VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A Terre Haute man has been convicted of murder after a Vigo County jury deliberated into the early morning hours Thursday.
Steven W. Rickard‘s murder trial began Monday in Vigo County Superior Court 3. The trial went through Tuesday and most of Wednesday this week.
By 4 p.m. Wednesday, the jury began deliberations. According to a Vigo County clerk, it took jurors until 2 a.m. to deliver their verdict.
That verdict, guilty on three charges.
- Murder – guilty
- Pointing a firearm at another – guilty
- A level 6 felony
- Possession of methamphetamine – guilty
- A level 6 felony
With the guilty verdict, Rickard has been convicted of murdering Kristen Gregg on December 12, 2020, at a residence in the 1400 block of Grand Avenue in Terre Haute.
Rickard initially claimed in a 911 call he had been cleaning a handgun when the gun accidentally fired, striking Gregg. When speaking with police, Rickard later told them he had been in the process of selling the gun in question and when the buyer handed the gun back to him it accidentally went off. The story changed again when Rickard later admitted to turning in the direction of Gregg and pulling the trigger.
“Steven then said he took the gun, turned around, pointed the gun in the direction of Kristen and pulled the trigger. He said he didn’t mean to fire the gun, but pulled the trigger too hard.”
Detective Kenny Murphy in the Probable Cause Affidavit against Steven Rickard
According to public court records, Rickard will appear for sentencing in Vigo County Superior Court 3 on April 10 at 2 p.m.
