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Sunday, September 28, 2008

IN- Cops: Sex offender dies after resident caught him near daughter's room

This note is for future reference: There is something very wrong with this case, something is missing, I cannot fathom why, nor have I ever heard of another act like this one, where a person, living 500 feet away from a home, leaves his home totally naked -carrying latex gloves, rope, wearing a mask- walks totally naked through neighbors yards with the intent of breaking into a home 500 feet away. That behavior is so bizarre that I am having a hard time believing that is what happened, facts gathered from news reports.

9-28-2008 Indiana:

A jobless sex offender has died after a struggle with a northside Indianapolis resident who found him in his teenage daughter’s room wearing nothing but a mask and latex gloves, police say.

About 3:20 a.m. this morning, Indianapolis metropolitan police were dispatched to a residence at the 3000 block of West 79th Street to check a reported home invasion.

When they arrived, police said they found Robert McNally, 64, resident of the home, on the floor with his arms wrapped around the neck of an unresponsive David T. Meyers, 52.

Meyers, who police confirmed with family had a history of heart problems, was pronounced dead on the scene. They said a pending autopsy would determine if Meyers died of a possible heart attack or as a result of the choke hold.

Police said McNally will most likely not be arrested or charged in the incident.

“If a person breaks into your home, you are justified in using deadly force in defending your family,” said Sgt. Matthew Mount, a spokesman for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. “In this situation, I don’t think he was trying to kill him, he was trying to hold him down.”

McNally held Meyers down after answering his 17-year-old daughter’s scream for help. Police say Meyers gained access to the girl’s bedroom after sneaking in through a window near her room.

Police said Meyers also had rope, condoms and a knife with him, and that he had knowledge of the home’s layout because his uncle owned the property.

When reached by phone this afternoon, McNally was reluctant to comment and called the incident unfortunate.

“Nobody wins,” McNally said. “It’s a lose-lose situation for everybody. He has family also.”

He said his daughter was fine and went to church today after the ordeal. “She knew how to respond so she really alerted (us),” he said.

The Indianapolis Star generally does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.

Meyers was a registered sex offender in Marion County and had been convicted in 1999 of criminal deviate conduct. He had been living with his mother for the last couple of years, the release said, and recently had lost his job.

Meyers also had served 10 years of a 20-year sentence for criminal confinement and sexual deviate conduct out of Hamilton County and was wanted in Boone County for failure to register as a sex offender, according to an IMPD release.

-In another news report below (10-9-2008) the failure to register out of Boone County, was for "failure to tell police the EXACT DATE he left his employment, he had notified them he was leaving, but failed to tell police the EXACT DATE!

The death is under investigation and will be reviewed by a Marion County prosecutor. ..News Source.. by Tania E. Lopez



Intruder dies after struggle with renter

9-29-2008 Indiana:

Dad restrained sex offender after finding him in teen's room

In a quiet enclave of four homes off West 79th Street, two families grieved for David Meyers late Sunday.

Earlier in the day -- in the middle of the night, actually -- Meyers, 52, broke into a teenage girl's room, naked and armed with a knife, and died after a struggle with her father, Robert McNally, 64, who heard his daughter scream for help.

The incident occurred in the home that McNally rents from Meyers' uncle, a few hundred feet away from where Meyers lived with his mother. It left both Meyers' family and McNally, who got along well with Meyers and sometimes had dinner with him, wondering why the registered sex offender did what he did. Saturday, Meyers had dinner with family members and had been talking about joining a church.

"Of the families on the lane, we're all kind of grieving together," said Bill Meyers, the older of David's two brothers, who lives in Zionsville. "Everybody seems to have taken the position that Dave kind of snapped."

About 3:20 a.m. Sunday, police said, Meyers entered the home in the 3500 block of West 79th Street through the 17-year-old girl's bedroom window, wearing only a mask and latex gloves and carrying rope, condoms and a knife.

The girl woke up, saw Meyers, and screamed, police said in a written release. McNally awoke to the screams and went to defend his daughter, according to Sgt. Matthew Mount, a spokesman for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

A struggle ensued, beginning in the hallway of the home; when police arrived, they found McNally with his arm around Meyers' neck in the kitchen, police said.

Meyers was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said Meyers had a history of heart problems and that an autopsy will be conducted to determine whether he died of a heart attack or as a result of a choke hold.

Mount said McNally was not arrested, and it appeared unlikely charges would be filed because it seemed clear the resident was defending his family against an armed intruder.

