Jada's Accused Killer Tasered Before Court
2-year-old's funeral set for Friday
By KRISTIN NEHLS
Updated 1:18 PM CST, Tue, Jul 28, 2009
Police shocked an Indiana man with a stun gun today before he appeared in court on charges of killing 2-year-old Jada Justice.
Timothy Tkachik, 23, and his 18-year-old girlfriend Engelica Castillo are accused of killing 2-year-old Jada Justice of Portage, whose body was encased in concrete and dumped in a swampy area of northwestern Indiana.
Police shocked Tkachik after he climbed onto a table in a holding cell and would not get down, Lake County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Mike Higgins said.
A Lake County magistrate pleaded not guilty Monday for both Tkachik and Castillo, who are jailed without bond on murder charges.
A 10-day search ensued after Castillo reported Jada missing from a car outside a Gary convenience store. However, Tkachik later told police that Castillo beat Jada to death at their home, and the pair conspired to get rid of the body by burning it, according to an affidavit. But Tkachik was badly burned when they accidentally caused a gasoline explosion while trying to dispose of the body, so they instead decided to put Jada in a plastic tub, fill it with concrete and dump her in a swampy area, the affidavit states.
A funeral for Jada has been scheduled for Friday. Get more updates on the case from the NWI Times.
First Published: Jun 30, 2009 9:39 AM CST
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