Police have arrested five people in connection with the shooting of an Indiana judge and his wife at their home earlier this week, following a multi-state investigation involving federal and local law enforcement agencies.
Lafayette Police said Thursday that the arrests came after hundreds of hours of investigative work into the Jan. 18 attack on Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, in Lafayette. The shooting occurred around 2:17 p.m. Both victims were hospitalized and are reported to be in stable condition. The judge suffered an arm injury, while his wife was wounded in the hip.
Authorities identified three suspects charged with attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder: Raylen Ferguson, 38, of Lexington, Kentucky; Thomas Moss, 43, of Lafayette; and Blake Smith, 32, also of Lafayette. Prosecutors additionally filed gang enhancement and firearm enhancement charges against all three, which could lead to longer sentences if they are convicted. Moss and Smith were also designated as habitual offenders.
Two additional suspects were arrested on obstruction-related charges. Amanda Milsap, 45, of Lafayette, faces charges of bribery and obstruction of justice. Zenada Greer, 61, of Lexington, Kentucky, was charged with assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice.
Authorities have not indicated whether any of the suspects have obtained legal representation.
Police said the arrests were carried out through cooperation among multiple agencies, including law enforcement in Lexington, Kentucky, and Allentown, Pennsylvania, as well as the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service.
In a statement released Tuesday through the Indiana Judicial Branch, Judge Meyer expressed gratitude for the support he and his wife have received.
“I want the community to know that I have strong faith in our judicial system,” Meyer said. “This horrific violence will not shake my belief in the importance of peacefully resolving disputes. I remain confident we have the best judicial system in the world, and I am proud to be part of it.”
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush condemned the attack, voicing concern for judicial safety statewide.
“Any violence against a judge or a judge’s family is completely unacceptable,” Rush said. “As public servants dedicated to the rule of law, you must not only feel safe — you must be safe.”
Judge Meyer was elected to the state bench in 2014. He recently announced he would not seek re-election this November and plans to retire. Before joining the judiciary, he practiced law in Lafayette for three decades and served as a former president of the Lafayette City Council.
