Court docs: Man stabbed more than 70 times by roommates for ‘snitching’

Investigators believe two 18-year-olds accused of carrying out a brutal attack on one of their roommates may have been motivated by what they considered to be a lack of trust.

Keith Cornwell and Caleb Bixler, both of Indianapolis, have been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the slaying of Ron Trahan, whose body was found Friday on Indianapolis’ Eastside.

Court documents say that morning, a witness told police that Bixler and Cornwell had admitted to the murder of Trahan, telling the witness that they had killed their 37-year-old roommate the day before because they thought he was a snitch.

According to documents, Cornwell told the witness that he decided to test Trahan’s loyalty by telling him that there was a warrant out for his arrest. When the suspects allegedly found Trahan had called the police to turn Cornwell in, they decided to retaliate, the witness said. The witness did not believe Cornwell was actually wanted and online court records indicate there were no open warrants for Cornwell before Trahan was killed.

The witness told police that the accused described their alleged attack on Trahan in detail. Bixler said he choked Trahan from behind with a cord, before taking him to the ground and stomping on his head; at the same time, Cornwell struck the victim repeatedly in the face before eventually slitting his throat, the court documents said.

They then buried Trahan’s body in a pile of mulch in the lot of an abandoned factory in the 3300 block of East Michigan Street, court documents said. To cover their tracks, they went to the CSX railroad tracks, south of Washington Street and near LaSalle Street, to burn their clothes.

Investigators, aided by cadaver dogs, discovered Trahan’s body buried 8 to 10 inches below the surface of the mulch at about 2 p.m. Friday. Court documents said a coroner at the scene noted at least 40 stabs wounds covering his body.

An autopsy performed Saturday revealed more than 70 stab wounds to Trahan, along with neck trauma, multiple facial fractures and hemorrhages under his scalp.

Bixler and Cornwell were arrested Friday while leaving their home on North Gray Street and a search warrant was served on the residence, court documents said. Multiple knives, the victim’s wallet and two cellphones were recovered.

Police confiscated clothing from the suspects after their arrest. While processing the items, investigators noticed traces of blood and mulch on their socks and shoes, court documents said.

During an interview with police, Cornwell said the last time he saw Trahan was early Thursday, when he, Trahan and Bixler went to Rally’s on East Washington Street near their home at about 2 a.m., court documents said. He said the three men ate and hung out at the restaurant for a couple hours before heading back home.

Rally’s employees later informed police that the restaurant closes at 2 a.m. When shown photos of Bixler, Cornwell and Trahan, the employees said they did not recognize any of them.

Police spoke to a second witness Monday, who told them that Trahan and Cornwell frequently argued at the house, noting that most of the fights were about stealing food and smoking “spice.”

Detectives did a follow-up search of the house that day and found several blood-stained items in the room shared by Bixler and Cornwell, including a bath towel, a shower curtain and three articles of clothing, according to court documents. Police also recovered several pieces of speaker wire.

Both suspects remain in Marion County Jail without bond.

Call Star reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.