Man arrested for tampering with Birdseye murder scene

The Dubois County Sheriff’s Department has arrested a man who allegedly tampered with the scene of a murder that occurred near Birdseye this summer.

Quentin A. McMickle, 19, of 16 E. Second Street, Birdseye, was booked into the Dubois County Security Center at 9:14 a.m. Thursday on a Level 4 felony count of burglary and a Level 6 felony count of obstruction of justice.

A warrant for McMickle’s arrest was filed October 10. According to court documents, investigators have interviewed five people who claim McMickle told them he was there or he cleaned up the scene at the home on Harts Gravel Road where 49-year-old Darin L. Atkins was found dead of a blunt force trauma to his head on July 19.

McMickle has denied he entered the crime scene but according to court documents, McMickle allegedly told several people he cleaned the scene while wearing plastic bags on his hands and feet. He allegedly also identified the murder weapon as a baseball bat and one person said McMickle was looking for it in the home.

In a press conference held August 2, Det. Sgt. Tom Kleinhelter with the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department stated police had determined Atkins had been dead for a period of time before the incident was reported by Atkins girlfriend. He added that at least 10 people came out to Atkins’ residence located on the 3000 block of Harts Gravel Road during that time and before police were notified of the death.

According to Kleinhelter, the reason so many people came out to the home where Atkins lived by himself is due to the gossip that spread after he was found. In essence, Kleinhelter feels they came out to verify his death but no one contacted police.

Kleinhelter said that McMickle’s charges are for what occurred after the murder. “He entered the home looking for some items and that is when the charges occurred,” he said.

According to Kleinhelter, he has a list of possible suspects and the department is working to narrow that list down by corroborating these potential suspects stories. Kleinhelter admitted today that this case has been greatly complicated due to the extensive list of people that entered the crime scene after it occurred as well as the time that passed.

“Unfortunately, it has sometimes taken us weeks to investigate one of these many individuals’ stories to corroborate them,” Kleinhelter said today.

Kleinhelter would not confirm if the item used to kill Atkins was a baseball bat.

The department is still investigating the murder and is asking the public to come forward if they have any information. If you have information, please contact the department at 812-482-3522 and ask for Det. Sgt. Tom Kleinhelter or another deputy. All calls can remain anonymous.