(Michigan City, IN) - An Indiana State Prison inmate has agreed to serve life without parole for killing a correctional officer from La Porte.

 

Ty’Metri Campbell was about to stand trial Monday on charges of murder, Level 1 felony attempted murder, Level 3 felony aggravated battery and Level 4 felony prisoner in possession of a deadly weapon. The allegations stemmed from the fatal stabbing of Lt. Gene Lasco, 57, and stabbing of another correctional officer, a then 22 year old Padrick Schmitt, who was critically injured but survived the attack on February of 2021.

 

La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said Campbell decided to plead guilty not long after the process began for selecting a jury.

“We were all ready to go for trial but things kind of changed rather quickly,” he said.

 

Fagan said he did not did not know why Campbell, who is represented in the case by attorney David Payne of Michigan City, decided to plead guilty. Attempts to reach Payne for insight behind the decision were not successful.

 

The guilty plea calls for the 42 year old Campbell to receive life without parole for murder along with 30 years for attempted murder. The plea agreement also calls for both sentences to be served consecutively, and consecutive to the 130-year sentence Campbell is already serving for a triple murder in Indianapolis in 2002.

 

Under the plea agreement, the two remaining charges will be dismissed. La Porte Superior Court 2 Judge Richard Stalbrink, Jr. took the guilty plea under advisement and scheduled sentencing for January 31 if he accepts the terms.

 

According to court documents, Campbell, somehow, while taking a shower, freed one of his hands from the handcuffs he had on and pushed his way past a correctional officer about to return him to his cell. The officer began pursuing Campbell, who was making his way down a stairwell when he encountered and repeatedly stabbed Schmitt, authorities said. He then stabbed Lasco multiple times after reaching the bottom of the stairwell and walked away according to court documents.

 

The female officer pursuing Campbell stopped to try and slow the bleeding from a neck wound on Lasco when the offender returned with the weapons used in the stabbings in both of his hands, court documents revealed. The officer ran from Campbell, who was right behind her when she fled to safety inside an employee bathroom and quickly locked the door.

 

According to court documents, Campbell was still holding a knife when he dropped the blade after being hit with pepper spray by another correctional officer, who tackled him to the floor. Another correctional officer then assisted in gaining control of him. One of the correctional officers involved said Campbell, who was yelling, screaming and acting strange, may have been under the influence of something.

 

Campbell later told investigators “I was on drugs and in fear for my life,” according to court documents. Court records also disclosed that Campbell claimed to have blacked out, felt possessed by a “different entity” and had paranoid thoughts the past several days of people being out to kill him.

 

Schmitt was admitted to the hospital in critical but stable condition with two stab wounds each to his chest and shoulder along with single stab wounds to his arm, neck and head. According to court documents, Lasco bled to death from his stab wounds.

 

Fagan said the death penalty was not sought because of the complexities involved in pursuing such a sentence and potential for it to be overturned on appeal due to numerous factors in the case.

 

“The whole case has been very difficult.  I’m glad we were able to bring some resolution,” he said.