JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. (WTHR) - A love triangle took a deadly turn in Johnson County earlier this month, and investigators say the ex-boyfriend involved came clean and confessed everything.
The department says Joseph "Evan" Avart of Plainfield admitted to killing 50-year-old Andrew Perry on Dec. 2 in the 2900 block of Cadogan Dr. in Greenwood. Perry's mother found him beaten in his own home when she went to check on him after a dog groomer called saying he'd missed an appointment.
Avart, 37, was arrested Saturday. Monday was his first court date at the Johnson County Courthouse.
Police said Perry had filed two prior police reports and both involved Avart. Avart was the ex-boyfriend of Perry's live-in girlfriend. Reports indicated Avart was stalking Perry - showing up to his home, peering in windows and making harassing phone calls.
Avart initially denied being at or near Perry's home on the day of murder, but reportedly admitted Friday that he waited until his ex-girlfriend had gone to work, then entered the home without permission, got into an argument and killed Perry. Investigators say he also admitted to ransacking the house to make it look like a robbery. They also say he left what looked like cocaine in the house to help sell the staged scene.
"With what we have been able to learn from Evan, we know that he was infatuated with his former girlfriend," Johnson County Sheriff Doug Cox said. "He had been stalking our victim by following him in his vehicle. That includes a trip to the airport. We know our victim went out of town a few nights before the homicide. We know from a statement from Evan that he followed our victim...back to his residence or near his residence in Johnson County."
After his alleged confession, Avart wrote a letter of apology to the Perry family which is now part of the evidence collected in the case.
"I was kind of surprised. I thought we probably won't hear a lot of the details until the trial," said Diana Huck, a neighbor who said she's been surprised by the twists and turns of this deadly love triangle in her otherwise quiet neighborhood.
Perry's teenage son had decided to spend the night away from home the night of the deadly attack.
"Nobody won here. I feel so sorry for Drew's son," Huck said.
Investigators say they do not believe Avart's ex-girlfriend had anything to do with Perry's murder.
If convicted in this case, Avart faces up to 65 years in prison.
