Dyke Rhoads News Today

After 17 years behind bars, one of the wrongfully prisoned ate his first meal as a free man in a family-owned steak house in rural Indiana.

For the first time, the position of legislative inspector general will be held by a former federal judge. Michael McCuskey has faced murderers, corruption and greed during his more than 30 years on the bench. He’s known for handing down tough sentences, earning him the nickname "Maximum Mike."

Michael McCuskey assumed his role of Legislative Inspector General this week, bringing 32 years of judicial experience to the position charged with investigating lawmaker misconduct.

Former judge begins role as legislature’s watchdog

He would tell both his wife and family members that he remembered seeing a knife going up and down, and he believed that he was the one that killed dyke and karen rhoads. >> six months before randys trial, phil stark was found dead of an alleged suicide. >> of course, none of those reports made it into the discovery before randys trial. and the interesting thing about phil starks suicide, phil stark, when he allegedly committed suicide, was shot once in the head and once in the heart. i suppose ...

I dont want you to die. i went up there to try to save my brothers life. >> randy steidl went on trial for the murders of dyke and karen rhoads in 1987. >> the prosecutions case was that randy and herbie were dealing drugs to dyke rhoads and that dyke owed herbie money for a drug debt that he hadnt paid. >> prosecutors focused special attention on the testimony of eyewitnesses darrell herrington -- >> they knew certain things in our minds that were things the town drunk wouldnt know. >> -- and d...

Rhoads house the night of the murder, brought darrell herrington with them. asked him to wait in the car. >> as herrington stayed in the car, steidl and whitlock went to the front door to confront dyke rhoads. >> darrell herrington said he heard them arguing about money. when they argued, they could get very heated. >> herrington later heard screams. inside, he discovered the crime scene. >> what happened when you went in the bedroom, darrell? >> there was a body laying there. then i look up. i ...

>> randy and herbie and randys vehicle drove to dyke and karen rhoads house the night of the murder, brought darrell herrington with them. asked him to wait in the car. >> as herrington stayed in the car, steidl and whitlock went to the front door to confront dyke rhoads. >> darrell herrington said he heard them arguing about money. when they argued, they could get very heated. >> herrington later heard screams. inside, he discovered the crime scene. >> what happened when you went in the bedroom...

>> on a mid-summers night in 1986, the easy calm of paris was shattered by a fire at the home of dyke and karen rhoads. inside, firemen discovered the lifeless bodies of the newlywed couple. but they soon realized the rhoads had been killed by something other than smoke and flames. >> dyke and karen rhoads had been stabbed numerous times. what they had on their hands was a murder that attempted to be concealed by arson. >> yesterday, authorities were suspicious. today they are certain. 28 year o...

>> randy steidl went on trial for the murders of dyke and karen rhoads in 1987. >> the prosecutions case was that randy and herbie were dealing drugs to dyke rhoads and that dyke owed herbie money for drug debt that he hadnt paid. >> prosecutors focused special attention on the testimony of eyewitnesss darrell herrington. >> they knew certain things in our minds that the town drunk would know. >> and debbie reinboldt, who described seeing them stab the rhoads to death. she also described a broke...