Inmate Fatally Strangled Deputy With Handcuffs in Failed Escape: Court Docs

An Indiana inmate, jailed in the killing of his son's mother outside of a day-care center last year, has been accused of fatally strangling a Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) deputy during a botched escape, according to court documents.

At roughly 11:30 a.m. Monday, MCSO Deputy John Durm was killed in a "violent altercation" after returning from transporting inmate Orlando Mitchell, 34, to a medical appointment, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) said in an online statement.

Mitchell is accused of using the chain of his handcuffs to strangle Durm, the veteran law enforcement officer who had been with MCSO for 38 years, before stealing his van, according to court documents obtained by WTHR. The inmate crashed less than a half mile away before being taken back into custody.

Durm's death was ruled a homicide on Tuesday by the Marion County Coroner's Office, which noted that he died from ligature strangulation, WTHR reports. Mitchell faces preliminary charges of murder, felony murder, robbery and escape.

Newsweek reached out via email on Tuesday to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office to obtain the arrest report. A spokesperson for IMPD, which is handling the investigation, said the department was unable to respond to Newsweek's request for comment by the time of publication.

Mitchell has been in the Marion County jail since September 16, 2022, records show, after being charged in the death of his former girlfriend and infant son's mother, 32-year-old Krystal Walton. She was gunned down outside Charity Child Care in Indianapolis, IMPD told local outlets shortly after the incident. Walton was killed after dropping her children off, and her death was witnessed by day-care workers as well as children, the department said. Mitchell had a history of domestic abuse against Walton before the killing, police said.

On Monday, after returning to the Adult Detention Center at the Criminal Justice Campus in Indianapolis, the arrest report states, surveillance video shows Durm and Mitchell exit the sheriff's van. The inmate moves behind the deputy, the arrest report says, and manages to put his handcuff chain around Durm's neck. The two men struggled to the ground, where, according to the arrest report, Mitchell stayed on Durm and continued to strangle the deputy until he stopped moving.

Mitchell then used a key to remove the handcuffs before getting into the sheriff's van and speeding off through a gate and crashing into a pole outside of the Criminal Justice Center in the 3000 block of Prospect Street, according to the report. He was taken back into custody at the scene by MCSO deputies and IMPD officers, the department said, adding that one deputy suffered minor injuries during the arrest.

Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services rushed Durm to nearby Eskenazi Hospital, but he was unable to be saved, IMPD said.

Durm leaves behind his wife and four children as well as his parents and several other family members, WTHR reports.

MCSO, where he worked for more than three decades, said during a Tuesday news conference that Durm was known for "going above and beyond."

"John Durm not only was dedicated to the service office, he was a dedicated family man. He loved fishing, hunting and golf," MCSO Executive Officer Tanesha Crear said. "He was very loving and kind and willing to go over and beyond what was asked of him as a deputy here at the sheriff's office. To say we are experiencing a great loss is an understatement."

Crear described Durm as a "gentle giant" who was trusted throughout the sheriff's office.

"I want his kids, his close friends and family to know that we are with them, and we support them during this time and this tragedy," Crear said. "We definitely love John. We love them, and if there's anything we can do, we are absolutely here to continue that support for and with them."

The Marion County Prosecutor's Office is expected to file the final charges this week. Mitchell's trial in the slaying of Walton is scheduled for October 24.