Local News

Murder Convict Seeks Early Release from Prison

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A Fort Wayne woman who was one of five people convicted of murdering 17 year old Cheri Hartman in 2002 wants to get out of prison early.


33 year old Rheann Kelly is spending a 65 year term in prison for her role in the teen's abduction and slaying. She, along with Christopher Hovis, Ronrico Hatch, Brett Marks, and Christine Johnson, abducted Hartman after she flirted with Hovis, who was dating Kelly at the time.

The plan was to beat her up, strip her down and make her walk home naked from a remote location off Dupont Road. Instead, Hatch ended up shooting Hartman after taking the gun from Hovis. Her body was then burned and left in that field.

The five went to Detroit for the night, but were arrested the next day when their car was discovered following an Amber Alert on I-69 in DeKalb County.

In court Friday, Kelly accused her public defender of being ineffective and not offering her plea agreements, like a 25 year agreement that Johnston made with prosecutors. According to the Journal-Gazette, she's expected to testify when her appeal goes to trial in January.

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