Robert Tyler Boatwright

One individual has been arrested in connection with burglaries of Lake Wawasee homes May 19. Warrants have been issued for others involved, but no one else has  been arrested at this time.

Robert Tyler Boatwright, 24, 10937 N. 200E, Milford, was arrested Wednesday, Oct. 22, by Milford Police. He is being held on a $10,000 surety bond.

Court records show at 1:31 a.m. May 19, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a burglary alarm at the home of Lloyd Hagedorn, Lung Lane, Syracuse. The home had been entered and burglarized by forcing open a window. The officer finished their investigation at 2:23 a.m.

An officer with North Webster Police stopped a vehicle occupied by three individuals, at 2:31 a.m., at East Wawasee Drive and Cinderella Drive. This was north of where the burglary took place. Two of the three individuals were identified. The third provided police with a name and date of birth, indicating he was a juvenile, stating he had no identification in his possession.

Later that day, at 7:30 p.m., another county officer responded to a burglary report at the residence of Jim Heubi, North Bayshore Drive, Syracuse. An individual had noticed the front door to the home was opened.

The officer also found the home of Heubi’s next door neighbor, Glenn O’Conner, had been broken into by prying a window open. It was learned these homes were relatively close to the burglary investigated at 1:31 a.m.

At a later time, Kosciusko County Crimestoppers received a tip that Boatwright was in the vehicle North Webster Police had stopped, but had given a false name. The tip also indicated those individuals were involved in burglaries of lake homes.

Through an investigation, police learned the name of Boatwright’s girlfriend. Both Boatwright and his girlfriend had an undisclosed warrant.

The girl friend was arrested. When Boatwright came to bond her out, he was also arrested on the active warrant.

Police questioned Boatwright about May 19. He admitted he was in the vehicle and gave the false name to avoid being arrested.

Shoes, being worn by Boatwright, were obtained and compared to a shoe print left on a windowsill at O’Conner’s home. The shoe prints were similar.

Police questioned the other individuals, who were in the vehicle in the early hours of May 19. The driver of the vehicle stated Boatwright had told him to stop at his mother’s home to get things. The driver noted they stopped at a house near a lake.

The other individual said Boatwright was at a residence and had told them to back the vehicle up to the home. There Boatwright carried out a small television and a comforter and placed the items in the vehicle.

Police spoke with Boatwright’s mother and the juvenile, whom Boatwright had identified himself as. It was confirmed the juvenile did not give permission or consent for Boatwright to use his identifying information.

Boatwright’s mother told police she did not live near a lake, but lived in Milford. She also stated her son had not come to her residence to obtain any items the evening of May 19.

Items found at the crime scenes were sent to the Indiana State Police Laboratory for DNA testing. A flashlight found in a paper box produced DNA evidence consistent with Boatwright’s DNA.