INDIANAPOLIS — A man is behind bars accused of killing a woman and dumping her body in the White River more than four years ago in Indianapolis.
The suspect is being held without bond at the Marion County Jail.
After being arrested this week, Riki Eaton denied having any involvement in the 2017 killing, but more than a half dozen witnesses tell a different story.
In February 2017, strangers spotted a woman’s body floating in shallow water along the banks of the White River near the 2900 block of S. Harding Street.
“They were fishing, walking the bank and those were the people that found the body,” said IFD public information officer Gus Chavez in February 2017.
That victim, 30-year-old Jenny Boltinghouse, died after being shot in the head.
Later that same year the homicide detective working the murder asked for help with the unsolved case.
“Who is responsible for the murder of Jenny Boltinghouse, the mother of three children?” asked detective Jose Torres in September 2017.
Despite that plea, the killing went unsolved for more than four years, until now.
According to the probable cause affidavit, police believe Eaton killed Boltinghouse because she had stolen some tools from his garage and feared she was talking to police about some theft cases.
“I can guarantee you detectives in homicide don’t forget our cases, especially the open ones. Our goal is to find the people responsible and make a case,” said Torres.
Detective Torres, who was still working the case years later, claims one of Eaton’s family members came forward in May of this year.
That family member claimed she had been afraid of Eaton, but was “tired of carrying the weight of the information.”
That break in the case was followed by six other witnesses coming forward who insist Eaton bragged about the murder along the river, but threatened to kill them if they ever spoke to police.
Some of those witnesses allegedly witnessed the shooting and even helped Eaton dispose of the body.
“People coming forward is paramount, because we don’t know unless we’re told,” said Torres.
Detective Torres believes finding some long awaited justice for the Boltinghouse family proves how witness testimony is critical to solving homicides, both new and old alike.
“We have to build a case to prove a case and we need people to come forward,” said Torres.
According to a search of police records, close to half of the 178 homicides from 2017 remain unsolved. Anyone with information on any unsolved homicide is still asked to call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS or the IMPD homicide office at 317-327-3475.
