12 Apr Horror in a Small Town
On Sunday July 28, 1968 at about half past midnight, Burl Lyles parked his car on a country lane, along with his girlfriend Karen, two and one half miles southeast of Huntington on reservoir land.
Not realizing the horror that was about to interrupt their evening, an automobile appeared behind them in the darkness. A man emerged from the car and approached the couple’s vehicle while Mr. Lyles also got out to greet the intruder who asked, “Did you see a car go by this way”. Mr. Lyles responded in the negative and returned to his own vehicle. Sensing possible danger, the couple rolled up their windows.
A short time later the stranger emerged once more. He then approached the rear of the couple’s car and began shooting a rifle through the rear window and the left back seat window. Lyles was struck by 3 of the 4 shots fired while his girlfriend slipped to the floorboard to avoid harm.
After the shooting, the assailant forced the unharmed girl into the trunk of his car and drove to a secluded area three fourths of a mile west of Lancaster where he ordered her to disrobe, after which she was bound and assaulted.
Upon completion of the assault, the assailant discovered that his car had hung up on some uneven ground and was working to free it when Karen attempted to escape by running into a cornfield clad only in a shirt that Adams had given her. He caught up with her and lunged at her with a knife leaving a stab wound to her back near her left shoulder. He then dragged her, bleeding, back to his car.
While Karen lay bleeding in the car, the perpetrator summoned a local farmer who used his tractor to free the vehicle not aware of the girl’s presence inside.
When the farmer was gone the assailant drove to Huntington County Hospital on Etna Avenue and pushed the victim out the passenger side onto the pavement. He then sped away. The ruckus alerted hospital personal who admitted her to the ER.
With information from the girl, the authorities retrieved the body of Mr. Lyles at the murder site.
The authorities also gained the description of the assailant’s car from Karen, the helpful farmer and two hunters. With this information the police checked their files and found that the driver of a 1968 Chevy Impala, two door hardtop, had been picked up previously on housebreaking and assault and battery filed by his estranged wife. With this information, an all points bulletin was issued for Charles (Chuck) Wayne Adams.
Over the next few days, with several leads not panning out, the police received a phone call from a housewife in Whitley County. She said an intruder in her home, after having raped her, requested her to inform the authorities of his whereabouts. The police converged on the farmhouse prepared for violence but he surrendered peacefully.
On November 23, 1968, Adams was found guilty of first degree murder in Grant County Circuit Court. The jury deliberated just one and one half hours and recommended the death penalty.
He was sentenced to die by execution on December 2, 1968. His sentence was commuted to life in prison sometime later.
Adams walked away from prison on August 15, 1976 and was recaptured a short time later.
Now in his seventies, he has attempted parole on occasion and has been rejected.