Suspect's account in jail call conflicts with his testimony

Ken de la Bastide, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

Jun. 17—ANDERSON — Jurors in the murder trial of Joshua Treadwell heard a recorded call made from the Madison County Jail that conflicted with his prior testimony.

Treadwell, 31, is on trial in Madison Circuit Court Division 3 on a charge of murder in connection with the 2020 shooting death of Arneshia Fuller. The jury is expected to begin deliberations in the case Friday.

During his March trial, which was declared a mistrial when jurors couldn't reach a verdict, Treadwell said he shot Fuller in self-defense when she allegedly produced a handgun.

In the tape-recorded message played to the jury Thursday, Treadwell told a friend a different version.

He said Fuller pulled a handgun, and while the two wrestled for control of the weapon, it went off, shooting Fuller in the chest.

Treadwell and his girlfriend, Brooklyn Parnell, have testified that there were several shots fired in the 1400 block of Forkner Street when Fuller was shot that October.

Several witnesses have testified they never observed Fuller with a weapon and only one shot was fired.

During questioning by Deputy Prosecutor Justine Szostak, Anderson Police Department officer Eric Holtzleiter testified he did forensic analysis of the cellphone of Parnell's.

Holtzleiter said he was able to retrieve a photograph of a handgun with a purple handle.

The gun used in the shooting has never been recovered, but several witnesses said Parnell was in possession of a black and purple handgun on the day of the shooting.

According to a probable cause affidavit, detectives determined the shooting was the result of a verbal argument involving Treadwell, Parnell and Fuller that took place two or three months earlier.

A witness told police she was at her residence on Forkner Street, Fuller was in front of the house, and Treadwell arrived about 8 p.m.

The woman said Fuller got out of her car and got into an argument with Treadwell.

The witness said Treadwell pointed a gun at Fuller and shot her in the chest, got back into a car with Parnell and left the scene.

A second witness told police she saw Fuller spit at Treadwell, who then pointed a gun and shot Fuller.

Treadwell eventually called police and turned himself in.

Parnell's been convicted of battery with serious bodily injury and is serving five years in prison.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.