Homicide ruled as 'isolated incident'

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Lafayette police continue to investigate the city's first homicide of 2012.

Monday, police responded to shots being fired outside of a home on the 3100 block of Kossuth Street.

Police are calling it an "isolated incident" because of what happened prior to the 911 phone call.

"There was a specific target and it wasn't somebody or a random act or something like that," Lieutenant Brad Hayworth with the Lafayette Police Department said.

When police arrived to the scene they found 32-year-old Robert Rudicle II inside, unresponsive with a single gun shot wound in the center of his chest.

Lafayette police later arrested 51-year-old Kevin Adams on a preliminary murder charge after they said he got in a dispute with Rudicle over a woman.

Lt. Hayworth said during the course of the investigation, they located the weapon used by Adams.

"The weapon that was used was a shotgun and there isn't a license needed in the state of Indiana for a shotgun or a rifle, especially one that's in your house," Lieutenant Hayworth said.

Hayworth said the last homicide in Lafayette was on Oct. 21, 2011, at a residence on Meadow Drive in Lafayette when 84-year-old William Hartlep was found dead in his home.

"Mr. Hartlep was home by himself and the house was entered by Mr. Fouts," Lieutenant Hayworth said. "During the course of the investigation we were able to determine that Mr. Fouts was the individual that had murdered Mr. Hartlep."

Hayworth said overall police haven't seen an increase or decrease in crime during 2012.

"Last year we had I think three, this year we've had one. We've had years that we haven't had any, so it's just hard to pinpoint when you're talking about homicides from year to year," Lieutenant Hayworth said.

Adams is currently being held in the Tippecanoe County Jail.

Tippecanoe County Prosecutor, Pat Harrington said formal charges have not yet been filed against Adams.