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McGuff pleads guilty to “Sudden Heat,” gets 20 years in INDOC
Clay Superior Court has sentenced Jon Luke B. McGuff in the July 8th Murder Trial; McGuff pled guilty to manslaughter in July and was sentenced to Voluntary Manslaughter, Intentional Killing By “Sudden Heat” in the killing of William Matherly, 48, of Cloverdale, on May 11, 2023.
For the defense to demonstrate “sudden heat” in a court case to reduce Level One Murder Charges to Voluntary Manslaughter, the defense must show the person was experiencing anger, rage, resentment, or terror that was sufficient to obscure the reason of an ordinary person.
He pled guilty tis past July and waited for the august sentencing.
McGuff faces a sentence of 20 years, with a good time credit of 390 days, at the Indiana Department of Correction. The Murder Charge and the Class A Misdemeanor Unlawful Carrying Of A Handgun were dismissed.
While McGuff’s charges in Clay County are now completed, he faces more in Putnam County.
THE PUTNAM COUNTY CASE HISTORY
Due to a Clay County Court error involving speedy trials, McGuff was released from Clay County custody on December 15, 2023.
While McGuff was out awaiting trial in Clay County, he acquired more violent criminal charges on February 24, 2024
Allegedly, around 8 a.m. Saturday, February 24, 2024, McGuff was believed to be one of two suspects involved in the shooting of Carlie Capps III, Greencastle, during an apartment robbery and fleeing the scene with the victim’s car.
McGuff faces trial for the following charges in Putnam Circuit Court:
Level 2 felony - Burglary with a deadly weapon.
Level 3 felony - Aggravated Battery Use when the assault poses a substantial risk of death.
Level 3 felony - Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Robbery where someone other than a defendant
Level 5 felony -Criminal Recklessness Defendant Shoots a firearm into a building.
Level 5 felony - Auto Theft-Theft of an entire motor vehicle.
McGuff was scheduled for a Final Pre-Trial hearing in Putnam Circuit Court on August 1, 2024.
No further information is on file with the Putnam County Courthouse about this matter.