Man charged with murder worked for victim

MONTICELLO, Ind. (WLFI) - The house at 2352 Sullivan Court along Lake Shafer in Monticello sits empty. It's where police say 67-year-old Judith Claypool was murdered in December 2008. Claypool's body was discovered after her car was found abandoned nearby.

Since then, the investigation has been ongoing . Now, murder charges have been filed against 21-year-old Monticello native Jason Forrest. White County Prosecutor Bob Guy said DNA evidence played a role in the case.

"Mr. Forrest was on our radar from the very beginning. A number of things developed as the case progressed that, I guess, closed our investigation in upon Mr. Forrest. During the probable cause hearing, a number of those things came out including some DNA evidence that we believe link Mr. Forrest to the crime," said Guy.

Guy would not comment on specifics about why Claypool was targeted for murder, but he said Forrest and Claypool knew each other prior to the crime.

"Mr. Forrest had worked on her property the previous summer on a landscaping job that she was having done. So, they were familiar with each other," said Guy.

Claypool was a retired Twin Lakes School Corporation teacher and a mother of two. According to Guy, Claypool was well known in the community.

"It's been a very trying time for the family. It's been a very trying time for the whole community. It's been difficult for the law enforcement community," said Guy.

Forrest is currently serving a sentence at the Putnamville Correctional Facility for a burglary he committed six months prior to Claypool's murder. He's expected to be transported back to White County for a hearing on Thursday.