A local teen accused of killing his 19-year-old roommate appeared via video conference in Bartholomew Circuit Court Thursday on a charge of murder.
Daniel J. Denny, 19, 1075 Robert Drive, Apartment B, is charged with one count of Level 1 felony murder in the stabbing death of his roommate Eric Cavanaugh, also 19, at Quail Run Apartments.
During the initial hearing, Bartholomew Circuit Court Judge Kelly Benjamin told Denny that if convicted, he could be sentenced to between 45 to 65 years in prison, as well as ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. No discussion of bond was made during Thursday’s hearing.
Denny has been held without bond at the Bartholomew County Jail since his arrest on June 1.
Benjamin set a pre-trial conference on Oct. 11 at 9 a.m., with a jury trial tentatively scheduled for Nov. 9 at 8:30 a.m.
Columbus police were sent to Quail Run after a 911 call from the apartment. One of the roommates told police he saw Denny stabbing the victim. When officers arrived at the apartment, they found Cavanaugh was suffering from multiple stab wounds. Cavanaugh told police that Denny stabbed him.
After being taken to Columbus Regional Hospital, the victim was pronounced dead at 7:01 a.m. Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting determined he died of multiple sharp force injuries to his back and chest, believed to have been inflicted by a chef’s knife.
Cavanaugh was a member of the 2020 graduating class of Columbus East High School and was employed at AMC Theatre in Columbus. He was a Boy Scout, enjoyed camping and was interested in manga and anime.
Denny appeared in court via video conferencing from the county jail, wearing a cloth mask. Benjamin asked him to repeat answers to some of the questions. The 2020 Columbus North High School graduate kept his hands together in front of him in what looked like a prayer-like fashion throughout the hearing.
The defendant’s mother, Tiffani Denny, said her son was diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder in either kindergarten or first grade. Teachers had told her the young boy had issues with anger and appropriate responses during class time. she said. Tiffani Denny also said the suspect had been hospitalized for mental health issues eight different times since 2019.
On Thursday, Daniel Denny told the judge he suffers from a mental illness, but did not provide the judge with any further details. He did say he had been receiving disability benefits, but the payments were discontinued after he missed too many appointments with his doctors.
Prior to his arrest, Denny hadn’t worked in three to four months, he told Benjamin. When he did have a job, Denny estimated he was only bringing home a little over $200 a week by working part-time for a large retail store. The defendant said he left that position after six or seven months.
After Denny said he had about $500 in the bank and no other assets, the judge appointed public defender Chris Monroe to represent him during upcoming court proceedings.
