Indianapolis, IN – David Hiner, a 30-year-old Indiana man, has been arrested and charged with the murder of two women, Shannon Lassere, 58, and Marianne Weis, 52, whose lifeless bodies were discovered just five days apart in close proximity, according to Indianapolis police.
During a news conference, officials revealed that Hiner faces two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Lassere and Weis. The gruesome crimes took place on January 26 and January 31, respectively, with Lassere’s body found in a parking lot on January 27 and Weis’ body discovered behind a business on February 1. Both victims had succumbed to multiple sharp force injuries from stabbing.
Interim Chief Chris Bailey of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department condemned the brutality of the murders, emphasizing the victims’ resilience in fighting back against their assailant. Bailey stated, “No one deserves what these two women experienced — no one. This was brutal and evil.”
Investigators utilized video footage from businesses to identify a man matching Hiner’s description and linking him to one of the victims on the night of the murder. Additionally, blood found on a shoe recovered at Hiner’s residence matched that of both victims. The evidence collected during a search warrant, including clothing, required forensic testing, which led to the delay in filing murder charges.
An Indiana man has been arrested and charged with murder in the fatal stabbings of two women whose bodies were found not far from each other five days apart, Indianapolis police say. https://t.co/jz6LKA6sZ8
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 10, 2024
Hiner had already been apprehended on an unrelated probation violation on Tuesday. Murder charges were officially filed on Friday. Authorities from LaPorte County, where Hiner violated probation, were contacted by Indianapolis police. Lab results then connected Hiner to the victims.
Deputy Chief Kendall Adams of the police department’s criminal investigations division revealed that investigators believe Hiner was acquainted with Weis, the second victim, but had no information about his connection to Lassere. As of now, no weapon has been recovered, and a motive for the murders remains unknown.
Hiner is currently in custody, as indicated by online jail records. At the time of this report, online court records did not show legal representation for Hiner, and contact information for anyone associated with him was not immediately available.
Chief Bailey emphasized that the case is still under investigation, stating, “There is still a lot of work to do in this case.”