Charges filed against suspects in kidnapping, attack at barn

Four suspects are being charged with kidnapping and other crimes after a victim was lured to a barn and beaten earlier this month.

According to Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay, three teens are still being held in the jail after their weekend arrests, while authorities are still searching for a fourth suspect, 19-year-old Zablin Jai Woodruff.

The prosecutor’s office filed formal charges against the suspects today.

According to court documents, the attack happened late in the evening on June 2nd, into early morning on June 3rd. The 19-year-old victim said that a female acquaintance, 18-year-old Emily Franklin offered to give him a ride to pick up food. But instead took him to an abandoned barn on Bonnell Road in the rural part of the county.

The victim was then taken into the barn by masked men and attacked, while Franklin left the scene. The attackers cut him with a knife, cut his hair with scissors, tried to cut his neck with the same scissors, beat him with a stick, threatened and whipped him with a pistol and threw a caustic liquid into his eyes and face. The attackers then stripped off the victim’s sweatshirt and shoes and stole his phone, according to the charging documents

Deputies searched the abandoned barn and found evidence including blood and hair. A search of the county’s Flock camera system identified Franklin’s car in the vicinity. Deputies conducted surveillance of the Clifty Lane apartment Franklin shares with 18-year-old Ashton Fields.

Last Saturday, authorities saw Fields and another suspect, 18-year-old Charles Breedlove leave the apartment in Franklin’s car. They were taken into custody, as well as Franklin who was still at the apartment. A search of the car Monday revealed blood, a pistol and ammunition and a knife, along with a wallet containing human hair and other evidence.

Breedlove, Fields and Woodruff are facing charges of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, kidnapping, criminal confinement, and aggravated battery. Franklin is being accused of kidnapping, as well as aiding in robbery, aggravated battery and criminal confinement.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Woodruff, you should call the Bartholomew County dispatch center at 812-379-1689.