Here Are 5 Facts About Halee Rathgeber’s Murder
Daniel Lopez Halee Rathgeber, a 20-year-old University of Southern Indiana nursing student, was killed. Her body was discovered at a soccer facility in Warrick County, about 15 miles from her workplace, with a gunshot wound to the head.
Her belongings, including her wallet, phone, and key, had also vanished from the scene, according to authorities. Authorities began questioning Halee’s friends and family after learning that she was with Isaiah Hagan on the night of her death due to a lack of forensic and physical evidence.
Hagan claimed he dropped her off at the soccer facility, but phone records and blood evidence found at his home suggested otherwise. On the Outskirts of Town, an episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered airing on Oxygen on Wednesday, will look into Halee Rathgeber’s 2017 shooting death. The show will premiere on February 8, 2023, at 11 p.m. ET on the channel.
The episode’s synopsis read:
“Halee Rathgeber enjoys caring for others and aspires to be a nurse, so it defies logic that someone would want her dead; the murder scene reveals nothing to cops, but a jaw-dropping moment in court reveals a lot.”
Isaiah Hagan’s conviction, Halee Rathgeber’s intentions on the night she died, and additional case information
1) A gunshot wound to the head was determined to be the cause of Halee Rathgeber’s death
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. A mother and her daughter were driving by the parking lot when they discovered her body on the gravel.
A blue towel was discovered next to her body, and she appeared to have been shot in the back of the head. Furthermore, none of her belongings, including her wallet, phone, and keys, were discovered at the crime scene. Two successful autopsies determined her cause of death to be a single gunshot wound to the head.
2) The incident occurred following Halee’s shift at Texas Roadhouse
According to sources, Halee was shot to death while working at the Texas Roadhouse in Evansville, which is about 15 miles from the crime scene. She was invited to go out for drinks with friends that night, but she declined, preferring to study with her friend Ansley in the library.
Her plans changed when she went to meet another friend named Jordan at 10 p.m. to pick up her wallet. Jordan was dating Thaddeus Rice, whom her peers despised.
3) Thaddeus Rice was the first suspect in Halee Rathgeber’s murder
Because police lacked evidence in the early stages of the investigation, they questioned people close to the victim. Thaddeus Rice’s name was mentioned as a possible suspect at this point. Authorities discovered that Halee had been questioned previously in connection with a separate murder case involving a suspect and her alleged friend Rice.
Thaddeus Rice was later identified as a prime suspect in the crime because police believed that if Halee revealed information about Rice at the time, he would have the perfect excuse to murder her. When another suspect was discovered during the investigation, he was quickly ruled out as the murderer.
4) Isaiah Hagan, Halee Rathgeber’s friend, was stationed at the crime scene
The investigation then turned to Isaiah Hagan, Halee Rathgeber’s friend who had a history of stealing or borrowing money. According to reports, he also stole money from the victim, sparking a feud between them.
Hagan had met the victim the night before the murder, according to authorities. He allegedly stated that he dropped Halee off at the soccer complex, where she was to meet someone else. Hagan then stated that he called Halee around midnight but she did not answer.
The FBI, who had been asked to assist, were able to obtain Halee Rathgeber’s mobile data one week after her murder. Their movements on the night of the crime were similar, according to the data. Their phones were seen going to the soccer fields around 11 p.m., after which Halee’s phone shut down. However, it was turned back on around 3.20 a.m. before being turned off again.
5) Hagan’s mother testified at his second trial, which undoubtedly aided his conviction
Isaiah Hagan’s first trial ended in a mistrial. His mother testified in court during the second trial, alleging that he confessed to her about accidentally shooting Halee Rathgeber. She also testified in court that Hagan disposed of the murder weapon in the garbage.
Based on his mother’s testimony and other crucial circumstantial evidence, he was found guilty of three offenses: murder, obstruction of justice, and robbery resulting in serious bodily harm. In 2018, he was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
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