Indiana Man Pleads Guilty to Murder and Robbery of Elderly Couple in Home Shooting

An Indiana man has admitted to all 11 charges related to the shooting and robbery of an elderly couple in their home. Austin Kusturin, 30, pleaded guilty to murder and other charges in the deaths of John and Elizabeth "Betty" Hall, both 74.

Sparing Relatives from Trial

The plea deal with Kusturin was made to spare the Halls' relatives from the burden of a trial that would put his "heinous and senseless crimes" on display, said Posey County Prosecutor Thomas Clowers. Kusturin could face a prison sentence of up to 170 years, with the sentencing scheduled for July 18.

The bodies of John and Elizabeth Hall were found in November 2021 in their home in Mount Vernon, southwestern Indiana. Indiana State Police recovered their cellphones near Kusturin's residence and found a gun belonging to John Hall in a storage unit Kusturin shared. Additionally, Kusturin's thumbprint was found on John Hall's phone, according to an affidavit.

Attorney's Statement

Kusturin's attorney, Glenn Grampp, mentioned that his client decided to plead guilty on the morning of the trial, without elaborating on the reason. Grampp also stated that while the guilty plea spares Kusturin from the possibility of life in prison without parole, he "is looking at a substantial amount of time" behind bars.