Arrests Made in Home Invasion and Armed Robbery

Vanderburgh County Deputies responded to a report of a home invasion robbery at The Highland Hills Apartments at 2119 hours on December 14th, 2015. The suspects had fled prior to deputies’ arrival and a search of the area was unsuccessful.

The residents reported that seven masked males had forced their way into the apartment. One resident stated that following a knock at his door, the suspects kicked in his door and one of the suspects had pointed what he believed to be a handgun at his head as well as different suspect had held a machete to his chest. The resident told deputies that the suspects destroyed some of his property and robbed him of marijuana, paraphernalia, cell phones and an electronic tablet and then fled in two vehicles. Neither victim recognized any of the suspects.

At 1700 hours on December 15, 2015, an EPD detective driving a marked police vehicle was passed by a vehicle traveling on the Lloyd Expressway at a high rate of speed and driving recklessly. The vehicle was stopped and found to be occupied by five juveniles. EPD officers recognized that the vehicle matched the description of one of the suspect vehicle in the robbery. Items in the vehicle including a machete and a pellet gun resembling the gun described by the victim were also observed. The juveniles were transported to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office Command Post.

Detectives with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office interviewed the juveniles. Two were released. Three of the juveniles implicated themselves in the robbery. One fifteen year-old juvenile was charged and placed in the Youth Care Center. Kyle Fravel, age sixteen, and Christian Cheatem, age seventeen, were arrested and charged with multiple felonies including Armed Robbery. Both are currently being held without in the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center. Following additional investigation, sufficient probable cause was developed to place one of the juveniles that had been stopped in the suspect vehicle and released back into custody at the Youth Care Center.

The investigation is continuing and more arrests are expected.

Arrested:

Kyle Fravel, age 16, Evansville
Christian Cheatem, age 17, Evansville
Juvenile Male, age 15, Evansville
Juvenile Male, age 15, Evansville

Charges:

Robbery – Armed w/Deadly Weapon Level 3 Felony
Burglary – Armed w/Deadly Weapon Level 2 Felony
Criminal Mischief Class B Misdemeanor
Intimidation –Draws or Uses Deadly Weapon Level 5 Felony
Criminal Confinement while Armed level 3 Felony

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