38-year-old fakes his own death to evade arrest, Indiana cops say. He’s been caught

A Phoenix man accused of faking his own death to escape arrest in Arizona has been taken into custody in Indiana, law enforcement officials reported.

The 38-year-old man faces charges including sexual misconduct with a minor, molestation of a child and sexual contact with a minor, Clark County Sheriff Scottie Maples said in a Monday, March 27, news release.

He fled to Indiana from Arizona after having a friend call his family from a hospital to falsely report he had died and have them pick up his personal belongings, Maples said.

The “act of deception,” intended to fool investigators, helped him escape authorities, the release said.

After learning the man might be in Indiana, Clark County sheriff’s detectives began investigating along with police in Arizona and Indiana, Maples said.

They arrested the man in Sellersburg on a warrant, the release said. He’s being held pending extradition to Arizona.

Clark County is located in southern Indiana across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky.

This story was originally published March 28, 2023 at 12:49 PM with the headline "38-year-old fakes his own death to evade arrest, Indiana cops say. He’s been caught."