Six Face Charges In Death Of 21-Year-Old Culver Woman
Staff Report
CULVER — Six people were recently charged in connection to the death of a 21-year-old Culver woman.
Daniel Martin Compton, 34, 9163 W. 700N, Culver, is charged with aggravated battery, a level 3 felony; involuntary manslaughter, a level 5 felony; strangulation, a level 6 felony; and false informing, a class A misdemeanor.
Krystal Lee Compton, 32; Martha E. Gonzales; Michael L. Richcreek, 33; and Michael A. Soliday, 44, all of 9163 W. 700N, Culver; and Constance M. Hall, 30, 519 W. 8th St., Rochester; are each charged with false informing, a class A misdemeanor.
On Aug. 30, 2021, Fulton County emergency personnel responded to a Culver residence regarding an unconscious person who was not breathing. The person, identified as Cheyenne P. Ruttschaw, 21, Culver, was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to court documents, responding Fulton County Sheriff’s officers noticed Ruttschaw had numerous injuries in various stages of healing, including an injured ankle, black eyes, and several cuts and abrasions.
On that day, Indiana State Police troopers met with a Fulton County detective, who interviewed people who were at the home when the incident occurred. This included the Comptons, Gonzales, Hall, Richcreek, and Christina M. Mendoza, Culver.
Mendoza was formally charged in this incident in October 2021. She has a change of plea hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29.
In their interviews, the Comptons, Gonzales, Hall, and Richcreek all said Ruttschaw fell down a set of stairs inside the home and was unresponsive afterward. They also said Ruttschaw was away from the residence for several days and had just returned on Aug. 30, 2021.
An autopsy determined Ruttschaw’s cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma injuries. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide.
On Oct. 26, 2021, ISP assisted Fulton County officers with a search warrant at the home. The five adults previously interviewed by officers were present, as well as about eight to 10 children.
During further interviews, each of the adults denied any knowledge of how Ruttschaw was injured prior to her death, except for Mendoza. The group said Ruttschaw was acting abnormally when she returned to the home on Aug. 30, 2021. Officers noticed discrepancies in their statements about the exact day Ruttschaw left prior to her return.
Throughout the investigation, it was also determined Soliday was at the home when Ruttschaw died. In initial statements from the other adults at the home during the incident, each of them denied anyone else was present.
On Nov. 19, 2021, ISP troopers interviewed Soliday and Richcreek about the incident. Soliday initially denied living at the home then later admitted to staying there. He also denied ever seeing or having any knowledge of the Comptons ever physically abusing Ruttschaw. Soliday said he witnessed Mendoza get into a verbal altercation with Ruttschaw, but never saw anything physical occur. Soliday said he worked at a local business in Pierceton and was working on the night of Ruttschaw’s death.
Richcreek also denied knowledge of any physical abuse ever occurring to Ruttschaw.
Officers later determined that neither Soliday or Richcreek were employed at the time of Ruttschaw’s death.
On Dec. 16, 2021, officers spoke with one of Ruttschaw’s relatives about the death. The relative said the Comptons informed her Ruttschaw went missing on Aug. 28, 2021. She said she also heard from other individuals that the Comptons were telling officers Ruttschaw had left on a different date.
She also recalled a social media post thought to have been from Gonzales that mentioned someone tripping over a toy and falling down a set of stairs. When the relative asked if everyone was okay, Gonzales replied to her on social media and said Ruttschaw had fallen down the stairs.
The relative said this did not make sense to her because Ruttschaw was supposedly missing during that time.
The relative told officers she last saw Ruttschaw on Aug. 22, 2021. She noticed Ruttschaw had bruises and appeared unhealthy. While she was there, the relative saw the Comptons hit Ruttschaw in the head. The Comptons also allegedly told Mendoza to beat Ruttschaw for punishment.
Officers then spoke with a former friend of the Comptons, who said her child was friends with one of the Comptons’ children. After Ruttschaw passed away, the former friend said their child witnessed several of the adults be physically abusive to Ruttschaw.
In a written statement, the child described how Ruttschaw was “treated like a dog.” Some of the actions the child observed included: Ruttschaw being choked by Mendoza until she nearly passed out; Ruttschaw being pushed down a set of stairs, where she was beaten by Hall and Mendoza with a fireplace poker; and confining Ruttschaw in the property and not allowing her to leave or communicate with anyone.
Further in the statement, the child said they saw Ruttschaw climb up a tree to escape the abuse. When she would not get down, Mendoza and Krystal retrieved a BB gun and started shooting her until she came down. They then took her inside and started beating her.
In January, Mendoza requested to speak with investigators, saying she was ready to tell the truth about what happened to Ruttschaw.
Mendoza was interviewed on Feb. 11. In the interview, Mendoza disclosed information that differed from original accounts of what happened the night of Ruttschaw’s death. In summary, Mendoza said she had been lying because she was afraid Daniel would harm her if she told the truth. Mendoza admitted to having a role in Ruttschaw’s death but said she was not the one who killed her.
Mendoza said Ruttschaw did not fall down the stairs. Daniel allegedly became upset with Ruttschaw. While Mendoza was holding Ruttschaw down, Daniel put his foot on Ruttschaw’s neck and applied pressure, putting all his weight on her neck until she couldn’t breathe.
When Daniel finally removed his foot, Ruttschaw was unconscious and not breathing. Upon realizing Ruttschaw was dead, the Comptons gathered everyone present in the home to “get their stories straight” before calling for help.
Mendoza told officers they called for an ambulance about 10 minutes after the incident occurred. The group decided to tell officers that Ruttschaw had run away from their home several days ago and had just recently returned.
Mendoza claimed responsibility for several of the other injuries that Ruttschaw sustained. When Ruttschaw would not do what the Comptons asked, the Comptons told Mendoza to abuse Ruttschaw. Mendoza said she did this because it kept the Comptons from beating her.
On one occasion, Daniel told Mendoza to beat Ruttschaw with a curtain rod, which Mendoza did repeatedly until Ruttschaw was seriously injured.
Mendoza said the physical incidents typically occurred in the residence’s basement. She said she and Ruttschaw were punished at least two to three times a week and were treated like children even though they were adults. Mendoza also told officers that Daniel would have Soliday beat her as punishment. She said Soliday punched her in the face and dislocated her shoulder.
The day of Ruttschaw’s death, Soliday was hiding in the home when officers arrived. Mendoza said Daniel didn’t want Soliday to be seen because he “runs his mouth.” After Ruttschaw died, Daniel had Soliday burn items Mendoza used to abuse Ruttschaw.
When asked about her initial story in 2021 on hitting Ruttschaw’s head in the shower, Mendoza said she made the story up so she could go to jail and not return to the Compton residence.
Officers then served another search warrant at the Compton residence and discovered blood stains in the basement. Those stains matched Ruttschaw’s DNA profile.
The Comptons, Gonzales, and Hall were all arrested in early November.
A warrant was issued for Richcreek’s arrest on Oct. 26.