EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A post-conviction relief petition filed by the defense team of Isaiah Hagan, who was convicted in 2017 for the murder of Halee Rathgeber, has been denied. The decision, signed by an official order on Friday, effectively upholds Hagan’s conviction for the killing of Rathgeber, whose body was found in April 2017 at a soccer field in Warrick County.
Hagan’s counsel, who filed the petition in December 2024, argued that their client had been subject to ineffective legal representation during his trial and presented new evidence they believe could exonerate him. The defense team pointed to a recent development involving Thaddious Rice, who was sentenced in April 2017 to 40 years for neglect and reckless homicide in the death of a 10-month-old child. According to Hagan’s attorneys, new information surfaced after a Dateline episode about the case prompted a private citizen to investigate further.
The defense claims that Rice, along with the mother of the child, was aware that Rathgeber had been planning to go to the police with information about the baby’s death. Hagan’s attorneys assert that this new revelation casts doubt on their client’s involvement in Rathgeber’s murder and suggests Rice could be the true perpetrator.
However, the Warrick County Prosecutor’s office has dismissed these claims, calling the information provided by Hagan’s counsel “false.” Prosecutors have maintained that there is no evidence linking Rice to Rathgeber’s death and that Hagan remains guilty of the crime.
The petition for post-conviction relief was rejected, leaving Hagan’s conviction intact. The legal development marks a significant chapter in a case that has remained a source of controversy and public attention since Rathgeber’s tragic death nearly eight years ago.
As the legal process continues to unfold, Hagan’s defense team has yet to indicate whether they will pursue further appeals. For now, the conviction stands, and the search for justice in the case of Halee Rathgeber’s death remains at a standstill.
