MUNCIE, Ind. — The Delaware County prosecutor charged Ian Shelden in the 2016 murder of Mark Trent.
Trent was reported missing in March 2016 by his family. When police checked his home, they found personal items, including his dogs, were left behind. Police also found his wallet had been emptied out, and his truck was gone.
Police were told at the time that Ian Sheldon and a woman had been staying at Trent's home for a few months, but moved out at the end of 2015 after an argument. Police were unable to locate the couple, though.
At the time, police learned Trent's bank cards were continuing to be used but were not able to identify a suspect from ATM images. They also saw a Facebook post from Trent in which he claimed to be reevaluating his life and possibly severing ties with everyone permanently.
In 2021, at the request of Trent's family, police looked back into Sheldon's whereabouts and located him in Tennessee.
According to court documents, Sheldon at first said he heard Trent had moved to Florida. He then allegedly told investigators that Trent overdosed as they were driving to Tennessee together. Police said Sheldon later told investigators that he had hit Trent in the head with a tent stake at his Muncie home until he died. He told investigators he cleaned everything up and dumped Trent's body off the side of a mountain overhang.
Police went to that spot and were able to locate human remains.
Sheldon is charged with murder, obstruction of justice, auto theft, fraud and theft. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
