HOWE – A 62-year-old Michigan man has been arrested and charged in connection with a 1986 sexual assault case in LaGrange County, Indiana. The arrest, made nearly four decades after the crime, results from advancements in DNA technology and persistent investigative work.
In October 1986, the LaGrange County Sheriff’s Department, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, and the Indiana State Police began investigating the sexual assault of a woman near Howe, Indiana. The victim was abducted in the early morning hours of October 23, 1986, after stopping her vehicle to remove an object from the road. She was then held against her will, sexually assaulted near Howe, and subsequently transported to a location near Orland in Steuben County, where she was assaulted again. Evidence was collected at the time, but all leads were exhausted, and the case went cold.
In 2015, an Indiana State Police detective reopened the case, recognizing the potential of advancements in forensic technology. DNA evidence from the original investigation was located and submitted to the Indiana State Police Fort Wayne Regional Lab. While the DNA was run through the state database, there was no match.
In 2023, the DNA sample was submitted for genetic genealogy analysis. This process identified a family line connected to the DNA. Through further investigation, Indiana State Police District 22 Detectives and the Indiana State Police Cold Case Team narrowed the search to one individual.
On February 10, 2025, Ricky Devonne McLatcher, 62, of Quincy, Michigan, was arrested by the Michigan State Police on a warrant issued by LaGrange County, Indiana, charging him with criminal deviant conduct, burglary, and criminal confinement. He is currently held in the Branch County, Michigan Jail, and is awaiting extradition to Indiana.
The Indiana State Police acknowledged the collaborative effort that led to the arrest, including the contributions of the LaGrange County Sheriff’s Department, the LaGrange County Prosecutor’s Office, the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, the Michigan State Police, the Indiana State Police District 22 Detectives and Cold Case Team, and the Indiana State Police Regional Laboratory. The agency also recognized the crucial role of the Indiana State Police Fort Wayne Lab and the non-profit organization Seasons of Justice, which provided funding for genetic genealogy testing through Parabon, a private lab specializing in DNA analysis.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
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