Opinion ID: 852913
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Automobile and Residence Searches

Text: The defendant first contends that the trial court erred in admitting various items of evidence resulting from unlawful searches of his vehicle and his residence conducted pursuant to a warrant issued by the trial court. He argues that the facts upon which the warrant was issued do not establish probable cause linking him to the commission of the crime. The defendant presented his objections both at trial and in a pre-trial motion to suppress that was denied by the trial court in a comprehensive and thoughtful order. The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that a search warrant will not be issued without probable cause. [1] This Court recognizes that probable cause to search a premises is established when a sufficient basis of fact exists to permit a reasonably prudent person to believe that a search of those premises will uncover evidence of a crime. Overstreet v. State, 783 N.E.2d 1140, 1157 (Ind.2003) (quoting Esquerdo v. State, 640 N.E.2d 1023, 1029 (Ind.1994)). The trial court must make its determination to issue a warrant based on the facts stated in the affidavit and the rational and reasonable inferences drawn therefrom. Overstreet, 783 N.E.2d at 1157 (quoting Esquerdo, 640 N.E.2d at 1029). When they sought the search warrant, police presented the following information to the trial judge: (1) about 7 a.m. on April 19, 2001, the bodies of two fellow employees of the defendant were found shot with what appeared to be a .45 caliber handgun in the Pike county EMS ambulance barn; (2) the defendant had ready access to the ambulance barn and had been there until 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. the night before; (3) the defendant had purchased a .45 caliber handgun about one year before the incident and gave conflicting statements regarding its whereabouts (he initially told investigators that he had thrown the gun away two weeks before, but later told them that he had discarded the barrel and that the remainder of the gun was in his car); (4) the defendant had a conflict with one of the victims that could adversely affect the defendant's employment; (5) the defendant's wife had seen the handgun in the defendant's pocket the day before; and (6) after the defendant returned home around midnight, the defendant's wife washed the clothes he was wearing, and the defendant was generally acting oddly, according to his wife. Based on these facts presented to the trial court and the rational and reasonable inferences drawn from them, there was a sufficient basis to allow a reasonable person to conclude that a search of the defendant's vehicle and his residence would uncover evidence of a crime. The search warrant was supported by adequate probable cause. [2]