Man gets life in prison for Indiana deputy’s shooting death

LEBANON, Ind. – A central Indiana man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after pleading guilty in the fatal shooting of a sheriff’s deputy.

Anthony Baumgardt of Lebanon agreed in April to plead guilty to murder in the March 2018 killing of Boone County Deputy Jacob Pickett. The plea deal spared Baumgardt the death penalty .

A judge sentenced the 22-year-old Baumgardt on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old deputy was pursuing Baumgardt with his police dog in Lebanon when the suspect shot him. Pickett died three days later.

Investigators say Baumgardt told them he fired at Pickett because he didn’t want to get bitten by the police dog. He was also charged with resisting law enforcement, and illegal handgun, methamphetamine and marijuana possession.