UPDATED – (3-9-20)
According to the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department web site John Eicher (21) of Berne has been charged with two felony counts – Breaking and Entering (5th degree) and Theft (4th degree). Eicher stole three horses and tack from the Mercer County Fairgrounds, two horses died after the trailer carrying them crashed on Wabash Road.
After being charged in Celina Municipal Court on March 6th (Friday) he was released on bond.
(3-3-20) Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey reports that his office received a call shortly before 7AM today (3-3-2020) of a horse trailer that was in the middle of the road on Wabash Road near Skeels Road. Deputies arrived and found the trailer on its side with two horses inside. Deputies quickly learned that the trailer and horses were stolen from the Mercer County Fairgrounds. The investigation found that a third horse was missing from the fairgrounds as well.
The Sheriff’s Office received numerous tips throughout the day from the community, which led to a suspect. Detectives were able to locate the suspect and he cooperated with the investigation. At this time arrangements are being made to return the third horse to its owner. Several other items were also stolen from the horse barn such as tack, saddle, race cart, wheels, horse shoes, etc. These items are also in the process of being recovered.
Detectives found that the suspect was unfamiliar with the workings of the ball hitch, which is what caused the trailer to come unhooked from the truck and caused the trailer to overturn. Unfortunately the two horses involved in the crash have expired as a result of their injuries.
Arrested was John R Eicher (21) of Berne, Indiana. Eicher was arrested for theft and is currently incarcerated in the Mercer County Adult Detention Facility. Bond has been sent at $100,000.00 subject to 10% by Municipal Court Judge Kathy Speelman.
The case will be sent to Mercer County Prosecutor Matt Fox for review and the possibility of additional charges.
Sheriff Grey would like to thank the community for their tips that were received in this case. Without the help of the community in this matter, this case would have been much harder to solve stated Sheriff Grey.
No other information will be released at this time as the investigation is continuing.
Mercer County Outlook 
I hope he gets plenty of jail time and/or prison time. Make him an example for the new cruelty to animals law. He should have to pay a hefty price for the lives of those horses and the trauma of the other one.
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I hope he can’t live with the guilt of what he’s done and kills himself
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That’s a little harsh I agree time in prison but come on wish death on someone not a Christian thing to do
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Wth is wrong with you?
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He wanted to steal, but you want to murder. And yet you believe yourself far above him.
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Might want to re-read John’s comment. Hoping someone commits ‘suicide’ over the guilt of their actions is totally different than wanting to actually ‘murder’ someone over their actions. Not condoning what John stated but he clearly did not state he wanted to murder the suspect; only that he hoped the suspect would take his own life. Again, it’s not right but there is a difference.
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Be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted ,forgiving one another as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32
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They should tie him up in the horse trailer and let him go through what those poor innocent horses were feeling!! Noose him!!
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Is this dude amish ?
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Yeah he’s amish, I used to work with him. He’s a strange character.
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Stealing livestock is still a hanging offense in some States. To bad Indiana isn’t one of them.
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The offense happened in Ohio. That’s where he’ll be tried.
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I met this kid a couple of times. He was just coming out from being Amish, totally naive and unworldly. I’m pretty sure someone used him as their pawn to do their dirty work.
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That could be very true. They are pretty ignorant and it’s so very sad
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He may be unworldly and naive, but he knows the Bible and knows wrong from right. Stealing horses, a trailer and equipment is a crime. I can’t think of any good explanation to excuse his actions. And leaving those 2 horses overturned in the trailer in the middle of the road, to die from their injuries……inexcusable! Throw the book at him.
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I agree totally with Melinda
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They hang horse thieves don’t they? U can use my rope.just say when. Jail time too easy
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That’s what they used to do to horse thief’s back in the good ole days!!
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