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Last updated on Thursday, August 27, 2015
(DOVER HILL) - A Shoals man has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder.
Indiana State police says 33-year-old Nathan Baker has been charged with the murders of 52-year-old Tom Tharp and 82-year-old Alan Sims, both of Shoals.
According to ISP Sergeant Philip Hensley, officers began their investigation on Tuesday night and it continued into late Wednesday night.
Law enforcement officers in Martin County had been searching for Tharp after he was reported missing by his family.
At approximately 9:53 a.m. Wednesday, Martin County Deputy Kevin McBeth arrived at 8030 Fred Sims Road in Shoals to see if he could find Tharp. While checking a detached garage on the property, Deputy McBeth found the body of Alan Sims. The body was lying in the garage floor. Sims had died from a single gunshot wound.
Police believed Baker was a suspect in Sims' death and began a search to locate him.
Investigators were informed that Baker had previously lived on Sims's property and had been asked to leave. Police then learned that Baker had been seen on the property multiple times within the last several days.
Police then issued a request to other law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire that belonged to Tharp.
Around 2:17 p.m., Lawrence County deputies located the Pontiac traveling northbound on State Road 450. After attempting to initiate a traffic stop, Baker fled, leading police on a high-speed pursuit that ended on State Road 158 after Baker crashed the Sunfire. He was arrested without incident around 2:32 p.m.
During a search of the vehicle, officers located a shotgun believed to be the murder weapon..
While officers continued to search Sims' property for evidence, an officer located a shoe and a short distance later located the body of Tharp lying in a garden covered with debris. The body was located about 30 yards south of the detached garage where Sims was found.
Tharp had also died from a single gunshot wound.
After continuing their investigation, police had sufficient probable cause to charge Baker with two counts of murder. He is currently being held in the Martin County Jail without bail.
Investigating Agency is the Indiana State Police with the assistance of Martin, Lawrence, and Daviess County Sheriff's Departments and the Washington Police Department.
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