MORGAN COUNTY, Ind.— A state review panel has declined to reopen the investigation into a Morgan County mother’s 1990 death, more than three decades after it was ruled a suicide.
WRTV Investigates told you in May 2025 Jennifer Gatz was hopeful that a relatively new Indiana law, SEA 177, would help reveal what she believes is the truth about her mom’s death.
“Frustration and disbelief”: Daughter reacts to state panel’s decision
“What little hope I had for justice and truth has been replaced by heartbreak, frustration, and disbelief,” said Gatz in response to the state’s decision. “The system meant to protect families like mine has failed us.”
Gatz was three years old when her mom Dawn Caraveo died on January 29, 1990.
“I remember waking up to the sound of a gunshot, not really understanding what it was,” said Gatz. “It was loud. It scared me."
Gatz and her siblings found their mom on the bedroom floor with a shotgun underneath her body.
“My oldest sister pulled the shotgun out from underneath her and we ran to the neighbor’s house for help,” said Gatz.
The Morgan County Coroner’s Office ruled her cause of death a gunshot wound to her abdomen, and the manner of death a suicide.
Gatz filed a request under SEA 177, a law that took effect in 2021, which allows families to request Indiana State Police do a new investigation into an uncharged death.
The SEA177 Review Board held a hearing on June 25, and on June 30, Indiana State Police informed Gatz of the panel’s decision not to reinvestigate Dawn Caraveo’s death.
“SEA177 Statute and Policy makes it clear that there must be a suspect to be investigated,” ISP Sgt. Greg Ashby wrote in an email to Gatz.
The only possible suspect in Caraveo’s death is now deceased. WRTV
Investigates is not naming him because he was never criminally charged.
Indiana State Police also noted there is no original police report.
No police report in 1990 death of Dawn Caraveo
WRTV Investigates contacted Morgantown for the original police report for Caraveo’s death.
“The Morgantown Town Marshal has conducted a thorough review of the Town’s records,” said Morgantown town attorney Lee Robbins in an email to WRTV. “There are no documents related to Dawn Caraveo.”
Robbins said they could not find any documents relating to an investigation by the town marshal in 1990, who is now deceased.
“Our assumption is that he did not investigate,” said Robbins in an email to WRTV.
Without a police report, it’s unclear if Morgantown law enforcement ever dusted for fingerprints, conducted blood spatter or bullet trajectory analysis, or if they tested Caraveo’s hands or feet for gunshot residue.
"They treated it as a suicide from the very beginning,” said Gatz. “They’re supposed to treat it as a homicide until they can prove otherwise.”
Sgt. Ashby also said a second independent investigation by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department in 2024-2025 came to the same conclusion as the original investigation.
“Most all parties involved in the investigation are deceased and cannot be interviewed or provide additional information,” wrote Sgt. Ashby in an email to Gatz. “All evidence in this case has been released or destroyed.”
Jennifer Gatz says she is “devastated and disappointed” by the board’s decision not to open a new investigation.
“The explanation that there isn’t enough evidence to reopen the case, largely because the original police report is ‘missing’, is unacceptable,” said Gatz. “That report was a foundational piece of evidence, and its disappearance only strengthens my belief that the investigation into my mother’s death was mishandled from the beginning. I fully believe that corruption runs deep in Morgan County and that no one is willing to stand up to those responsible or hold them accountable for the poor and negligent investigation that followed her death.”
Gatz has questioned whether SEA 177 is sufficient to help grieving families.
“We brought forward concerns, inconsistencies, and what we believe was credible new information, only to be told it wasn’t enough,” said Gatz. “How is a grieving family supposed to meet the standard for a new investigation when vital evidence was never properly documented or has been destroyed?”
WRTV Investigates checked with the Indiana Department of Health and found it’s rare for someone to die by suicide by shooting themselves in the stomach.
FIREARM SUICIDES IN INDIANA (2016-2013)
- 4,762 Indiana residents (4,147 male, 615 female), died by suicide in which a firearm was the weapon type
- Of those, 454 died by suicide using a shotgun (442 male, 12 female)
- 8 shotgun suicide deaths had a wound to the abdomen (8 male, 0 female)
- Source: Indiana Violent Death Reporting System/IDOH
Indiana State Police Captain Ron Galaviz told WRTV Investigates each of the cases under review are unique in their own right.
“The review in this instance has been as thorough as possible, given certain mitigating factors enumerated by the investigator,” said Galaviz. “The Indiana State Police stands by the decision made by the review board and is confident that its statutory requirements have been fulfilled in a respectful, thoughtful and comprehensive manner.”
New law gives grieving families hope for fresh investigation
Since the law took effect in July 2021, Indiana State Police has received 81 requests from grieving families, including:
WRTV Investigates has learned Indiana State Police has not reopened or reinvestigated a single case.
Todd Scales of Newburgh Indiana and his daughter Kristy Kelley’s death prompted the new law.
"81 denied,” said Scales. “I find that kind of hard to believe myself."
In 2014, Kristy was found dead inside her car at the bottom of a lake. Her death was ruled accidental.
"Things didn't add up,” said Scales.
