During the initial hearing in Kosciusko County Circuit Court and a plea hearing Monday for Paul Gingerich, 15, Cromwell, Gingrich’s involvement in the April 20, 2010, murder of Phillip Danner was released.

A transcript of an interview between Gingerich and Kosciusko County Detective Jon Tyler, April 21, 2010, was submitted as evidence in the case.

This is the first time any transcript of the case has been available. Bits of what occurred were mentioned during an initial delinquency hearing April 22, 2010.

The transcripts note Gingerich, while never really threatened by Colt Lundy, was afraid of Lundy and that Lundy would hurt him. Gingerich stated he tried to leave before the shooting, but Lundy told him he couldn’t. He said Lundy had previously shot at him with a pellet gun.

Gingerich also told police Lundy stated he needed somebody with him and while Chase Williams didn’t want to do it, Gingerich went “because I didn’t want anybody getting hurt.”

Police learned through Gingerich that Lundy and his stepfather (Danner) had been fighting and Lundy did not like Danner. Gingerich told police one incident that Lundy told him about one particular incident that especially made Lundy angry. He said it involved Danner grabbing Lundy’s mother “… and then he got all pissed and like he’s going to kill her or something with like a machete or something cause he has all these swords in his room.”

He also noted Lundy liked to joke around, and several weeks earlier when the group was talking about going to California, he allegedly jokingly told Williams he had to go or he would “kill him.”

The transcripts note Lundy had planned for some time to kill Danner and possibly tie up his mother and hide all the phones. Lundy’s mother was out of the area at the time of the murder.

At the time of the interview Gingerich was in sixth grade at Wawasee Middle School and just 12 years old. His mother, Nicole Gingerich, was present for the interview.

The transcript covers what occurred April 20, 2010, until Gingerich, Lundy and Williams were detained by police in Peru, Ill.

The Day’s Events
Gingrich said the morning of Danner’s murder he rode the bus to school. His mother picked him up for lunch and a doctor’s appointment. He returned home and spent the afternoon watching television, falling asleep and waking up around 7:30 p.m.

He then met with Lundy and three others at the home of one of those friends. They went to the Enchanted Hills park where they met with Williams.

Gingerich said Lundy brought up going to Arizona to him and Williams. “Like we decided we were going to leave and then he said that (inaudible) have to kill Phil.”

Gingerich said he, Lundy, Williams and a fourth individual went to Lundy’s home. They had a signal worked out before anyone would enter the home, because no one was to be at the home. Lundy went inside, the other three waited outside. “Colt opened up the blinds and waved so I … I was going to go through the window.”

When questioned why it was so important Danner was dead, Gingerich stated he didn’t know and added, “We could of just waited until like 12 or something.”

Gingerich told police that, once inside, Lundy had two handguns in his room. Gingerich described the guns, a silver revolver and black Glock.

Gingerich also showed police, in what is alluded to in the transcript, as a layout of the room and where each of the two were sitting and where the handguns were located prior to the shooting. The transcript indicates Gingerich had put the gun on a coffee table in front of him, while Lundy had the gun in a pocket.

He was asked to describe what happened. He noted they were talking with Lundy stating he wasn’t sure and Gingerich agreeing. “I thought we were going to leave, but then he, Phil, turned the corner and then he shot him and then I freaked out and closed my eyes and turned around shot.”

Gingerich further explained Lundy “was just sitting there waiting. And then I heard him shoot and then like I heard Phil say like .. say like ‘what the hell’ or something. I don’t know what he said … and then I turned around and shot. I had my eyes closed cause I was like … I was freaking out.”

He also told police he fired the gun once or twice and Lundy fired the gun two or three times. He also told police the three waiting outside heard the shots and two walked in the home while the third ran home.

Gingerich said Lundy told them they had to go and all agreed. Two of the individuals left in one direction, Gingerich and Lundy remained together, packing Lundy’s items along with a jar of change, food and other items. Gingerich went home packed and went back to the Danner residence. He was called home, left his packed items, and returned home. It was approximately 10:30 p.m. when Williams knocked on his door. Gingerich threw his shoes out the window and went out the garage door where Williams and Lundy were waiting for him in a car.

Police were told Lundy programmed the GPS for Arizona and they stopped at possibly two gas stations, one in Indiana one in Illinois, to use the restrooms and another to purchase gas with Danner’s credit card. The third stop was a Walmart in Peru, Ill., where they came in contact with police and the case unfolded.