St. Croix suicide determined to be murder; Tell City man arrested
Indiana State Police investigators arrested a Tell City man for the murder of a St. Croix resident after a three-week investigation into what was originally thought to be a suicide.
On March 4, 2017, the Perry County Sheriff’s Department requested the assistance of the Indiana State Police with the investigation into the death of 62-year-old David Weedman of Saint Croix. Initial reports to police indicated that Weedman died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his home. However, law enforcement fully investigated the death as suspicious.
An autopsy conducted on March 7 in Tell City revealed the fatal wound sustained by Weedman was not consistent with a self-inflicted wound. State Police investigators continued to pursue the investigation as a murder investigation.
Over the course of the next two weeks, the investigation led detectives to 45-year-old Randal L. Coalter of Tell City. Investigators learned that Weedman and Coalter had become involved in a physical altercation on March 1 in Weedman’s home from witnesses. That day corresponds with the last time Weedman was seen alive.
According to authorities, they have not determined the relationship between the two men other than they were acquaintances.
Detectives presented enough evidence within a probable cause affidavit to obtain an arrest warrant for Coalter. Coalter charged with murder and arrested without incident Tuesday. He was lodged in the Perry County Security Center.