In a brief telephone interview, McNally said his daughter was doing fine and went to church Sunday. He called the incident unfortunate but declined to elaborate Sunday evening.

"Nobody wins," McNally said. "It's a lose-lose situation for everybody. He has family, also."

David Meyers' aunt and uncle live next door to the rented ranch-style home where the incident occurred. David lived with his mother in the house behind his uncle's.

Bill Meyers said his family met with McNally on Sunday evening to talk about the incident. He said there were no hard feelings between the families, and McNally even asked if he could attend the funeral.

"It was awful, it was shameful, it was unforgivable," Bill Meyers said of his brother's actions. "He was insane for that period of time. That wasn't David on a day-to-day basis."

In 1998, David Meyers was convicted of criminal deviate conduct and criminal confinement, Marion County electronic court records show. He was sentenced to 13 years.

Mount said Meyers was registered as a sex offender in Marion County but was wanted in Boone County for failure to register as a sex offender there.

Bill Meyers said his brother had lived with his mother since his release from prison about six years ago. David Meyers had worked at a delicatessen and did seasonal construction work, but he struggled financially and suffered from mental health problems, his brother said.

David Meyers had a 14-year-old daughter and was divorced from her mother, Bill Meyers said. He said David's ex-wife distanced herself from him after he was charged in connection with the incidents in Marion County.

Bill Meyers said his brother brought most of his problems on himself but that his status as a sex offender made it difficult for him to get on with his life after serving his sentence.

David Meyers worked for a book manufacturing company but lost his job a few days ago. His brother said he had been prescribed a psychiatric drug but stopped taking it as recently as the past week.

"He did some stupid, stupid things," Bill Meyers said. "And he paid a heavy price." ..News Source.. by Francesca Jarosz and Tania Lopez

Home Invader Dies In Struggle With Father Of Intended Victim

INDIANAPOLIS -- A man who police said broke into a home with the intention of sexually assault a 17-year-old girl in her bedroom died early Sunday morning after a struggle with the girl's father.

David Meyers (pictured), 52, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after officers arrived following a report of a home invasion in the 3500 block of West 79th Street at about 3:20 a.m.

Officers said they found Robert McNally, 64, on the floor with his arm around the neck of Meyers, struggling to hold him down.

When officers told McNally he could let go, they found that Meyers was unresponsive. Medics who were called to the scene then pronounced Meyers dead.

Indianapolis police Sgt. Matt Mount said Meyers had come into the home naked, except for a mask and latex gloves.

"He had rope, had a knife, had condoms, had a gag," Mount said.

Police said Meyers had gotten into the home through a window next to the girl's bedroom and that he knew the home well because his uncle owns it and he was an acquaintance of the family.

The teen awoke to find a naked man in her room and began screaming, alerting McNally, police said.

During a protracted struggle in the hallway of the home, McNally was able to get his arm around Meyers' neck and subdue him while his wife called police, officers said.

Meyers was a registered sex offender and was released from prison two years ago after he had served 10 years of a 20-year sentence for criminal confinement and sexual deviate conduct stemming from a case in Hamilton County.

Meyers was also being sought in Boone County for failure to register as a sex offender.

Police said Meyers had been living with his mother down a gravel road from the home that the McNally family lived in and had recently lost his job.

"When they got the mask off, both the father and daughter recognized him," Mount said.

Police said Meyers had a history of heart problems. They were not immediately sure if he died as a result of heart failure or from being choked.

The results of the police investigation will be turned over to the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, but it is unlikely charges will be filed, police said. ..News Source.. by 6News

Intruder dies in home invasion

Indianapolis - Metro Police say a father killed an intruder in his daughter's bedroom in an apparent act of self-defense.

According to police, 52-year-old David Meyers broke into a home in the 3500 block of West 79th Street early Sunday morning and entered the bedroom of a 17-year-old girl. He was carrying condoms, a rope and a knife, wearing nothing but a mask and a pair of latex gloves.

"He had come in, apparently, with the objective of raping her," IMPD Sgt. Matt Mount said.

She was screaming as her father ran into the bedroom and fought off the attacker. When police arrived, the father had his arm around the intruder's throat and was holding him.

"The father was able to get his arm around this guy's neck and throat and has him down on the ground. The mother calls 911, the police get there," Sgt. Mount described. "They tell the guy, 'Okay, you can let go of him now, we're here, we'll take care of this.' As he then releases his hold on him and putting the cuffs on him they realize he's unresponsive."

Meyers was pronounced dead a short time later at the scene.

Police say Meyers was a convicted sex offender, released from jail after serving half of his 20-year sentence.

