Heroin was behind a LaPorte shotgun murder and the killer used a "Scream" Halloween mask as a disguise. That’s according to police in testimony made available Wednesday after the initial hearing for Brent Krueger, 24, who is charged in LaPorte Circuit Court with murder.
Krueger was appointed a public defender and the court set November 18 for his attorney to formally enter his appearance on behalf of the defendant.
Krueger is accused in the October 30 fatal shooting of James Greve outside his apartment house in the 1100 block of Indiana Ave.
Charges resulted from courtroom testimony Monday afternoon by LaPorte Police Detective James Ferguson during an oral probable cause hearing.
Ferguson, while under questioning from LaPorte County Deputy Prosecutor Chris Fronk, said information derived from the investigation led to Krueger. Inside a two-story, four-unit apartment where he was staying police found a mask that resembled the lead character from the movie "Scream."
Specifically, Ferguson said the mask was lying in the trash of a laundry room underneath Krueger’s residence.
According to police, witnesses of the shooting described the gunman as wearing a Scream mask and that a shotgun was used in the slaying,
Ferguson said a 12 gauge shotgun was also recovered from a cornfield near the defendant’s residence and empty shells recovered at the scene matched the five rounds that were still in the shotgun located not far from where Krueger was living.
The investigation also revealed Krueger was upset because Greve would not extend him a line of credit to obtain heroin. Greve wanted the cash up front.
Ferguson also said that Krueger obtained a shotgun to rob Greve of his drugs.
‘’He had shot the victim in the back of the head because he would not give him any heroin,’’ Ferguson said.
Krueger was also ordered held without bond to await the outcome of the case. He could face anywhere from a 45 to 65-year sentence.
