An Indiana guy went from reporting his wife missing to admitting that he really killed her with a hammer in less than a day. Daniel Keith Flaherty, 42, is presently imprisoned without bond at the jail in Gibson County on a charge of murder.
He reported 36-year-old Kayla Flaherty missing, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office and a probable cause document. He purportedly claimed that on October 3, at around 1:30 a.m., she departed from their residence in the town of Patoka, located in the 7000 block of E. 500 N.
He claimed that she was on her way to her mother’s house, but in the end, her mother informed the detectives that Kayla had not arrived on Thursday morning.
“Dan Flaherty advised that Kayla Flaherty was going to go to her mother’s house located in Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana,” as per the affidavit. “Dan Flaherty advised that Kayla Flaherty will typically text him, and let him know of her arrival and she did not.”
When investigators checked the path her husband said she took to get to the house, they turned up nothing.
According to the affidavit, Kayla’s employer phoned her off her shift on Thursday, the day she was supposed to work at Good Samaritan Hospital. She did not reply.
However, upon further investigation, investigators learned that Kayla Flaherty had filed for divorce from her husband, “though Daniel Flaherty had not received the divorce papers, and Daniel Flaherty stated that they were having a conversation about their relationship when Kayla Flaherty left the house.”
In Vincennes, the city where her mother resides, the defendant reportedly disclosed information on the usage of his wife’s credit card at the Hucks Gas Station on 6th St. next to U.S. Highway 41.
That’s where her car was found on October 2 at 11:50 p.m. by a license plate reader. After that time, defendant Flaherty allegedly told an investigator, she had gone back to the residence to, in the affidavit, “bring a backpack.”
Her location inside Gibson County was tracked by police using her cellphone data, but there was no proof that she had been to Vincennes, in nearby Knox County, prior to her abduction.
Authorities stated that the defendant Flaherty tried to activate the vehicle tracking feature on the couple’s 2019 Toyota Highlander, but the business told him they couldn’t, even after several tries.
In the end, defendant Flaherty admitted to state police and sheriff’s detectives on Friday that he had hit his wife many times on Thursday morning in their living room with a hammer.
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“Daniel Flaherty admitted that he rigged the vehicle to drive into the Wabash River and set fire to the 2019 Highlander along with the body of Kayla Flaherty,” they stated. “Daniel Flaherty further identified the location of the site via a map, and pointed out a location in far southwest Knox County, Indiana.”
When investigators went to the location, they discovered a burned-out Toyota SUV that contained human remains, they reported.
Monday morning was the defendant Flaherty’s initial hearing.
“State appears and Defendant appears via video uplink,” the court notes stated. “Defendant is advised of the charge and rights. Court finds probable cause and enters a Not Guilty plea. Defendant request a public defender. Court questions the Defendant. Court denies request at this time.”
