Introduction to the Case
Nearly five decades after a World War I veteran was found shot to death in his Indiana home, state police say they’ve finally identified his killer.
The Backstory
Everett Armstrong, 84, of rural Geneva, Indiana, was found dead at his mobile home in Adams County around 4 p.m. on Aug. 19, 1977, according to the Indiana State Police (ISP). His body was discovered by a fuel oil delivery driver, and his death was ruled a homicide caused by a gunshot wound, authorities said. An investigation was launched by ISP and the Adams County Sheriff’s Department, which found that witnesses heard a single gunshot just before dark on Aug. 18. No suspects were initially identified. However, in October 1977, four witnesses came forward and named a potential suspect, police said. The case went cold until 1981, when three people were arrested in connection with Armstrong’s murder. But six months later, charges were dropped after authorities determined the three had no involvement in the crime. The case then remained cold for decades.
New Details Emerge
In 2013, ISP reopened the investigation. Over the next several years, detectives corroborated the information received from witnesses in 1977. James McBride II confessed to four people within 24 hours of the crime and showed one of them the gun used in the shooting, according to police.
(From left) Everett Armstrong, 84, and James McBride II. (Indiana State Police)
Witnesses also described McBride’s "extremely erratic behavior" immediately after the killing, state police said. Authorities said McBride provided specific details about the murder that matched the crime scene—details only known to the killer and investigators. His confessions came before a local newspaper, the Bluffton Banner, published an article about the killing on Aug. 20, 1977. McBride died June 3, 2024, in Adams County. He was born in Decatur, Indiana, in 1954.
What’s Next
In 2025, the Indiana State Police Cold Case Team met with a prosecutor in Adams County and presented the evidence of the case. "Overwhelmingly, the circumstantial evidence showed that James A. McBride II committed the murder of Everett Armstrong in 1977. The Adams County Prosecutor indicates that if James McBride II was still alive, he would have been charged with the Murder of Everett Armstrong," ISP said in a statement. Armstrong was a World War I veteran and a well-known banjo player, police said. The investigation spanned 48 years.
Conclusion
The identification of James McBride II as the killer of Everett Armstrong brings closure to a case that has been ongoing for nearly 50 years. The determination of the suspect, even posthumously, is a testament to the dedication of the Indiana State Police and their commitment to solving cold cases. The use of circumstantial evidence and witness testimonies was crucial in solving this case, highlighting the importance of thorough investigations and the value of reopening cold cases with new eyes and technologies.
FAQs
- Q: Who was the victim in this case?
- A: The victim was Everett Armstrong, an 84-year-old World War I veteran.
- Q: When was Everett Armstrong found dead?
- A: He was found dead on August 19, 1977.
- Q: Who was identified as the killer?
- A: James McBride II was identified as the killer.
- Q: Why was the case reopened?
- A: The case was reopened in 2013 by the Indiana State Police as part of their cold case investigations.
- Q: What evidence led to the identification of James McBride II as the killer?
- A: The evidence included confessions made by McBride to four people shortly after the crime, his erratic behavior, and specific details about the murder that matched the crime scene.
