BLOOMINGTON — Ian Thorpe, of Bloomington, has been sentenced to just under eight years in prison after pleading guilty to a series of violent offenses, including a stabbing incident at a hotel in 2021 and a subsequent assault on an inmate in Monroe County Jail.
Thorpe, 31, pleaded guilty to a Level 3 felony charge of aggravated battery, posing a substantial risk of death, and a Level 5 felony charge of battery resulting in serious bodily injury. A Level 1 felony charge of attempted murder was dismissed as part of a negotiated plea agreement. He received a nine-year sentence for the Level 3 felony and three years for the Level 5 felony. He received credit for more than three years served since his arrest in July 2021. He will serve just under eight years in prison with good time credit.
The violent events began on July 29, 2021, when police responded to the Wingate by Wyndham Hotel shortly after 1 a.m. following a woman’s urgent request for help regarding a man covered in blood. Officers discovered a male victim in a hotel room suffering from multiple stab wounds to his arm and chest. He was promptly taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Investigators reported that Thorpe and the victim had been involved in a fight in the hotel parking lot, during which Thorpe allegedly brandished a knife and stabbed the other man. Following the incident, police apprehended Thorpe after he was found in the backseat of a vehicle that drove into the crime scene. Authorities recovered the knife used in the attack and clothing believed to be worn by Thorpe during the incident.
In May 2023, Thorpe, along with fellow inmate DeJuan Lamar Kelley, faced charges of assaulting another inmate at Monroe County Jail. According to court documents, the victim was attacked after exiting his cell for his scheduled hour out. He reported being chased down the stairs by Thorpe and Kelley, recalling only waking up on the cell block floor after the assault.
Jail surveillance footage captured Thorpe and Kelley returning to their cell after their hour out and then using a hardback book cover to manipulate the door jam before pursuing the victim. The victim suffered significant injuries, including facial swelling and bleeding from his ears, and was taken to the hospital following the attack.
Thorpe and Kelley declined to answer questions during police interviews, requesting legal representation. Thorpe later commented on unacceptable language, specifically mentioning derogatory terms.
