Incident Overview

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Date & Time: On Saturday, August 16, 2025, at approximately 5:13 a.m., deputies from the Howard County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 600 South block of County Road 750 West following a report of a stabbing.justinmatters.wiki
Victim: Derek Wheeler, age 35, of Kokomo, was found with a large and severe laceration wound to his abdomen. He received emergency care from Community Howard Ambulance and Russiaville Ambulance responders. Wheeler was initially taken to Community Howard Hospital, then airlifted to a Fort Wayne hospital for specialized treatment, where he remains in critical condition.justinmatters.wiki

Arrest of Suspect

Primary Suspect: Investigators quickly identified James I. Hampton, age 54, of Kokomo, as the suspect.justinmatters.wiki
Search & Arrest: On Sunday, August 17, 2025, at 12:11 p.m., deputies executed a search warrant at a residence on the 300 block of Branded Boulevard. With assistance from the Howard County Sheriff’s SWAT team, Hampton was taken into custody without incident at 12:27 p.m.justinmatters.wiki
Charges: Hampton was booked into the Howard County Jail on a preliminary charge of Attempted Murder, classified as a Level 1 felony.justinmatters.wiki

The incident remains an active investigation. Further forensic evidence and witness interviews are underway, and additional charges may be filed depending on findings.justinmatters.wiki
Authorities have not released information about any motive or whether the suspect and victim knew each other.justinmatters.wiki