CROWN POINT, Ind. (Oct. 22, 2014) – Investigators said a suspected serial killer was talkative earlier this week.
It was a different case Wednesday, as Darren Vann, accused of killing seven women, refused to answer a judge’s questions in court. His silence forced the hearing to be rescheduled for next week.
According to witnesses inside the courtroom, the judge had made three attempts to swear Vann in. After each failed, the judge told him if he did not cooperate he’d spend the rest of his life in prison.
Vann, again did not say a word. That is when the judge rescheduled his arraignment to next Wednesday.
The Lake County Sheriff told reporters Wednesday that Vann was confused and told his attorney that he wanted to be taken to a “regular courtroom.”
“Again I’ll add this is considered a regular court room. We conduct trials, hearings there, arraignments there, Monday through Friday, throughout the year” said John Buncich, the Lake County Sheriff.
One theory on why Vann did not speak in court is because he could potentially face the death penalty in Indiana. However if he refuses to speak, he may be relegated to spending the rest of his life in prison.
Vann is charged in the death of Afrikka Hardy, 19, who was found strangled at a Hammond motel Friday night. After evidence led police to Vann, he admitted to a string of other killings and told police where to find the bodies.
So far, Vann has implicated himself in seven killings, but police fear there may be more. The murders could go back as far as 20 years.
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