Warrick County, IN – A Warrick County judge is set to decide by January 31 whether Isaiah Hagan, convicted of the 2017 murder of Halee Rathgeber, will receive post-conviction relief. The ruling follows a hearing held on Tuesday, where Hagan’s defense team presented several arguments in favor of overturning his conviction.
Hagan, who was sentenced for the killing of Rathgeber, whose body was discovered in a Warrick County soccer field in April 2017, is seeking a new trial. His defense is challenging his conviction on multiple grounds, including claims of ineffective counsel and the emergence of new evidence. If the judge grants the request for post-conviction relief, Hagan’s conviction and sentence could be vacated, potentially paving the way for a new trial.
One of the central aspects of Hagan’s defense has been the claim that another man, Thaddious Rice, is the true perpetrator of Rathgeber’s murder. Rice, who was convicted of killing 10-month-old Jaxson Wheeler, had previously been excluded as a suspect in Rathgeber’s death, as law enforcement believed he had an alibi. However, Hagan’s defense argues that Rice’s testimony during Tuesday’s hearing undermined that alibi. Rice admitted he was not home the entire evening of the murder, casting doubt on the previous timeline established by investigators.
In addition to this, the defense highlighted a private citizen’s investigation, reportedly sparked by a Dateline episode about the case. This individual claimed to have uncovered information suggesting that Jaxson Wheeler’s mother knew Rathgeber was planning to provide crucial information to the police about the baby’s death. The defense argued that this knowledge could indicate a motive for Rice to silence Rathgeber. The interview with Wheeler’s mother, although part of the public record, was ruled inadmissible by the court.
Hagan’s legal team hopes that these developments will be sufficient to overturn his conviction. If the judge agrees with their arguments, Hagan may be granted a new trial, offering a chance for a different outcome in the high-profile case.
