The man accused of murdering his mother in their Zionsville home in April has been transferred to the custody of the Indiana Department of Corrections.
Graham Bixler, 31, pleaded not guilty to charges related to the murder of his mother, Kristin Bixler, whose body was discovered in their Old 106th Street home on April 8.
During a hearing on August 19, Bixler was ordered transferred from the Boone County Jail to the custody of the DOC. Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood said the hearing revealed there was a safety issue with keeping Bixler in the county jail. The DOC will decide where to house him pending trial.
According to the affidavit, Kristin Bixler was killed sometime between April 3 and April 7. Graham Bixler was arrested on April 9 after his mother’s body was discovered. Kristin Bixler’s cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma and stab wounds.
According to court documents, Kristin Bixler’s mother, Susan Smith, called Zionsville police on April 8 to request a welfare check. She said she had not heard from her daughter since April 2. Smith said Kristin Bixler told her mother she was afraid for her son, Graham Bixler. During an investigation of the property, the body was discovered.
In July, an order for a competency assessment was placed.
The trial against Bixler is tentatively scheduled to begin on October 16.
