Darke County Sheriff’s deputies ID victims in double homicide

DARKE COUNTY — The Darke County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victims in last week’s double homicide.

>>PHOTOS: Deputies investigate double homicide at Darke County home

Michelle Phipps, 63, and James Donnelly, 57, were both stabbed to death, according to the Darke County Sheriff’s office.

Deputies discovered the victims Friday morning at their residence in the 4200 block of Weavers-Fort Jefferson Road early Friday morning.

The discovery was prompted by reports made in the sheriff’s office by acquaintances of the victim and the suspect reporting suspicion that a homicide might have taken place in the home.

Deputies responded to the home around 6:30 p.m. Thursday night on a 911 call. Upon arrival, Adam Uchyn met deputies at the driveway. Uchyn is a resident of the address and claimed to have the made call. He had filed a report alleging a theft and assault had occurred at the address and the perpetrator had left the scene.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Person of interest in custody in Darke County double homicide case

The Darke County Sheriff’s Office said it was a ruse to prevent deputies from discovering the murder had likely occurred.

Investigators now believe the 911 caller is Phipps. The call abruptly ended with only the address provided by the caller. Dispatchers attempted to call the number back but there was no answer.

Deputies were advised they were responding to a 911 hang-up and did not know the gender of the 911 call, the sheriff’s office said.

They took the complaint from Uchyn at face value since they had no further information and were unaware of what happened in the house. He remained outside during the altercation, which lasted 40 minutes, according to the sheriff’s office.

Uchyn is being held in a jail in Chicago awaiting extradition on a felony probation violation warrant.

The case remains under investigation and is being reviewed by the Darke County Prosecutor’s Office.