Published: November 18, 2009 11:55 am      

WPD asks commissioners to pay for Stayer investigations

Lebanon — It will be at least December before the Whitestown Police Department is paid for what were considered “extraordinary expenses” in the Beth Stayer murder investigation.

Monday, Nov. 16, the Boone County Commissioners verified that an $8,235 invoice had been removed from the list of bills they review each month.

County Attorney Bob Clutter said Monday, Nov. 16, that Boone County Prosecutor Todd Meyer told him the bill, submitted to the Boone County Council on Nov. 11, was for tasks Meyer had asked the WPD to perform.

Meyer had “specifically asked” that WPD perform what Clutter said he believed were witness interviews as part of trial preparation.

Tonya Thayer, the prosecutor’s office manager, was at the council’s Nov. 11 meeting to ask for extra money to pay Whitestown Police, a move that surprised and concerned some council members.

Investigating Stayer’s beating death has had a “major impact” on the prosecutor's budget, Thayer told the council.

“This is unusual, yes?” asked Councilman Kerry Kries.

“In my time, we’ve never done this,” Thayer said.

Councilman Butch Smith worried approving the bill would set a precedent, encouraging municipalities to ask the county for money.

“I would think,” Smith said, “that would be a part of their normal duty.”

Meyer “has his own investigator,” Smith said. “I really don't understand.”

Thayer said the prosecutor’s office had only $7,600 in the budget line from which the WPD bill would have to be paid.

The council, which meets only once a month, did approve Meyer’s request for $10,000 for trial preparation expenses.