Inmate Uses Handcuff Chain to Strangle Indiana Deputy in Escape Attempt

According to recently released court documents, an inmate at a jail in Indianapolis is accused of killing a sheriff’s deputy during an escape attempt. The inmate, identified as Orlando Mitchell, used the chain of his handcuffs to choke Deputy John Durm, who was transporting him in a van. Tragically, Deputy Durm, a 38-year veteran of the sheriff’s department, succumbed to the attack and passed away at a hospital.

The Indianapolis police are treating the incident as an intentional act of homicide, with the cause of Deputy Durm’s death determined to be “ligature strangulation.” The county coroner’s office has officially ruled it as a homicide. Deputy Durm leaves behind a wife and four children.

The assault took place on Monday when the van carrying Mitchell and Deputy Durm was inside the sally port, a fortified entrance, of the Adult Detention Center on the south side of the city. Although Mitchell has not been charged in Durm’s death, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office stated that a charging decision is not expected before Thursday afternoon at the earliest.

Video evidence from the scene shows Deputy Durm arriving at the detention center after returning from taking Mitchell to a hospital visit. As Durm opens the rear door of the van, Mitchell seizes the opportunity to open the van’s inner door and places his hands around Durm’s neck, using the chain from his handcuffs to strangle him. Both men fall to the ground, and Mitchell continues to choke Deputy Durm until he stops moving.

Following the attack, Mitchell manages to unlock his handcuffs using Durm’s handcuff key. He then gets into the van, backs it up, and crashes through a gate as he exits the sally port of the detention center. Mitchell drives the van a short distance before crashing into a wooden pole. Deputies eventually apprehend him and return him to custody.

Mitchell had been in jail since September 2022, awaiting trial for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Krystal Walton. At the time of this statement, there is no further information available regarding Mitchell’s legal representation in that case.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about strangling

More about strangling

• Inmate used chain from handcuffs to strangle Indiana deputy during escape attempt, officials say
• Marion County Sheriff’s Office
• Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
• Marion County Prosecutor’s Office