Anthony Stockelman Is Serving Life In Prison for Murdering Katie Collman

By Kieran Burt - February 25, 2024 (Last updated: September 16, 2024)
Where is Anthony Stockelman Now? Katie Collman's Killer Explained

Anthony R. Stockelman being arraigned | Image via Associated Press
By Kieran Burt - February 25, 2024 (Last updated: September 16, 2024)

Anthony Stockelman, then 39, was convicted of murdering and molesting 10-year-old Katlyn “Katie” Maria Collman in 2006, and he was sent to the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Indiana for life plus 30 years. He had an unfortunate run-in with Katie’s cousin Jared Harris, then 22, leading to a tattoo forcibly being placed on his forehead.

Harris was charged with battery and received an extra seven years to his sentence. Stockelman on the other hand had to have medical treatment to remove the tattoo.

Where is Anthony Stockelman now?

Anthony Stockelman is currently serving a sentence of life without the chance of parole plus 30 years at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Indiana. The facility was opened in December 1992. It’s a maximum security facility and can hold over 2,200 incarcerated individuals.

Tattoo Explained

Anthony Stockelman was sent to Wabash Valley Correctional Facility in Indiana, where his sentence would be carried out. Unfortunately for him, this facility also held Katie’s cousin Jared Harris, who wanted to exact his revenge on the man. On September 22, 2006, Harris snuck into Stockelman’s cell and waited for the man to return.

Once Stockelman came back, Harris locked them both inside, held him down, and then forcibly tattooed the words “KATIE’S REVENGE” on Stockelman’s forehead, to remind both Stockelman and everyone else of Stockelman’s crimes. Prison officials didn’t confirm how this happened, however did say that an inmate was identified as a suspect in the assault, and two prison guards were fired for making “unauthorized copies of an evidence photo.”

Anthony Stockelman's Tattoo

Anthony Stockelman’s Tattoo | Image via Daily Star

Later, according to a court affidavit seen by Wave, Stockelman told investigators that Harris put his right hand around Stockelman’s throat and threatened him by saying “I’m either gonna stick you and leave you bleeding or I’m gonna tattoo you.”

To put the tattoo onto Stockelman’s forehead, Harris used a makeshift tattoo gun with a cassette deck motor and a guitar string needle. He didn’t reveal how he got the parts or how he made it.

Prison sentence

Anthony Stockelman was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for murdering 10-year-old Katie Collman in 2005. He pleaded guilty to murdering and molesting her, in exchange for the prosecution not seeking the death penalty. He has no chance of parole, which means that there’s no chance that Stockelman will be released from prison alive.

What happened to Jared Harris after he tattooed on Anthony Stockelman’s forehead?

After Jared Harris put the “KATIE’S REVENGE” tattoo on Anthony Stockelman’s forehead, Harris was charged with battery and had seven years added to his sentence for breaking prison rules. He testified in a hearing in Bartholomew Superior Court and said that Stockelman submitted to having the tattoo on his forehead to avoid further abuse.

“I told him if he would allow me to place this tattoo on his forehead … everything would be taken care of and he wouldn’t have to worry about any future attacks,” Jared Harris testified. “When I brought this idea up to him, he agreed to it.”

Harris was 22 during the incident and was attending a session to try and get his 20-year sentence for burglary reduced. He also admitted that other prisoners attacked Stockelman on Harris’ request and because of his crime. Judge Chris Monroe denied the request for a shorter sentence. He said that Harris had lost any and all credit for his good behavior, and the earliest he could be released was March 2019.

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