Manhunt Continues After Indiana Judge in Natalia Grace Case and Wife Shot at Lafayette Home
Authorities say Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, were shot at their Lafayette, Indiana home on Mill Pond Lane around 2:15 p.m.; police recovered shell casings and dispatch audio indicates the assailant knocked, said "We have your dog," then fired through the front door, wounding Meyer in the arm and Kimberly in the hip — both are in stable condition. No arrests or suspect description have been released, and a multi-agency manhunt involving local, state and federal authorities, including the FBI, is ongoing; the attack has drawn attention because Meyer presided over the high‑profile Natalia Grace adoption case and prompted statewide calls for increased judicial security.
đź“Ś Key Facts
- The shooting occurred at the Meyers' Lafayette home on Mill Pond Lane in broad daylight around 2:15 p.m.; shell casings were recovered at the scene.
- Both victims — Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife Kimberly Meyer — were wounded but survived; police say Meyer was shot in the arm and Kimberly Meyer in the hip and both are in stable condition.
- Dispatch audio obtained by police reportedly captures the assailant knocking, speaking to the Meyers, saying “We have your dog,” and then firing a shot through the front door.
- The investigation is active and described as a multi‑agency effort (Lafayette Police Department, Indiana State Police, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, West Lafayette Police Department, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI); no suspect description has been released, no arrests have been made, and authorities say the shooter remains at large.
- Police have urged anyone with information to contact Lafayette PD at 765‑807‑1200 as a manhunt for the armed attacker continues.
- Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski called the attack a “senseless unacceptable act of violence” and pledged that every available resource is being used to find those responsible.
- Kimberly Meyer issued a public statement thanking investigators, first responders and medical personnel and expressing strong confidence in the Lafayette Police Department’s investigation.
- Judge Steven Meyer previously presided over the nationally publicized Natalia Grace adoption/neglect case — a contentious matter that included the Barnetts’ allegation that Natalia was an adult posing as a child, a legal change to her listed birth year, and extensive national attention.
đź“° Source Timeline (6)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
January 20, 2026
10:46 PM
Manhunt underway after Indiana judge and wife shot in their home
New information:
- Confirms that police and other agencies are still searching for the suspect days after the shooting.
- Frames the situation explicitly as an active manhunt for an armed attacker who shot the judge and his wife inside their Lafayette home.
- Reinforces that both victims were wounded but survived, consistent with earlier reports.
10:30 PM
Indiana judge in bizarre Natalia Grace case shot in home attack as police hunt suspect
New information:
- Confirms that Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer previously presided over the highly publicized Natalia Grace adoption/neglect case involving Michael and Kristine Barnett.
- Links Meyer’s national notoriety to the current shooting, detailing the Barnetts’ allegations that Natalia Grace was an adult posing as a child and the 2022 jury acquittal/dismissal of charges.
- Provides additional context on Grace’s background, medical condition (spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita), and the Barnetts’ successful petition to change her legal birth year from 2003 to 1989.
6:02 PM
Police search for suspect in the shooting that injured an Indiana judge and his wife
New information:
- PBS confirms both Judge Steven Meyer and his wife Kimberly are in stable condition, with injuries to his arm and her hip.
- Lafayette Police say the investigation remains active and now involves local, state and federal agencies, but they have not released any suspect description or motive.
- Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush sent a statewide letter urging judges to remain vigilant about their security, explicitly tying the shooting to broader concerns about judicial safety.
- Kimberly Meyer released a public statement expressing 'great confidence' in investigators and gratitude to responding officers and medical staff.
5:31 PM
Suspected gunman uttered 4 words before shooting Indiana judge and wife: dispatch audio
New information:
- Dispatch audio obtained by Fox News Digital quotes the gunman saying, 'We have your dog,' before firing a shot through the front door.
- Audio indicates the assailant first knocked on the door and spoke to the Meyers before opening fire.
- The piece reiterates that no suspect description has yet been released and no arrests have been made, confirming the gunman remains at large.
2:45 AM
Judge and wife shot in broad daylight in Indiana, sparking massive multi-agency investigation
New information:
- Lafayette Police specify that shell casings were recovered at the scene of the shooting on Mill Pond Lane around 2:15 p.m.
- Kimberly Meyer issued a public statement through police thanking investigators, first responders and medical personnel and expressing confidence in the Lafayette Police Department’s investigation.
- Lafayette Mayor Tony Roswarski called the attack a "senseless unacceptable act of violence" and pledged that "every available resource" is being used to find those responsible.
- Fox article lists all agencies formally involved: Lafayette Police Department, Indiana State Police, Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office, West Lafayette Police Department, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office and the FBI.
- Police reiterate that no arrests have been made and urge anyone with information to contact Lafayette PD at 765-807-1200.
January 19, 2026