EVANSVILLE — A second man is now booked at the Vanderburgh County jail after police said he turned himself in and admitted to being present during a shooting that left two men dead on Evansville’s West Side.
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as 20-year-old Caden Wayne Harms. He was processed at the jail just after 7 p.m. Thursday on two counts of felony murder, robbery, assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice.
Detectives said Harms acted as a “lookout” during the double homicide and later buried the murder weapon behind his house.
The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office identified the two victims as 31-year-old Michael Blankenship Jr., of Evansville, and 37-year-old Mitchell Greathouse, of Newburgh.
Harms’ arrest comes after Evansville police arrested 30-year-old Richard Dee Garrett, the former owner and CEO of Evansville 411 News, early Thursday morning. Garrett is accused of acting as a getaway driver during the double slaying, which investigators said occurred Saturday night.
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Police records identified the suspected shooter as 30-year-old John Cameron Parker, who currently has an active warrant out for his arrest due to alleged probation violations. Detectives believe a fourth man supplied a gun to Parker prior to the killings, the records state.
The Evansville Police Department began its homicide investigation on Sunday after a man dialed 911 to report that he had found Blankenship and Greathouse deceased inside a home in the 2600 block of Mt. Vernon Avenue.
According to Harms’ arrest affidavit, neighborhood surveillance first led officers to Garrett, who reportedly told investigators that Harms acted as a lookout while Parker shot both men.
Detectives said Garrett told them he believed the two men were going to commit a robbery, not a murder, when he picked them up and drove them to Evansville’s West Side on Saturday night. According to Garrett, the men stopped on the way to change clothes, don gloves and put on masks.
After Garrett’s arrest Thursday morning, Harms turned himself in to officers from the EPD’s Adult Investigations Unit and later consented to a police interview. Harms reportedly corroborated aspects of Garrett’s account while also admitting that the plan was to commit at least one murder from the start.
“He reported that Parker, his cousin, was responsible for killing both victims,” his arrest affidavit states. “Harms admitted that Parker was initially going to the residence to kill Blankenship, but (that) he asked him to at least get something from it and suggested a robbery.”
Harms reportedly said he, along with Parker and another man, conspired to commit the killing and robbery before they called Garrett and asked for a ride. After the shooting, Harms said he burned clothing and other items that were present at the scene and buried the murder weapon in a wooded area behind his house.
Harms later helped detectives locate the firearm, according to his arrest affidavit.
Garrett and Harms are both being held without bond as of Thursday evening. Garrett faces two counts of murder, as well as robbery, assisting a criminal, and obstruction of justice. Parker was not currently listed in Vanderburgh County jail booking records.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Second suspect in Evansville double homicide now in custody