Angle convicted of felony murder

Michael Angle Jr., 28, was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, a class A felony, as well as felony murder in the November 2011 killing of Lauren Kahn.
 
Angle remained stoic as the verdict was read, as he had through much of the trial. Between the two charges, Angle is facing 45 to 65 years behind bars.
 
A jury in the Monroe County Circuit Court reached its verdict Friday evening after about three hours of deliberation and three days of evidence, testimony and argument.
 
Kahn was working at the now closed Garden of Eden adult novelty shop on South Walnut Street the night of Nov. 14, 2011, when Angle entered the store.
 
After only a few minutes in the shop, Angle asked Kahn a question, drawing her out from behind a counter. Soon after, Angle began stabbing and slashing Kahn. She eventually bled to death later that evening.
 
About 90 minutes after the stabbing, Angle turned himself in to police and confessed to the murder.
 
Angle entered an insanity defense, claiming to have blacked out during the stabbing murder.
 
The trial, heard by Monroe Circuit Judge Marc Kellams, began Tuesday with jury selection, followed by opening statements on Wednesday. Witnesses for the state and defense continued through Friday afternoon after which the jury left the courtroom to deliberate.

Outside the court house, Kahn's longtime friend Kelsy Benckart stood by her car, parked near the doors of the court, just in case she had to sleep in it overnight awaiting a verdict.

She's attended almost two years worth of pretrial hearings on an almost monthly basis.

"You're just waiting for this thing in the future," she said. "Now that it's over, it's such a relief."

Sentencing is tentatively set for 9 a.m. on Oct. 7.

Check back Monday for further coverage of the trial.

Follow reporter Matthew Glowicki on Twitter @mattglo.