"He had a warrant out for his arrest in Boone County, for failing to register," Sgt. Mount said.

For the past couple years, police say, Meyers had been living with his mother. Eyewitness News learned that home is just a few yards away from the scene of the invasion.

"The father, Robert McNally, the 64-year-old dad, when they get the mask off this guy, he realizes he knows this guy," Sgt. Mount said.

Investigators say Meyers had been in the house before. His uncle was the one renting it to the family.

"So he was familiar with the layout of the home. He had gotten in through a window of a room next to the bedroom of where the 17-year-old daughter was sleeping," Sgt. Mount said.

The case will be investigated as a homicide and it will be up to the prosecutor to decide whether to press charges. ..News Source.. by Cat Andersen, Eyewitness News

Coroner: Intruder died of strangulation

9-29-2008 Indiana:

A registered sex offender restrained by an Indianapolis father after a home break-in Sunday died of strangulation, the Marion County coroner has ruled.

David Meyers, 52, was dead by the time police arrived in the early morning at the home in the 3500 block of West 79th Street. He had climbed through a 17-year-old girl's bedroom window, wearing only a mask and latex gloves and carrying rope, condoms and a knife.

After the girl's father heard her screams, he struggled with Meyers, police said. Officers arrived to find Robert McNally, 64, holding Meyers -- with his arm around Meyers' neck -- in the kitchen. Meyers was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy determined the cause of death to be asphyxia by strangulation with contributing cardiovascular disease, said Marchele Hall, the coroner's office manager. "He had heart problems," she said.

Matthew Symons, spokesman for the Marion County prosecutor, said McNally apparently acted in self-defense.

"Based on the facts we have, we don't anticipate filing any charges," Symons said. "We will do a standard review that we do in all such situations."

The incident occurred in the home that McNally rents from Meyers' uncle, a few hundred feet away from where Meyers lived with his mother. It left both Meyers' family and McNally, who got along well with Meyers and sometimes had dinner with him, wondering why he did what he did. Saturday, Meyers had dinner with family members and had been talking about joining a church.

In 1998, Meyers was convicted of criminal deviate conduct and criminal confinement, Marion County electronic court records show. He was sentenced to 13 years. ..News Source.. by Jon Murray

Boone County had warrant on sex offender in bizarre case

10-9-2008 Indiana:

The sex offender who died in an incident in Marion County Sunday was wanted on a warrant in Boone County.

Boone County Sheriff Ken Campbell said Monday his department had issued a warrant for 52-year-old David T. Meyers in May.

Police, responding to a call from Indianapolis’ northwest side about 3:20 a.m. Sunday, found Meyers on the hallway floor of an Indianapolis home with the homeowner, 64-year-old Robert McNally, with his arm around Meyers’ neck. Meyers was pronounced dead at the scene.

The incident began when McNally heard his 17-year-old daughter scream and found Meyers in her room.

Campbell said Meyers had been employed in the business park in Lebanon. Because he was a sex offender working in Boone County, he was required to register with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department.

Campbell said the sheriff’s department is diligent about keeping track of sex offenders who work and live in the county, and that Meyers had checked in as required through mid-May. That’s when he said he was leaving his job in the county. The sheriff’s department set the day of May 21 for a final interview with Meyer, but he called and rescheduled for the next day. When he didn’t show up for that meeting, a warrant was issued for failure to register as a sex offender. That warrant was sent to Marion County, where he lived.

“We do everything we can do to keep on top of it,” Campbell said. “If we find (someone) in violation, we try to get them in jail.”

That warrant had not been served.

Campbell said the outcome Sunday was unfortunate for everyone, “and clearly for this young woman,” he said.

Police said Meyers was naked except for a mask and latex gloves, and had entered the home through a window near the girl’s bedroom carrying rope, condoms and a knife.

Marchele Hall of the Marion County coroner’s office says the cause of Meyers’ death was ruled Monday to be asphyxia by strangulation with contributing cardiovascular disease.

Marion County prosecutor’s office spokesman Matthew Symons says no charges are anticipated against McNally, who locked his arm around Meyers’ neck and held him until police arrived.

According to information on the Indiana Sheriff’s Sex and Violent Offender Registry, Meyers was convicted in February 1999 of criminal deviant conduct and criminal confinement. He was sentenced to 20 years, with 10 years suspended. With good-time credit he was released in May 2004, but was to be on probation for 10 years and required to provide current information for the registry the remainder of his life. ..News Source.. by Marda Johnson, The Lebanon Reporter

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