BOONE COUNTY, Ind. (TCN) — A 37-year-old man has pleaded guilty to murder for killing his disabled friend in exchange for the state agreeing to dismiss the habitual offender enhancement.
According to court records obtained by Yahoo! News, Jacob Cram killed his friend Donald Bowers, 64, on Sept. 10, 2025. Bowers was a wheelchair user and Cram reportedly offered to help him into his home before killing him. According to detectives, Cram hit Bowers with a broom, stabbed him in the head with a screwdriver, and asphyxiated him, Yahoo! News reports.
Court documents say two witnesses went to police and alleged Cram had killed Bowers, WXIN reports. One of the witnesses said he saw Cram trying to hang a blanket over a doorway. Cram reportedly stopped the witness from entering the room and said, “I can’t show you. … Oh, well, I guess I can.”
The witness told police he saw Bowers on the floor with duct tape wrapped around his head with a screwdriver sticking out, WXIN reports. Cram then told the witness not to tell anyone what he had seen. Authorities responded to the home after receiving the report and took Cram into custody.
During his interview with authorities, Cram said he tried to kill Bowers in multiple different ways and Bowers fought back, according to WXIN. Law & Crime reports that a motive in the killing has not been released.
Cram pleaded guilty on Aug. 24, WTHR reports. As part of his plea agreement, the state dismissed the habitual offender enhancement. Cram is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 17 and faces 45 to 65 years behind bars.
According to Yahoo! News, Cram had been released from prison three months before Bowers’ death. He had been sentenced to seven years in prison in 2018 for robbery resulting in serious injury.
According to Bowers’ obituary, “Donnie did not know a stranger. He would strike up a conversation with anyone, especially if they liked his favorite band KISS. Donnie’s love for cats and dogs knew no bounds. He would always stop for any injured animal to ensure its needs were met.”
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