FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — A man charged in the death and dismemberment of a northeastern Indiana man could face life in prison without parole if he’s convicted in the slaying.
The Allen County prosecutor’s office filed a request last month for life without parole for Mathew J. Cramer II, 21, who is charged in the April death of Shane Van Nguyen, 55.
Cramer is expected to stand trial on Dec. 13 in Allen Superior Court on charges of murder, abuse of a corpse and resisting law enforcement, The Journal Gazette reported.
A second defendant, Jacob Carreon-Hamilton, 20, pleaded guilty in July to assisting a criminal who committed murder, abuse of a corpse, and resisting law enforcement using a vehicle. He is set for sentencing on Dec. 20.
Investigators have said they believe Cramer slammed Nguyen’s head to the ground, killing him. Cramer and Carreon-Hamilton then allegedly dismembered Nguyen’s remains at a local storage unit, and placed them in black plastic trash bags that were found inside the victim’s van.
Nguyen had operated a food truck in Fort Wayne. Before his slaying, he drove to Elkhart to pick up Cramer, who told Fort Wayne police he planned to kill Nguyen as they drove back to Fort Wayne, where Cramer had a storage unit, according to court records.
