Indiana Parole Board Rejects Clemency for Arsonist Ahead of November Execution

The Indiana parole board voted unanimously on Wednesday to deny clemency for Jeffrey Weisheit, the man sentenced to death for killing his girlfriend’s two children in a house fire. The recommendation was sent to Gov. Mike Braun, who holds the final authority on whether to commute the sentence to life in prison. A lethal injection execution is scheduled for Nov. 5.

The board conducted two days of hearings to review Weisheit’s case. Participants included Weisheit, his legal team, the parents of the deceased children, and first responders who attended the scene in Evansville in 2010. The fire left the bodies of Alyssa Lynch, 8, and Caleb Lynch, 5, in the ruins. Alyssa was found in a closet. Caleb was located on a mattress, restrained with duct tape. Railroad flares were placed in his underwear and beneath his body.

Weisheit, now 50, argued during the hearings that he seeks clemency to continue improving the lives of others while incarcerated. In a statement dated Oct. 16, he said, “There is no excuse or explanation for what I did.” His attorney, Joseph Perkovich, noted that Weisheit has a history of head injuries and mental health issues that were not fully addressed during his 2013 trial. Perkovich stated that the governor is considering a request for brain scans to be performed in prison.

Lisa Lynch, the children’s mother, testified by video that clemency should be reserved for those who display genuine remorse and value for human life. She told the board that the actions taken against her children showed no mercy or humanity. Steven Lynch, the father, told the board he would accept a life sentence for Weisheit if the governor granted clemency.

The board’s recommendation letter, signed by chairperson Gwendolyn Horth, stated that the board considered Weisheit’s mental health information. The panel concluded that this condition does not greatly distinguish his situation from that of the majority of incarcerated individuals. The board urged Braun to deny the request for a reprieve.

Prosecutors provided details about Weisheit’s actions in the months before the fire. Lawyer Tyler Banks of the Indiana attorney general’s office noted that Weisheit had recently ordered an engagement ring for Lynch. When the relationship began to deteriorate, he quit his job, withdrew bank funds, and canceled the ring order. He told the jeweler he was planning to leave the country.