Michael Jerome James, 35, was arrested on Friday at his home in Shelbyville, Indiana, nearly two decades after he is accused of killing Chynna Dickus, 26, and her stepson Blake Dickus, 10, by stabbing them to death in their Franklin home. Police say James will be tried as an adult for the murders, which remain unsolved despite recent developments that include investigating potential burglaries linked to the crime scene on the day of the killings. Authorities praised the persistent efforts of officers who refused to let the case go cold over 20 years.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In July 2006, the bodies of Chynna Dickus (26) and her stepson Blake Dickus (10) were found stabbed to death in their home in Franklin, Indiana. The case remained unsolved for two decades despite efforts like billboards offering a reward that increased from $25,000 to $100,000 for information leading to an arrest. Recently, police arrested Michael Jerome James, 35, at his home in nearby Shelbyville as the suspected killer. According to the Franklin Police Department and Johnson County Prosecutor Lance D. Hamner, a grand jury indicted James on two counts of murder after reviewing evidence for three weeks. Despite being only 14 years old at the time of the killings, James will be tried as an adult.
Written for “Cold Case Solved Arrest” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
An Indiana man accused of killing a boy and stepmom when he was a teen has been arrested after 20 years on the run.
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he → accuse → run
Michael Jerome James, 35, was arrested at his Shelbyville home on Friday – more than two decades after Chynna Dickus, 26, and her stepson, Blake Dickus, 10, were found stabbed to death in their Franklin home.
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Dickus → arrest → home
Franklin Police, Shelby County Police, and an FBI agent arrested the suspect, his neighbor Dale Fornett told Fox59.
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neighbor → arrest → Fox59
James would’ve been 14 at the time of the killings but Lance Hamner, a Johnson County prosecutor, said the suspect, who has been indicted on two counts of murder, will be tried as an adult.
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who → say → adult
Prosecutors have not disclosed the evidence they say link James to the double murders.
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they → disclose → murders
“All I can say is that [police] brought us an investigation that we took to the grand jury,” Hamner said.
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Hamner → say → jury
“The grand jury listened to the evidence over a period of three weeks and then they returned that indictment.
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they → listen → indictment
The bodies were found inside the home by Sean Dickus — the boy’s father — in July 2006 after he returned home from work.
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he → find → work
Chynna Dickus was stabbed to death, while Blake Dickus was knifed, beaten and suffocated.
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Dickus → stab → death
It has since emerged that James grew up just a few miles away from the murder scene, a source close to the investigation told WTHR.
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source → emerge → WTHR
Texas-born James, who lived in the Shelbyville area for the past two years after leaving Franklin, according to neighbors, was adopted by his aunt after his mom’s death and they moved to Indiana.
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they → bear → Indiana
The source revealed James and his sister were removed from their Texas home by Child Protective Services as his mom battled drug addiction.
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mom → reveal → addiction
The motive of the killings still remains unclear – despite the arrest.
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motive → remain → arrest
“What was in his mind at the time, being that young to want to do something to those people, especially the little boy?” James’ neighbor, Nancy Nigh, told Fox59.
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neighbor → want → Fox59
In 2015, investigators suspected burglaries may have been linked to the murders.
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burglaries → suspect → murders
One burglary happened on the day Chynna Dickus and Blake Dickus were killed.
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Dickus → happen → day
Cops also investigated whether there was a domestic violence link.
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Cops → investigate → ?
Kirby Cochran, the Franklin Police Chief, hailed officers for refusing “to let the case grow cold,” reacting to the indictment.
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case → hail → indictment
“For 20 years, Blake and Chynna’s families have carried the weight of an unimaginable loss, waiting for this day,” he said.
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he → carry → day
“On behalf of the Franklin Police Department, I want them to know that we have never forgotten their loved ones and we have never stopped seeking justice.
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we → want → justice
“[Officers] sustained effort brings a measure of resolution for the victims, their families and the community.
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effort → bring → victims
“This indictment represents the culmination of 20 years of persistent and professional investigative work.
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indictment → represent → work
“Detectives reviewed evidence, pursued new leads, leveraged advances in forensic science, and remained committed to Blake, Chynna, and their families every step of the way.
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Detectives → review → way
”
Cops are not looking for any other suspects or co-conspirators in relation to the killings, Hamner said.
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Hamner → look → killings
Friday’s arrest came just days after the reward for information on the killings quadrupled to $100,000.
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reward → come → 100,000
“It is time for those who know something to come forward.
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who → know → something
It is time for answers,” Hamner said.
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Hamner → say → answers
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