La Fountaine man to plead guilty in death at Okie Pinokie

Sep. 20—PERU — A La Fountaine man who police say assisted in the robbery and killing of another man during a May 2018 incident inside the Okie Pinokie woods just outside of Peru is now planning on pleading guilty for his role in the incident.

According to initial police reports, Joshua Kean, 28, was originally arrested on charges of murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, obstruction of justice, theft and assisting a criminal.

But court documents filed recently in the case note that both sides reached a plea agreement last week, and Kean is now intending to plead guilty to a Level 2 felony charge of aiding, inducing or causing robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.

If accepted, Kean would then spend 30 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections, per court documents, though the ultimate decision on whether the plea is accepted or rejected is up to the presiding judge in the case.

Kean's case stems from what police say was a plot — organized by Kean, Jonesboro resident Brittany Morris and Marion resident Ethan Cain — to rob 22-year-old Summitville resident Drake Smith of drugs, money and a Bluetooth speaker by luring him into the Okie Pinokie woods on May 19, 2018.

Smith's body was found by mushroom hunters a few hours later, severely beaten and lying just a few feet away from his truck.

Earlier this year, Cain pleaded guilty to a charge of felony murder in connection with Smith's death, and he was sentenced to 55 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.

A couple months later, a jury convicted Morris of felony counts of aiding, inducing or causing murder and aiding, inducing or causing robbery, as well as a misdemeanor charge of theft, for her role in the case.

She was sentenced to 48 years in the IDOC.

Kean's sentencing is set for 11 a.m. Oct. 27 inside Miami Circuit Court.