A false confession sent investigators down the wrong path for months. DNA evidence eventually corrected it.
On January 25, 2005, 10-year-old Katlyn "Katie" Collman walked from her home in Crothersville, Indiana, to a nearby Dollar General store to pick up toilet paper for her mother — a walk she'd made countless times before. She never came home.
The Search
When Katie hadn't returned by evening, her mother, Angela, searched the neighborhood before calling police. More than 100 volunteers joined the search over the following days, checking creeks and wooded areas around the small town. On January 30, an Indiana State Police trooper found her body in a pond near Cypress Lake, about 15 miles from her home. Her hands had been bound behind her back.
A False Confession
Days later, 21-year-old Charles "Chuckie" Hickman, a neighbor, confessed to Katie's murder, claiming she had witnessed a drug deal and had to be silenced. He was charged with murder, and prosecutors initially indicated they would seek the death penalty. But investigators grew suspicious as Hickman's account kept changing, and a nine-week effort to corroborate his story found no supporting evidence at all. In May 2005, prosecutors dismissed the murder charge against him, concluding his confession had been fabricated. The false lead had consumed weeks that could have gone toward pursuing the actual killer.
DNA Points Elsewhere
While investigating separately, police identified Anthony Ray Stockelman, a 38-year-old local man, after a witness reported seeing Katie in his white pickup truck the night she disappeared. He passed an initial polygraph test and was released. In April 2005, DNA recovered from a cigarette butt near Katie's body was matched to Stockelman. Investigators also found carpet fibers on Katie's clothing that matched carpet in a home belonging to Stockelman's mother, where he had been helping her move on the day Katie vanished.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Stockelman was charged with molestation, then murder, once the DNA evidence came in. In a plea agreement that took the death penalty off the table, he pleaded guilty to Katie's murder and molestation in 2006 and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
An Assault Behind Bars
In September 2006, Stockelman was assigned to the same Indiana prison where Katie's cousin, Jared Harris, was already incarcerated. Harris entered Stockelman's cell, trapped him inside, and forcibly tattooed the words "KATIE'S REVENGE" across his forehead. Two prison guards were later fired after an internal investigation found they had enabled the incident to occur.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Charles Hickman ever charged with Katie's murder?
No. Though he initially confessed, prosecutors determined his confession was false and dismissed the murder charge in 2005. He was separately convicted on an unrelated child molestation charge involving a different victim.
Who was ultimately convicted of killing Katie Collman?
Anthony Ray Stockelman, identified through DNA evidence, pleaded guilty to her murder and molestation in 2006 and remains serving a life sentence without parole.
What happened to the man who tattooed Stockelman in prison?
Katie's cousin, Jared Harris, was charged in connection with the assault. Two prison guards were also fired for allowing the incident to take place.
Is Anthony Stockelman still in prison?
Yes, serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.