COLUMBUS, Ind. – Bartholomew County Coroner Clayton Nolting has announced the findings of the autopsy completed Friday afternoon of the human remains found on County Road 400N on Thursday. They have been identified as Heather Ann Steuver, 37, of Columbus. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma to the head and the manner of death to be a homicide.
The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) had taken a missing person’s report on Ms. Steuver on August 26. Detective Kevin Abner was assigned to the case. As the investigation into the disappearance developed, Abner thought there were suspicious circumstances.
The detective spoke with Steuver’s boyfriend, Patrick Doyle, 38, of Columbus. After more information was gathered, the suspect was arrested and preliminarily charged with possession of child pornography. At that time on Thursday a 48-hour hold, with no bond, was placed on him.
As the BCSO investigation went forward, he was then preliminarily charged with the murder of Steuver. “Doyle is in the Bartholomew County Jail, not only with a preliminary charge of child pornography, but he also faces a preliminary charge of murder,” said Sheriff Matt Myers.
Doyle has now been placed on a 72-hour hold, without bond, as the investigation is completed and sent to the Bartholomew County Prosecutors Office.
