Anthony Wayne Carter
A man accused of killing his girlfriend earlier this month had his first hearing Tuesday in Bartholomew Superior Court 1.
Anthony W. Carter, 49, of 3018 E. Raymond St., Indianapolis, is charged with murder for the April 16 death of Ashley E. Neville. The body of the 40-year-old victim was found inside a bedroom of her home within the 500 block of East County Road 650S. If convicted, Carter could receive between 45 to 65 years in prison.
During the initial hearing, Judge James Worton scheduled a change of plea hearing for 9:45 a.m. on July 30, a pre-trial conference at 11 a.m. on Aug. 14, and a tentative trial to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 29. After Carter said he could not afford to hire his own lawyer, Worton appointed Greg Long as Carter’s public defender.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Carter’s daughter called 911 in the early morning hours of April 16 to report her father had told her he had killed Neville. After learning a no-contact order had been issued to protect Neville from Carter, sheriff deputies went to Neville’s address to check on her welfare.
The no contact order was issued by Jennings Circuit Court Judge Muriele Bright after Carter pleaded guilty to intimidation against Neville as a Level 6 felony. In January, 2022, Carter received a suspended 628-day sentence. Jennings County Prosecutor Brian Belding has already filed paperwork to revoke the defendant’s probation after Carter’s arrest in Bartholomew County.
A family member told investigators that Carter had been living with Neville for about a year.
When deputies arrived at Neville’s home, they found most windows covered up, a padlock securing the front door and a brown book case blocking the back door, according to the affidavit. There was no answer after officers repeatedly knocked on the door, the court document states.
Early that afternoon, neighbors reported seeing a suspicious male in a wooded area near the victim’s home. After deputies set up a perimeter and brought in a police dog, Carter was found hiding in the woods and taken into custody without incident, according to the affidavit.
During questioning, Carter originally told detectives the victim originally had the gun, adding the weapon fired as he was trying to take it from her, the affidavit states. But later, Carter admitted he was the one who brought the gun in the bedroom. Investigators said the victim suffered a gunshot wound to the left side of the head, according to court affidavits.
After the gun went off, Carter told detectives he “wanted to end her suffering” by putting a plastic bag around Neville’s head and using duct tape to secure it. The defendant said he then placed his hand over the victim’s mouth to smother her, according to the probable cause affidavit.
After officers found a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze abandoned in a field that Neville was known to drive abandoned in a field, they contacted the owner of the house where Neville lived and received permission to search the premises.
When police found the victim’s body on a bed, a bag secured with duct tape was covering her head just as Carter had described the crime, according to the affidavit. The body was also covered by a large pile of clothing and other items, court documents state.
Carter led investigators to the murder weapon, a small pistol, which was found in the woods where he had been hiding, investigators said.
