Scouts watch in horror as their leader is stabbed to death on hiking trail in unprovoked attack



Local man, 22, charged with 'unprovoked' murder



Suspect also charged with battery of his own mother

A 76-year-old scout leader was stabbed to death in a savage, random attack as two young boy scouts watched in terror.

Elderly assistant scout leader Arthur L. Anderson, from Kokomo, Indiana, had stopped to identify a tree on a hiking trip with the 11 and 12-year-old boys when he was attacked from behind by the crazed knife man.

Mr Anderson bled to death after he was stabbed in the neck in what police said was an entirely unprovoked and sensless attack.



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Senseless, random slaying: Arthur Anderson was killed as he stopped to look at a tree on a hiking trip with two boys and another adult

Medics pronounced him dead at the scene on the Nickel Plate Trail in Bunker Hill.



Indiana Police have arrested Shane C. Golitko, 22, from Bunker Hill, in connection with the brutal killing.

Police say he got into an argument with his mother Valerie Henson at his home and repeatedly assaulted her until she escaped and fled to a neighbour's house to call 911.

He is then said to have taken a knife from his home and walked the 150 yards to the trail where Mr Anderson was with the boy scouts.

After he allegedly stabbed Mr Anderson, it is then believed he returned to his house, smashing it up and stabbed two dogs, one of them to death.



Golitko is being held without bond at the Miami County Jail on a murder charge. He also faces two felony counts for battery causing serious bodily injury and battery by bodily waste. He allegedly spat at officers while being taken to jail.



Arrested: Shane Golitko, 22, allegedly stabbed a 76-year-old scout leader to death on a wilderness trail

They claimed Golitko ignored a state trooper's attempted traffic stop and led police on an eight-mile chase that reached speeds of 50mph.

Mr Anderson had been involved with scouting for 50 years, police said and dedicated his life to 'mentoring young boys'.



He, another man and two boys had been hiking along the five-mile Nickel Plate Trail from Bunker Hill to Bennetts Switch.



'Today is a very difficult day for the entire Scouting family and we ask for the continual thoughts a prayers for all those involved in this tragic event,' said Edward Caldwell, a Scout executive in Kokomo, in a statement.



'The Sagamore Council family is deeply saddened to learn about the death of dedicated and long-time Assistant Scoutmaster Art Anderson,' Mr Caldwell added.



'Art passed away while doing what he loved -- mentoring young men -- while on a five-mile hike.'



Quiet and remote: The Nickel Plate Trail, in Indiana, where the elderly scout leader was stabbed to death