Scott Ryan Blevins

WARSAW — A case in which a Warsaw man allegedly stabbed a roommate last March has gone to a jury trial. Scott Ryan Blevins is currently charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony, and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor. 

The trial began this morning, Jan. 30, with a short jury selection process. The jury was selected within three rounds which lasted around an hour total. The selected jury is equally split up with six men and six women. No alternate jury member was appointed.

There was time for opening statements and the state’s first witness to take the stand before the court broke for a lunch recess.

Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz is representing the state in this case. He began his opening statement by giving a short summary of the incident.

On March 6, 2017, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 call regarding a stabbing. According to Voelz, Blevins wanted to go into town to pay some bills and asked his wife, who is disabled, to walk with him. At that point, two roomates stepped in and told Blevins’ wife that she did not need to accompany him. Blevins became angry and left the home.

According to Voelz, Blevins then attempted to slice the tires of a vehicle with a knife. He successfully slashed one tire when a roommate intervened. Blevins became angry and then sliced the roommate in the chest. The victim was wearing a shirt so the wound was visible but not extensive.

Voelz went on to state that officers reported that Blevins was acting in an “extremely bizarre fashion that way.”

“I’m confident you’ll be firmly convinced that Scott Blevins did in fact do these crimes of which he’s accused,” concluded Voelz to the jury.

Blevins’ attorney Jay Rigdon followed the state with his opening statement. He stated that the jury would hear a significant lack of physical evidence.

“There’s not enough evidence to see who did it, much less that it was Scott Blevins,” said Rigdon.

He asked the jury to keep in mind the credibility of witnesses as the trial moves forward.

The state then called their first witness, Dora Bodin, to the stand. Bodin is Blevins’ neighbor who called 911.

Bodin explained that one of the roommates, “Little John,” ran over to her house that day. Little John has a speech impediment but Bodin was able to hear him say that his brother had been stabbed. Bodin then proceeded to call 911.

Bodin told the court that she did not personally witness the incident and that no officers came to interview her about the incident. Bodin was then released from the stand after her brief testimony.

The trial will continue this afternoon in Kosciusko County Superior Court One with Judge David Cates presiding.