Testimony got underway Wednesday in Wabash County Circuit Court in the trial of 28-year-old Hunter Ingram of Mount Carmel, who is charged with criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Ingram has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from an alleged incident on November 17, 2024, at a residence in the 600 block of West 6th Street in Mount Carmel. He has remained in the Wabash County Jail since his arrest.
A jury was selected Monday, although one juror failed to appear Wednesday morning and was replaced by one of two alternate jurors before opening statements began.
According to court records, prosecutors allege Ingram engaged in sexual intercourse with the alleged victim without her consent. The aggravated criminal sexual abuse charge alleges Ingram was at least five years older than the alleged victim, who was between the ages of 13 and 17 at the time.
During opening statements, Wabash County State's Attorney Kelli Storckman told jurors the case is about "what can go wrong when teens experiment with alcohol." Storckman told jurors during opening statements that DNA testing is expected to show one condom contained DNA from both Ingram and the alleged victim, while the second contained DNA from Ingram and another individual.
Defense attorney Roger White urged jurors to keep an open mind and not rush to judgment while hearing the evidence. White also told jurors Ingram is expected to testify in his own defense.
The State's first witness was Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigator Jacob Dorris, who testified about processing a quonset hut at 606 West 6th Street that prosecutors said Ingram used as a workshop and gathering place for friends.
Dorris testified he took 127 photographs of the scene, all of which were admitted into evidence. He also told jurors investigators recovered two used condoms from a trash can and a pair of women's underwear.
The alleged victim's father testified he became concerned after his daughter failed to return home in time for church after reportedly spending the night with a friend. He told jurors he found his daughter unconscious in bed with Ingram at the West 6th Street property. After waking his daughter, he testified he punched Ingram several times after discovering him in bed with his half-nude 16-year-old daughter.
The alleged victim also testified Wednesday morning. She said she had known Ingram for years because he had been friends with one of her brothers and had visited the West 6th Street property on numerous occasions. She testified a group had been drinking alcohol the night of the alleged incident but said she does not remember going into a bedroom with Ingram or having any sexual contact with him. She also testified she later underwent a sexual assault examination in Evansville.
Following the lunch recess, the alleged victim told jurors Ingram displayed what she described as "weird" and "creepy" behavior that raised several red flags.
Also taking the stand was Elizabeth Tieken, a sexual assault nurse examiner at Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville. Tieken testified her examination revealed vaginal injuries to the alleged victim. However, under cross-examination, she acknowledged those injuries could also have occurred during consensual sexual intercourse.
The final witnesses Wednesday were two young women who were at Ingram's workshop the night of the alleged assault. Both recounted the events of the evening but, during cross-examination, were questioned by White about differences between their testimony and statements they previously gave investigators, particularly regarding dates and timelines.
The first day of testimony concluded at approximately 4:40 Wednesday afternoon. The trial is scheduled to resume Thursday morning in Wabash County Circuit Court.
As with all criminal cases, Hunter Ingram is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
