Indiana trial begins: Joseph Oberhansley accused of murdering girlfriend, eating body parts
09/14/2020 3:09 pm PDT
By Deni Kamper, WLKY
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WLKY) -- Six current and former Jeffersonville police officers testified Monday in the murder trial of Joseph Oberhansley. Oberhansley, 29, is accused of killing and dismembering his girlfriend, Tammy Jo Blanton, in 2014.
Several officers told a jury they were called to Blanton's home on Locus Street on Sept. 11, 2014, to do a welfare check after Blanton failed to show up for work that day. Oberhansley answered the door, and officers said they could see blood on his right hand.
An officer who is now retired testified Oberhansley seemed "nervous" and was pacing on the front porch as officers asked if they could pat him down. Other officers said Oberhansley refused to comply and had to be handcuffed.
Several officers testified that Blanton's back door appeared to have been forced open. One officer went inside the home and reported seeing blood on light switches and on several surfaces in the bathroom. Other officers found blood in her kitchen, on her walls and on her shower curtain. Blanton was found dead in her bathtub.
Since his arrest, Oberhansley has maintained his innocence.
TRUE CRIME DAILY: Joseph Oberhansley case coverage - TCD
The prosecutor introduced dozens of pieces of evidence collected from Blanton's home, including a butcher knife, steak knife and frying pan -- all of which had blood on them.
One of Blanton's friends and coworkers testified Blanton told her Oberhansley raped her the previous weekend after a company picnic, but that Blanton "went along with it to keep the peace."
"She was trying to get away from Joseph but did not want to tip him off that she was leaving," she said.
Prosecutors say Oberhansley broke into the Jeffersonville home of his ex-girlfriend, 46-year-old Tammy Jo Blanton, in September 2014 and then raped her, fatally stabbed her and ate parts of her body. He was found competent to stand trial for murder in August.
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