Jun 30, 2009 10:14 am US/Central
Jada Justice Murder Suspect Tasered In Court
Authorities: Timothy Tkachik Climbed On Table, Wouldn't Get Down
CROWN POINT, Ind. (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
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Timothy Tkachik
Post Tribune
The northwest Indiana man accused of burning 2-year-old Jada Justice's dead body and encasing it in concrete was shot with a Taser before court on Monday morning.
Mike Higgins, a spokesman for the Lake County (Ind.) Sheriff's Department, said 23-year-old Timothy Tkachik climbed onto a table and refused to get down when warned by police that he would be stunned.
Higgins said he couldn't explain what Tkachik was trying to do.
"You'll have to ask him that," Higgins said.
Tkachik and 18-year-old Engelica Castillo, both of Hobart, who were charged with Justice's murder on Friday, were taken to court for an initial hearing. Castillo, who last week hired attorney T. Edward Page to represent her, asked for a public defender.
"(Castillo) is in need of some resources that I cannot provide for such things as depositions and other pre-trial investigations," Page said after the hearing. "We knew this when I was assisting her after her arrest last Thursday."
Lake County public defender Lemuel Stigler entered an appearance on Castillo's behalf later in the day. Stigler, who said he hadn't spoken to his new client yet, said she will deny the charges at her next hearing.
"She will plead not guilty," Stigler said.
So far, no attorney has filed an appearance on behalf of Tkachik, Castillo's boyfriend.
The couple had been babysitting Justice, of Portage, for several days before Castillo began hitting the girl repeatedly, police said. Later, when Castillo and Tkachik were driving to buy drugs with Justice in the car, police said the couple realized the girl wasn't breathing.
Her body was discovered in a LaPorte County swamp after police said they were led to the location by Tkachik.
In addition to murder charges, Castillo and Tkachik are charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent, battery and false informing. They face 65 years in prison.
Bill Baker, of Hebron, who owns the Hobart house at 3925 Missouri St. where Justice was beaten, said Castillo and Tkachik paid their rent on time, and he "didn't see any flags go up" until he read about Justice's disappearance.
"I was probably as surprised and disgusted as anyone else," Baker said.
Justice's mother, Melissa Swiontek, left her daughter with Castillo for several days because she was being potty trained, according to court records.
Ann Houseworth, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Child Services, said her office has an open assessment into conditions at Swiontek's Portage home. She wouldn't comment on specifics of the case, though.
Swiontek told the Post-Tribune on Saturday that Child Services visited her home, but there is no ongoing investigation.
Funeral arrangements for Justice will take place at 2 p.m. Friday at Edmonds and Evans Funeral Home Portage Chapel, 6941 Central Ave. Visitation will start at noon.
Justice will be buried in Heritage Cemetery.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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