In April 2017, Halee Rathgeber, a University of Southern Indiana nursing student, was found shot to death near a soccer complex in Warrick County, a few miles away from her workplace. The cause of her death was a single but fatal gunshot wound to the head. Moreover, when she was found at the site, her belongings were missing.
One of Rathgeber's acquaintances, Isaiah Hagan, who held a reputation for stealing and borrowing money, was connected to the crime based on his location on the night of the murder.
Dateline: Secrets Uncovered chronicles the shooting death of Halee Rathgeber in an episode titled On the Outskirts of Town. The episode is scheduled to re-air on Oxygen this Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at 11.00 pm ET.
The synopsis states:
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"Halee Rathgeber enjoys taking care of others and hopes to become a nurse, but what makes no sense is that someone wants her dead; the crime scene tells detectives little, but a jaw-dropping moment in the courtroom speaks volumes."
University of Southern Indiana student Halee Rathgeber was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head
On April 24, 2017, Halee Rathgeber, a 20-year-old nursing student at the University of Southern Indiana, was found shot to death in the parking lot of the Alcoa Soccer Complex in Warrick County. An initial autopsy revealed that she died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the head, which was confirmed by a second examination.
At the crime scene, authorities found that Halee's belongings, including her wallet, phone, and key, were missing. However, they couldn't find any other physical or forensic evidence. Authorities led the investigation completely based on interviews with potential key witnesses and other individuals related to the victim.
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During the interrogation process, officers discovered that Halee had previously been questioned in connection with a separate murder investigation involving a suspect and acquaintance named Thaddeus Rice. They believed that if she did disclose crucial information about Rice during that investigation, he would have had the perfect motive to murder her. Nevertheless, Rice was soon ruled out as a suspect.
An acquaintance named Isaiah Hagan was behind the shooting death of 20-year-old Halee Rathgeber
Detectives then focused on Isaiah Hagan, an acquaintance of Halee Rathgeber who was known for borrowing or stealing money. He had also taken money from the victim, possibly provoking a conflict between them.
Jake, a common friend between the two, asserted that Hagan had met the victim on the night of the murder.
During a search of Hagan's house, authorities found a towel with Halee's blood on it and also placed the accused at the scene of the crime based on his phone records. He was subsequently arrested and charged with murder, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Isaiah Hagan's initial trial ended in a mistrial. During the second trial, his mother testified claiming that he had confessed to her about accidentally shooting the victim, Halee Rathgeber. She also revealed that Hagan then disposed of the murder weapon in the dumpster.
Isaiah Hagan was found guilty of three charges, including murder, obstruction of justice, and robbery amounting to serious bodily injury due to his mother's testimony and circumstantial evidence. He was given a 60-year jail term in 2018.
Tune in to Dateline: Secrets Uncovered on February 8, 2023, to learn more about Halee's murder.
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