Detective Sergeant Phillip D. Hochstetler
Det. Hochstetler was interviewing a burglary suspect when he agreed to provide Det.
Hochstetler with the weapons. At the last minute, the suspect turned one of the weapons
on Det, Hochstetler, shooting him once in the thorax and a fatal shot in the head. The
suspect then killed his own two children and fled his residence before being able to kill
his wife.
A statewide manhunt ensued until Friday, July 1, 1994 when the suspect drove a stolen pickup truck past the crime scene area initiating a pursuit by the Warsaw City Police Dept. The suspect "opened-fire" upon the police units in the downtown business district and the Warsaw Police officers retured fire. Two patrolmen fatally shot the suspect in the head and neck as he was shooting the handgun at the officers and laughing.
Det./Sgt. Hochstetler had previously served as an undercover drug officer as well as a Nappanee officer since 1987. Det./Sgt. Hochstetler had also shot the murder suspect of Nappanee officer Brant "Butch" Nine, moments after the original shooting in downtown Nappanee in 1988. He is survived by three sons.
" you will never be forgotten"
