A Linton man who was arrested in February posted bond and was released but then he didn’t show up for court. This week he’s back in jail. He was taken into custody early today on five warrants out for his arrest.

William Wayne Lacer, 41, Linton, was arrested by Officer Janzen Franklin of the Linton Police Department early Wednesday, March 10. Lacer was booked into the Greene County Jail at 12:52 a.m. on five warrants out for his arrest. In one of those cases, his bond is set at $18,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. In another, bond is set at $5,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. But in three cases, he’s being held without bond.

Previous arrest

When Lacer was arrested in February, by LPD Officer Bobby Pierce, Lacer was booked into the Greene County Jail at 1:08 a.m. on Sunday, February 14, with bond set at $1,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He got out of jail that same day after posting $100 cash.

Lacer was then scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 18. He was a no-show and a warrant for his arrest was issued. At that time, three other cases were also pending against him in Greene County.

In this case, the one for which he was arrested in February, Officer Pierce was dispatched on Saturday, February 13, after a man reported Lacer had been sending threatening messages to his phone. The man said Lacer threatened to stab him the next time he sees him.

When Officer Pierce and LPD Officer Joe Riley arrived at the man’s residence and talked to him, they were able to view the messages on the man’s phone that were sent through Facebook Messenger.

Officer Pierce reported the messages included one that read, “I have a knife with your name on it.” Another one read, “I will slice you to pieces then feed you to my dad’s dog for breakfast.” Another one read, “I will kill you if you don’t tell me where ----- is.”

The man who received those messages did not reply to them but he continued to receive still more threatening messages.

Other messages said the police don’t believe the man who received the messages but do believe him (Lacer), and that he (Lacer) would stab the man in his f----- head the next time he sees him. There were other messages that won’t be detailed here due to the language used.

The officers then asked Lacer to meet them at the police department and Lacer complied. During an interview, Lacer denied sending the messages and claimed his account had been hacked. He allegedly said multiple people had been receiving threatening messages from him but he wasn’t the one sending them. He suggested a woman had hacked his account and was sending the messages.

When Officer Pierce talked to the woman Lacer was accusing, she said she didn’t have any of his account info and had not used his account. She also said Lacer and been threatening her, her uncle and other family members as well and it had been reported to a police department outside Greene County and to the Indiana State Police.

Officer Pierce noted that when he talked to Deputy Jordan Allor at the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Deputy Allor said he had also taken a report of Lacer sending threatening messages a couple of days earlier. Deputy Allor said when he told Lacer to stop sending threatening messages, Lacer first responded by saying he would stop. Then he claimed his account had been hacked.

So Lacer was arrested, he bonded out, was scheduled to appear in court, but didn’t show up.

In this case, now that Lacer’s in custody, he’s going to be charged with intimidation where threat is to commit a forcible felony, a Level 6 felony.

Latest arrest on the newest case filed

The newest case filed against Lacer was filed on Thursday, February 25, after Lacer had been released from jail. The charges stem from an incident that occurred back in late January.

LPD Officer Debbie McDonald and Officer John Agan responded to a domestic incident at Lacer’s residence in Linton on Saturday, January 30, after someone reported items were being broken. When they arrived, a broken coffeemaker was on the living room floor. Lacer was sitting in a recliner with an arm in a sling. A woman said she thought Lacer might be abusing medication prescribed after a recent surgery. She said she had most of her property packed up to move out and she was waiting on a family member to pick her up. She later did leave the residence.

Days later, Officer McDonald received screenshots of messages that had been sent by Lacer to another individual, threatening him to tell him where the alleged victim was located. He was upset because the victim had left and the messages contained several threats to hurt the woman or kill her, then threatening to “kill everyone” if they don’t tell him where she is and he doesn’t find her.

Still later, when Officer McDonald was in contact with the alleged victim again, the woman alleged on the day the officers were at the residence, Lacer stabbed her in the back of her head with a fork, causing her to be knocked to the floor. Lacer then allegedly kicked her in the face. When she got out of the house and drove to the home of a family member, a family member pulled the fork out of her head. The woman said she then sold all her belongings for $100 and drove to the home of another family member who lives out-of-state.

In this case, Lacer is facing preliminary charges of:

• Domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 5 felony,

• Domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, a Level 6 felony,

• Intimidation – threat is to commit a forcible felony, a Level 6 felony.

In other pending cases

In Lacer’s other pending cases, a petition to revoke a suspended sentence has been filed in a case where he was convicted of intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony. He was sentenced and served time in prison, was released and has been accused of violating the terms of his probation. Warrant issued on a petition to revoke a suspended sentence.

In another case, he was charged with harassment by telephone, a Class B misdemeanor. He entered into a negotiated plea agreement and was scheduled to appear at a change of plea hearing. He was a no-show. Warrant issued for failure to appear.

In another case, he was charged with battery against a public safety official, a Level 6 felony, possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony, and possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor. He was arrested, posted bond and was released. Warrant issued on a petition to revoke his bond.

Other stories involving Lacer have been previously posted on GreeneStreets. To find them, click on the Tag “William Wayne Lacer” below this story.