The retiring director of IPFW’s Community Research Institute received Indiana’s top honor during a surprise party Tuesday at Parkview Field, the university announced.Kosciusko County detectives have arrested a 54-year-old man on suspicion of killing his roommate in a mobile home park south of Warsaw, according to the sheriff’s department.
Robert Edward Hurley is facing a preliminary charge of murder in the death of Lionel Dale King, 51.
According to Sgt. Chad Hill, Hurley told investigators he got into an argument with King and became so angry that he put a cord around King’s throat.
Hurley admitted he strangled King until he was unconscious and not breathing, said Hill, a sheriff’s department spokesman.
An unknown amount of time passed before Hurley sent a text message to one of King’s relatives and possibly spoke on the phone with that relative, Hill said.
In the exchange, Hurley relayed information that led King’s family to promptly call the sheriff’s department and ask that someone check on King, Hill said.
About 12:45 p.m. Sunday, deputies were dispatched to the home where King and Hurley lived, which was Lot 34 in the Hide-Away Hills mobile home park at 2441 W. County Road 250 S.
Hurley answered the door, and deputies found King’s body in a bedroom, Hill said.
King appeared to have been strangled by a cord, but his cause of death has not been determined, Hill said.
Authorities are awaiting the results of an autopsy.
Investigators believe the strangling took place in the living room and that Hurley then dragged King into the bedroom where his body was found, Hill said.
Hurley was taken into custody without incident. He was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail and held without bail.
