Two men from rural Lyons are accused of assaulting another man while he was unable to defend himself. According to GCSD Det. Elmore, witnesses said the victim was choked until he lost consciousness, then punched numerous times. The victim’s jaw was broken in three places. The assault took place at a rural location west of Worthington. Both suspects have been arrested.

Christopher L. “Chris” Camden, 43, Lyons, was arrested by Detective David Elmore of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department late last Tuesday, April 21. He was booked into the Greene County Jail around 10:24 p.m. His bond was set at $15,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He has since posted $1,500 cash and been released.

Matthew Austin “Matt” Camden, Jr., 23, Lyons, was arrested by GCSD Deputy Alan Jackson late yesterday afternoon, Monday, April 27. He was booked into the Greene County Jail around 5:20 p.m. His bond was set at $19,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. As of mid-afternoon today, April 28, he had not yet posted bond and was still in custody.

The Camdens are accused of an assault late Sunday afternoon, April 19, on another man that left the victim severely injured. The assault took place at a rural location on West County Road 550 North, west of Worthington. The victim was at that location along with a couple of other men, all helping another individual who was moving from there to another location.

GCSD Detective David Elmore, the lead investigator in this case, reported the investigation began when Deputy Alan Jackson responded to Greene County General Hospital on that Sunday to talk to the victim who had been taken there for medical treatment.

Det. Elmore then interviewed numerous friends, family members and witnesses to the assault. As detailed in a lengthy probable cause affidavit prepared by Det. Elmore, they all told a similar story about what happened.

On Tuesday, April 21, when Det. Shawn Cullison interviewed Chris Camden, he allegedly said he only knew of the victim but didn’t know him and wouldn’t know him if he saw him. When asked where he was on the day of the assault, Chris Camden said he had only left his house to go to a store.

Det. Elmore conducted additional interviews on Wednesday, April 22, including a second interview with the victim, and by last Friday, April 24, criminal charges had been filed against both Chris and Matt Camden. Chris Camden had already been arrested late Tuesday. A warrant was then issued for the arrest of Matt Camden and he was taken into custody yesterday.

According to the victim and various witnesses, when the men were at work loading items from the house into vehicles, Chris Camden and Matt Camden, along with Matt Camden’s wife, showed up and Chris and Matt Camden were allegedly intoxicated. Witnesses said Chris Camden was upset with the victim because the victim had slept with Camden’s ex-wife 10 or more years earlier.

Chris and Matt Camden allegedly started yelling and cussing at the victim who told them he didn’t want any trouble and walked away, then was assaulted.

Matt Camden is accused of coming at the victim from behind, wrapping an arm around the victim’s neck, squeezing and cutting off the victim’s oxygen until he lost consciousness. A witness said the victim’s eyes rolled up in his head and then he went limp. When another witness who was there yelled for Matt Camden to let go of the victim, the victim was dropped on the ground, hitting his head in gravel. Both Chris and Matt Camden are accused of continuing to punch the victim while he was unconscious and unable to defend himself. While one witness yelled, others tried to break it up and one tried to pull one of the Camdens away from the victim.

The victim, who was loaded into a van and taken to Greene County General, later said after he was choked and lost consciousness, he didn’t remember anything from then until someone was getting him into the van.

The victim was transferred to IU Health Methodist Hospital and the day after the assault, he underwent surgery for his injuries. Det. Elmore reported the victim’s jaw was broken in three places, one in the front and two other breaks on each side under his ear areas. When Det. Elmore interviewed him, the victim was on a liquid diet and was eating through a straw because his jaw was wired shut.

Both the victim and a witness were able to identify the Camdens from photo line-ups.

Chris Camden is scheduled to appear in Greene Circuit Court on May 14 for an initial hearing on a charge of aggravated battery – assault posted a substantial risk of death, a Level 3 felony.

The date of Matt Camden’s initial hearing is not known at time of posting this story but he will be charged with aggravated battery – assault posed a substantial risk of death, a Level 3 felony, and strangulation, a Level 6 felony.