Indiana State Police have announced they are investigating a death at the State Prison in Michigan City. The man who died was from Goshen, 30-year-old Daniel Heflin. Heflin pleaded guilty to murder in Elkhart county nearly a decade ago.
An Aug. 16, 2012, news release on the Elkhart County Prosecutor's website provides details of Heflin's plea deal from that time. You can read it below.
Days before Daniel Heflin, 24, of Goshen, was to face a jury for his alleged role in the March 2012 fatal shooting on Chicago Avenue in Goshen, he changed his former not guilty plea to one of guilty. Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis T. Hill, Jr., filed formal charges of Murder, Attempted Murder, and Conspiracy to Commit Murder against Heflin after a swift and thorough investigation by the Goshen Police Department. Due to the allegation that Heflin acted as part of a criminal gang during the shooting, a sentence enhancement was also requested pursuant to Indiana Law. A criminal gang is defined in Indiana as a group of three (3) or more people that participates in the commission of a felony.
Heflin admitted to the Murder, the Attempted Murder and that the enhancement was appropriate since he fired the deadly shots and his actions were aided by others. Heflin also admitted facts illustrating that his acts were in retaliation against another group that had threatened Heflin's co-defendant, William Terry, 25, also of Goshen. Although Heflin was the only person alleged to have fired the deadly shots, William Terry was previously charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder, pled guilty and was sentenced to twenty-five (25) years in prison last month for his role in the crime.
Other individuals involved were Elisa Horton, 22, and Dustin Saylor, 22, both of Goshen, who were accused of lying to police in the investigation, and who also pled guilty and were sentenced to prison last month for Assisting a Criminal, a Class C felony.
Pursuant to the Plea Agreement between Heflin and the Prosecutor, Heflin will be sentenced to ninety (90) years in prison. Under Indiana law, all persons arrested for a criminal offense are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.