MUNCIE, Ind. — A man convicted in the brutal 1991 slaying of his friend will remain incarcerated in Delaware County, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Delaware Circuit Court No. 2 Judge Kimberly Dowling denied a motion for sentence modification filed by convicted murderer, 50-year-old Matt Stidham, of Anderson.
On the night of Feb. 23, 1991, court documents said Stidham and several of his friends drove to the apartment of Daniel Barker, where they reportedly drank whiskey and played guitars.
Police believe they eventually started “trading punches.” This evidently started as horseplay, but "grew into an angry encounter" between Stidham and Barker, according to police.
Court documents say as the fight escalated, the others joined Stidham in beating Barker. Not only did they beat and kick Barker, but they also struck him with a wooden club.
They then loaded much of Barker's electronic equipment into his van, gagged him, placed him in the back of the van and drove off.
They eventually arrived at a secluded area near the Mississinewa River, where Barker was removed from the van, and again beaten and stabbed 47 times before they threw his body into the river.
After visiting with friends, who they told of the killing, Stidham and his accomplices drove into Illinois, where they were arrested.
Stidham was 17 years old at the time of the crime. He was twice convicted of killing Barker.
Prosecuting Attorney Eric Hoffman released the following statement:
"As long as I am Prosecutor in Delaware County, I will not agree to a reduction of a violent criminal’s sentence. Violent offenders must serve every minute of their sentence. The mere passage of time does not erase the pain and suffering inflicted at the hands of violent criminals. Nor does it lessen the risk that the person will commit another heinous crime."
