Owen County teen's double murder trial set to begin this month

Jeremiah Dill will be tried as an adult on Aug. 18 at the Owen County Courthouse as he faces two counts of murder for allegedly killing his father and great uncle on Aug. 9, 2025, when he was 15 years old.

Dill is accused of killing Grantham Chandler, 43, and Jeffrey Fauber, 61, in the driveway of a home in Quincy. Owen County Dispatch received a call at about 3:42 p.m. that day, concerning a gunshot victim.

After allegedly shooting them, Dill turned himself in at the Martinsville Police Department, according to a probable cause affidavit.

He said “I killed my parents,” and told an officer that “The guns are in the car.” Dill also was reported to have said “I’m fighting demons.”

Owen Circuit Court I Judge Don VanDerMoere II previously cited Dill’s history of mental health interventions and commitments, noting that his guardians were unable to control him at home.

Just 10 days before Dill allegedly killed his family members, he told a Bloomington Police Department officer that he was going to kill his father. Afterwards, he was admitted into Valle Vista, a mental health clinic, from which he was released on Aug. 7, 2025, according to the affidavit.

In the hearing that VanDerMoere ruled Dill would be tried as an adult, Prosecutor Benjamin Kim had to prove that the defendant was at least 12 years old, probable cause of the crime occurred and that the juvenile was involved and charging as an adult was in the best interest of the juvenile and safety of the community.

Public defender Megan Schueler had argued that the juvenile system was best, due to the services and structure it provides for rehabilitation. She claimed the system had failed Dill.

In the hearing, VanDerMoere claimed Dill had been “lying in wait” and gave details alluding to Dill’s motive.

“They took your damn Xbox,” he said.

VanDerMoere ordered Dill held without bond. He also approved a motion for psychiatric evaluations to be performed on Dill. Earlier this year, the court granted a request from the defense related to the state’s legal statute defining the insanity defense — IC 35-41-3-6.

That code means a person is not responsible for the prohibited conduct they engaged in if they were unable to understand its wrongfulness due to a mental disease or defect.

“This investigation is tragic, and I am at a loss for words on such a horrendous violation to these two victims,” Owen County Sheriff Ryan White said at a press conference held last year at the courthouse.

Prosecutor Kim has issued a reminder that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.