What was reported about the indictment
A Johnson County grand jury has indicted Michael Jerome James, 35, on two counts of murder in the 2006 killings of two people in their home on Aberdeen Drive in Franklin, according to WRTV[1]. WISH-TV[2] carried the same report, and WIBC[3] separately reported that an arrest was made 20 years after the killings.
An indictment is an accusation. James is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The victims, an adult woman and a child, were found in the home on Monday, July 24, 2006. WRTV reported that they died of stab wounds. Investigators linked the killings to a string of daytime burglaries nearby, and the Franklin Police Department credited advances in forensic technology for progress in the case. WRTV also reported that the Johnson County prosecutor raised the reward to $100,000 on September 25, 2026. The investigation and prosecution are ongoing.
What families can do during a criminal case
When a family loses someone to violence, the criminal process can last years and, in a cold case, decades. A victim advocate in the prosecutor's office can explain hearings, plea offers, sentencing, and Indiana's crime victim compensation program.
A criminal prosecution and a civil claim are separate matters. Civil claims after a homicide are usually brought against the person responsible, but whether a claim is practical depends on the facts, available insurance, and assets. Families can keep funeral invoices, medical bills, correspondence, and records of other losses. General information about wrongful death claims can help families understand the questions that may need to be addressed.
Why Johnson County matters
The killings happened in a home on Aberdeen Drive in Franklin, in Johnson County. The Franklin Police Department and Johnson County prosecutor are handling the case. A civil case would ordinarily be filed in Johnson County or where a defendant lives.
Claims for a death in Indiana are governed by the wrongful death statutes, Ind. Code 34-23-1-1 for adults and Ind. Code 34-23-2-1 for the death of a child. Those statutes determine who may bring a claim and generally require filing within two years. Indiana's general two-year deadline for injury claims appears in Ind. Code 34-11-2-4.
Deadlines in very old cases are complicated. A family should not assume that a claim is available or unavailable without advice based on its circumstances. The firm's guide to Indiana wrongful death claims and damages provides additional general information.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office handles wrongful death and serious injury claims in Indiana. Attorney Chad Delventhal can explain how a civil claim relates to a criminal case, examine which deadlines may apply, and identify the records that matter. Insurance companies and defendants may aggressively defend civil claims, especially when the facts and deadlines are hotly contested.
The firm is based in Fort Wayne and serves clients throughout Indiana. You can learn more about attorney Chad Delventhal or request a free case evaluation. No outcome can be promised in any case.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation and prosecution may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
