INDIANAPOLIS —The ex-boyfriend of a woman who was killed in a hit-and-run crash last week has been formally charged with murder.
Kyle Rigdon, 27, was charged Wednesday in the death of Kayla Bowling, 29, who was riding a bicycle when she was fatally struck.
Rigdon wasarrested by a SWAT team June 3 in the 4100 block of West Michigan Street, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
Officers found Bowling lying in a driveway while responding about 11 a.m. June 1 to the 3000 block of South Rural Street for a report of a bicyclist struck by a car. She was transported to Eskenazi Hospital, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries.
The Marion County Coroner ruled Bowling's cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.
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Before her death, Bowling gave the plate number of the vehicle that hit her. That's how police identified Rigdon as the suspect.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Bowling was able to provide someone in the area with a plate number for the vehicle that struck her.
Bowling's family members told police Rigdon had been stalking and harassing her. He also slashed her vehicle's tires days before, according to the family.
The affidavit says on Wednesday, the Rigdon told a coworker that he had hurt his girlfriend and asked the coworker to say he had been at work since 10 a.m. when he had actually arrived around noon. Rigdon also provided a series of times and locations for the coworker to tell the suspect's attorneys.
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Robert Bowling, Kayla's dad, shared this message to his daughter with WRTV:
“Your dad loves you," Robert said. "And I miss you. And I wish you were home, I wish she was home. (You) don't have to worry about (your) son. I’ll make sure he is taken care of."
Rigdon was sentenced in 2019 to a year in prison after he pleaded guilty to a single count of battery against a public safety official. He was charged in 2017 with two additional counts of battery, as well as resisting law enforcement and public intoxication, but those charges were later dismissed.
Rigdon is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing Thursday at Marion Superior Court 31.
Anyone with more information is urged to contact IMPD Detective Eric Amos at 317-327-3475 or Eric.Amos@indy.gov. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 (TIPS) or online.
This story will be updated.
