Michigan State Police, at the request of the Indiana State Police, arrested a 62-year-old man on criminal deviate conduct, burglary and criminal confinement charges out of LaGrange County stemming from a case in 1986.
This follows a 39-year investigation that was able to use science and technological advancements to help in the investigation.
In October 1986 LaGrange County Sheriff’s Department, Steuben County Sheriff’s Department along with Indiana State Police detectives began investigating a sexual assault that took place near Howe, in LaGrange County.
The offense started in the early morning hours of Oct. 23, 1986, after the suspect abducted an adult female who had stopped and exited her vehicle to remove an object from the road. During their investigation, it was determined that the victim had been held against her will near Howe, was sexually assaulted and then taken to a location near Orland in Steuben County and sexually assaulted again.
At the time an Indiana State Police Crime Scene Technician was called to collect evidence and document the scenes. All leads that were available at that time were exhausted and the case was left unsolved.
In 2015, an Indiana State Police detective learned of the case and took interest. Knowing how technology has changed since 1986, he went to the Indiana State Police Fort Wayne Regional Lab and asked if there was any evidence left in this case, specifically any DNA evidence. After the lab identified there was DNA evidence, the results were run through an Indiana DNA database with no matching results.
In 2023, the DNA results were found to be a candidate for genetic genealogy and resulted in identifying a family line tied to the DNA evidence.
Through good police work and investigation, the Indiana State Police District 22 Detectives and the Indiana State Police Cold Case Team were able to narrow this family line down to one person.
On Feb. 10, 2025, 62-year-old Ricky Devonne McLatcher of Quincy, Mich., was arrested for Criminal Deviate Conduct, Burglary and Criminal Confinement on the warrant out of LaGrange County.
The Indiana State Police were assisted by the Michigan State Police in this arrest. Ricky McLatcher is being held at the Branch County Michigan Jail awaiting extradition to Indiana.
This case was a combined effort with Lagrange County Sheriff’s Department, Lagrange County Prosecutor’s Office, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, the Michigan State Police, the Indiana State Police District 22 Detectives and Cold Case Team, and the Indiana State Police Regional Laboratory.
This case could not have been solved without the ISP Ft. Wayne Lab’s assistance. The non-profit, Seasons of Justice, provided the funds to have the DNA tested through Parabon, a private lab that specializes in DNA and genetic genealogy.
Republished courtesy of Indiana State Police