Vanderburgh County Circuit Court Judge William H. Miller

Prosecutor: Robert Pigman, Chris Lenn

Defense: Barry Standley, Beverly Harris

Date of Murder: December 28, 1985

Victim(s): Lori Bullock W/F/22 (No relationship to Canaan)

Method of Murder: stabbing with butcher knife

Summary: Police responded to a dispatch to an Evansville apartment building. Inside, they discovered the body of Lori Bullock laying on a bed with a butcher knife in her neck and cuts to her vaginal area. The apartment was ransacked and money and jewelry were missing. Police recovered a Kool cigarette butt outside the apartment with saliva consistent with Canaan. His fingerprints were found on a package of spaghetti in the kitchen. Canaan was identified by those in an upstairs apartment as having knocked on their door near the time of the murder. Canaan had previously been at the apartment and was invited into the living room by the victim's roommates after he knocked on their door claiming to be looking for girls who lived upstairs. When arrested, Canaan had a package of Kool cigarettes on him.

Conviction: Murder, Burglary (B Felony), Attempted CDC (A Felony), Habitual Offender

Sentencing: November 26, 1986
(Death Sentence; not sentenced to any term of years)

Aggravating Circumstances: b(1) Burglary, Attempted CDC

Mitigating Circumstances: None

Direct Appeal:
Canaan v. State, 541 N.E.2d 894 (Ind. July 28, 1989)
Conviction Affirmed 5-0 DP Affirmed 3-2
Pivarnik Opinion; Shepard, Givan concur; Debruler, Dickson dissent.

Canaan v. Indiana, 111 S. Ct. 230 (1990) (Cert. denied)

PCR:
11-16-1990 PCR filed; Denied by Judge Richard Young 09-06-94

APPEAL PENDING