Indiana Man Who Accidentally Recorded Murder of Mom's Boyfriend on Voicemail Sentenced to 85 Years

News By TooFab Staff |
Clay County Jail

"All murders are gruesome. I think what made this case especially so was the fact that the defendant had inadvertently recorded himself throughout the murder, so we were able to hear the entire thing," said a prosecutor as the recording was played in court.

A 33-year-old Indiana man has been sentenced to 85 years behind bars after murdering his mother's boyfriend -- and the whole "gruesome" incident was recorded after the man failed to hang up his phone after leaving a voicemail.

Cody Allen Wade was found guilty in August on one count of murder, resisting law enforcement, and battery against a public safety official and two counts of battery resulting in bodily injury to a public safety official. As part of his sentencing last week, he received a sentencing enhancement of 15 years after being deemed a habitual offender.

The guilty charge stems from Wade's June 2020 arrest for the murder of Carl Haviland, his mother's boyfriend.

Before Haviland was killed, Wade left a cookout and walked to his mother's house -- allegedly telling another person he "was going to kill someone." Prosecutors say he then called his mother, leaving her a voicemail but failing to hang up the phone after. Because of this, audio of the the entire murder was also recorded.

He was accused of then stabbing Haviland in front of his mother; the recording was played for the jury during his trial. In the sentencing order, Clay County Superior Court Judge Robert A. Pell said Wade also "kicked and taunted" the victim after the stabbing; the doc also stated Wade was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder.

“All murders are gruesome. I think what made this case especially so was the fact that the defendant had inadvertently recorded himself throughout the murder, so we were able to hear the entire thing," Clay County Prosecutor Emily Clarke said, via Tri-City Herald. "There was taunting going on. The defendant was making racial slurs at the victim and saying horrible things."

"My remorse is real," Wade reportedly said before sentencing -- adding, "I lost my friend that night, too."

Breaking down the 85-year sentence, per Fox 59, Wade was given 60 years for the murder charge, 5 years each for two charges of battery on a law enforcement officer with injury, 2.5 years for battery on a public safety official, 1 year for resisting law enforcement and the 15-year addition for being a habitual offender.

He's able to serve some of those sentences concurrently, with credit for time served.