Milton Lindgren, 70, and Eric Hendricks, 73, two southwest Indianapolis men, were found dead inside their home Monday, and friends believe that they were slain because they're gay:
“Patrick Beard, a friend of the victims, told 6News' Rick Hightower that he believed the men were targeted. ‘I firmly believe it was definitely a hate crime. Milt was 70 and his partner was 73 and to go into someone's home and do something like that, it's just too coincidental,' he said. Police reports show that the men had their phone and cable lines cut twice in the past few months, and that anti-gay statements were posted on their front door. Investigators said that while they do believe the vandalism was related to Lindgren and Hendricks being gay, that they didn't know if their killings were. Beard's son, who also knew the victims, said he believes police will eventually reach the same conclusion he and his father have. ‘I'm not a genius, but if someone's being harassed like that and fagot gets stamped on their door on a piece of paper, it's not that hard to connect the dots two months later that these two people are brutally killed in their home,' Lee Beard said.”
The cause of death appears to be blunt force trauma. There was blood everywhere in the home.
Hendricks was ill and in a wheelchair. Lindgren was reportedly his caregiver.
How terribly sad.
