October 13, 2026
Guilty but mentally ill: Zionsville man convicted in mother's 2024 killing
Headline card by The Night Desk
A Boone County judge has convicted Graham Bixler, 33, in the 2024 killing of his mother, Kristin Bixler — finding him guilty but mentally ill after a two-day bench trial in which his defense argued he wasn't responsible by reason of insanity.
Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood announced the conviction on Oct. 13.
What happened
Kristin Bixler was found dead behind her Zionsville home on April 8, 2024, after a concerned family member called police for a welfare check. Graham Bixler wasn't home — and later that day, detectives learned he'd already been placed under an emergency mental health hold after Carmel police found him bloodied and dressed inappropriately for the weather.
She was afraid of him
The detail that lands hardest comes from the people who knew Kristin. Friends and family told investigators she was afraid of her son's violent and erratic behavior — afraid enough that she'd begun sleeping in her car to keep herself safe. She wanted to sell her home and use the proceeds to pay for her son's psychiatric treatment, her real estate agent told police.
What's next
Three mental health experts testified at trial, according to Eastwood. Under Indiana law, a person found guilty but mentally ill must be sentenced "in the same manner as a defendant found guilty of the offense" — but the court must order a mental health assessment before sentencing, and Bixler will undergo further psychiatric evaluation once in the Department of Correction's custody.
His lead attorney declined to comment on the conviction. Sentencing is set for Nov. 4.
Source: Indianapolis Star. Charges and convictions reported here reflect court outcomes as announced by the Boone County Prosecutor's Office.
Source: Indianapolis Star — read the original report
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