Scales worked with then-State Senator Mark Messmer to craft SEA 177.
“The law didn’t help me,” said Scales.
Indiana State Police declined to reinvestigate Kristy’s death, Scales said, citing a lack of new evidence.
"My question is if there never was an investigation, how can there be new evidence?” asked Scales. “I just feel like it falls on deaf ears.”
“It’s going to happen”: ISP explains why no cases reopened as of now
WRTV Investigates took our questions to Indiana State Police Captain Ron Galaviz.
He can’t talk about specific cases or deaths, but Galaviz agreed to talk to WRTV about SEA 177.
Galaviz said Indiana State Police takes every family’s request seriously.
“This may be their last opportunity to seek that justice,” said Galaviz.
Once ISP receives a request, an investigator takes a look and gathers documentation.
"Sometimes it’s readily available and sometimes it’s not,” said Galaviz. “We run into a lot of obstacles."
A panel of Indiana State Police officers then reviews each death case—many of them are suicides and overdoses, said Galaviz.
“We are taking each one individually and giving it its due review," said Galaviz. “They are giving each family an opportunity to have that story told, have it reviewed. Showing the dignity the family deserves.”
WRTV Investigates asked why no case has been reopened or reinvestigated.
“Probably for a variety of reasons,” said Galaviz.
- The case does not meet the statutory requirements. For example, deaths have to be uncharged criminally and can’t be the result of medical malpractice.
- Lack of evidence or documentation. “We can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube,” said Galaviz. “We can’t unring certain bells.”
- ISP comes to the same conclusion as the original law enforcement investigation. “Sometimes those answers aren’t what the family wants to hear,” said Galaviz.
Galaviz said ISP did provide support in some instances to the original investigating agency (lab support, follow up interviews, investigative support).
Currently, ISP is reviewing 10 requests from 2024 and the agency has received at least 5 requests in 2025.
“Those requests are in the process of obtaining the necessary documentation to begin the review process,” said Galaviz.
Galaviz said at some point, he expects ISP will reopen a case.
“It’s going to happen,” said Galaviz. “It will.”
Families push for changes to Indiana law
Todd Scales is urging lawmakers to tweak the law and require a more diverse panel to review requests under SEA 177.
“We need someone that's not affiliated with law enforcement to also sit in on this and have some input,” said Scales. “What we've got right now is police are policing themselves."
Senator Messmer, the author of the bill, is now in U.S. Congress and his office did not respond to an inquiry from WRTV.
WRTV also contacted the co-authors of the legislation, State Senators Mike Young and Lonnie Randolph.
“Sen. Randolph will not be available for an interview for this story,” said Chester Bryant, press secretary for Indiana Senate Democrats in an email to WRTV.
No one was willing to speak with WRTV on camera.
“I've let Senator Young know about your request,” said Abbey Webb, a press secretary for Indiana Senate Republicans. “I will get back to you if I hear anything from him.”
Jennifer Gatz provided the following statement on the panel’s decision:
FULL STATEMENT:
“I am devastated and disappointed by the Indiana State Police Review Board’s decision to deny opening a new investigation into my mother’s case. What little hope I had for justice and truth has been replaced by heartbreak, frustration, and disbelief.
The explanation that there isn’t enough evidence to reopen the case, largely because the original police report is “missing”, is unacceptable. That report was a foundational piece of evidence, and its disappearance only strengthens my belief that the investigation into my mother’s death was mishandled from the beginning. I fully believe that corruption runs deep in Morgan County and that no one is willing to stand up to those responsible or hold them accountable for the poor and negligent investigation that followed her death.
The system meant to protect families like mine has failed us. We brought forward concerns, inconsistencies, and what we believe was credible new information, only to be told it wasn’t enough. How is a grieving family supposed to meet the standard for a new investigation when vital evidence was never properly documented or has been destroyed?
The Board’s conclusion that “most parties involved are deceased” and that “all evidence has been released or destroyed” is not a reflection of closure, it is a reflection of systemic failure.
This isn’t just a file or a case number. This was my mother. She mattered. And she deserved a thorough, competent, and honest investigation. Something she never received. I lay awake right now at past 3am, reliving every detail, questioning every decision, wondering how such failures were allowed to happen unchecked.
My heart is broken, and my trust in the system is shattered. But I will not stop speaking out. I owe that to my mother and I will continue pushing until someone with the authority holds Morgan County accountable.”
Gatz lives in Georgia now, but in March she came to Indiana to talk to Indiana State Police and for Advocacy Con, a conference with other grieving families aimed at justice.
She’s filed a petition asking Indiana lawmakers to require small towns use an external investigating agency (such as Indiana State Police) for all death investigations.
She’s also urging the Indiana legislature to require agencies retain suicide records.
“All death investigation records resulting in a ruling of suicide should be classified as permanent records under Indiana law,” read the petition. “Retaining these records indefinitely safeguards critical evidence, allows for future reviews or appeals, and ensures transparency for families seeking answers.”
She’s not giving up on her mom.
“Really I just want her death certificate updated to reflect that she didn't abandon us,” said Gatz.
