Mike Wolanin | The Republic Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies are investigating a shooting at this home in the 300 block of Elm Street in Hope where a 36-year-old man and his 3-year-old son were shot allegedly by a relative during a family dispute.
Legal proceedings against a Rush County man accused of shooting his brother and three-year-old nephew have been postponed until January in Bartholomew Circuit Court.
Robbie L. Perez, 35, of Homer is accused of standing on the porch of a Hope residence on June 1 and shooting George Perez Jr., 36, and his 3-year-old son, Kingston. The shootings took place at the home of the victims in the 300 block of Elm St. in Hope, police said.
The victims were flown to Indianapolis-area hospitals by Lifeline helicopter and are recovering. In terms of motive, investigators say only that there was a long-running feud between the two brothers.
The morning after the shootings, Franklin police spotted the suspect’s vehicle on East King Street near Interstate 65 in Johnson County. A vehicle pursuit ensued that ended when Robbie Perez finally stopped and was taken into custody by law enforcement officers. But during the apprehension, police in Johnson County discovered the suspect was suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chin.
Robbie Perez is charged with attempted murder as a Level 1 felony, as well as two separate counts of aggravated battery when the assault poses a substantial risk of death. Both battery charges are Level 3 felonies.
If convicted of all three counts, the defendant could be sentenced from 26 to 72 years in prison, as well as ordered to pay fines of up to $20,000.
While a change of plea hearing was scheduled Monday afternoon before Judge Kelly Benjamin, public defender Joseph Villanueva of Greenwood told the court he had just received an undisclosed amount of evidence from the prosecution and needed more time to review the materials with his client.
In addition, court officials are still in the process of determining the defendant’s assets, Villaneuva said.
Benjamin scheduled a pre-trial conference or change of plea hearing for 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 4. The trial is tentatively scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 30.
