A suspect in the burglary of a home in eastern Greene County that’s been under investigation since June was booked into the Greene County Jail early this morning, Wednesday, September 26. He’s facing charges of felony burglary and theft.

Joey Lee Terrell, 41, is being held on a bond of $15,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. The jail record shows Terrell with a home address in Indianapolis but court records show him with an address in Bloomington.

Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy James Carpenter has been investigating a burglary from a home in the Solsberry area since a woman called the sheriff’s department on June 18.

The resident said she had been at her mother’s house for a couple of days and when she returned home on June 18, her 32” LG television was gone along with a digital converter box, a carton of Marlboro Red 100s and other items. She had left the door unlocked.

She also said a container that was in a cabinet next to the television had been knocked over, spilling the ashes of her deceased husband, and many of her belongings were scattered about her bedroom.

She also said there was a blue Gatorade bottle with a twist top sitting on her counter top and that she doesn’t drink Gatorade.

Carpenter interviewed both the woman resident and her mother and reported they both said Terrell, the woman’s nephew, had been at the mother’s house while the woman was there. He had stopped by to ask for money but the woman’s mother would not give him any so he left, taking a blue Gatorade bottle with a twist top with him.

The woman said Terrell had not been to her home for 10-15 years, and that he was living at an address on Leonard Springs Road in Bloomington.

Deputy Carpenter took photographs of the residence and collected the Gatorade bottle as evidence.

Then he discovered there was a warrant issued out of Johnson County for Terrell’s arrest. He notified Indiana State Police Trooper Caleb Garvin of the warrant, that Terrell was a suspect in a Greene County burglary, and that Terrell was believed to be living in Bloomington.

Later the same day, Terrell was booked into the Monroe County Jail after Trooper Garvin took him into custody, and GCSD Deputy Carpenter applied for a search warrant to obtain a sample of Terrell’s DNA. That was granted and the sample was sent to the Indiana State Police Lab for analysis.

Carpenter reported that in mid-August, lab results were received showing strong support that Terrell was a contributor to the DNA profile on the Gatorade lid.

A criminal case was filed against Terrell in early September and a warrant issued for his arrest.

When he appears in Greene Superior Court for his initial hearing, he will be formally charged with burglary of a dwelling – a Level 4 felony, and theft with a prior conviction for theft – a Level 6 felony.