INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 37 years in prison for his role in the February 2023 shooting of his girlfriend on Monday.
Stephen Wieland was convicted of multiple felony charges, including Attempted Murder, Aggravated Battery, and two counts of domestic battery, after a two-day trial.
Wieland's charges stem from an incident on February 19, 2023, when IMPD officers were dispatched to a residence in the 1600 block of Harlan Street.
Wieland reportedly called 911 dispatch and said he came home to find his girlfriend lying in bed with blood on her face
When police arrived, Wieland escorted the officers to the bedroom upstairs, where they observed the victim suffering from a gunshot to the head. There were two young children and a baby in the residence at the time of the shooting.
Detectives arrived on the scene and immediately began speaking with Wieland’s neighbors. Multiple neighbors stated that they heard arguing coming from Wieland’s residence, a gunshot, and then heard Wieland’s car drive away.
In interviews with detectives, Wieland admitted to returning to the home after the shooting and continuing to wait another 10-30 minutes before calling for help despite the victim’s injuries.
On February 21, 2023, a Forensic Interviewer spoke with the two children who were home at the time of the shooting. Both children said they heard arguing and saw blood on the victim and their baby sister, who was in the bed with her.
Investigators obtained and executed a search warrant of the residence. They discovered 10mm spent shell casings as well as a bullet fragment with blood and hair on it. Wieland advised that he owned a 1911 handgun that uses 10mm ammunition.
He was placed under arrest after officers confirmed he had an active warrant, and upon searching him, they found 10mm rounds in his pocket.
“Intimate partner violence is real and happening far too frequently,” said Prosecutor Mears. “As exemplified in this case, the trauma of this violence expands far beyond the victims, as children and loved ones can be forever impacted by what they’ve seen and experienced. If you are experiencing intimate partner violence, there are resources available and service providers ready and willing to provide support and compassion.”
