associations that led to this disruptive act of violence within their jurisdiction.
