Logansport State Hospital patient charged with murder after brutal attack of patient

LOGANSPORT, Ind. — A patient at the Logansport State Hospital has been charged with murder after he reportedly beat another patient, who later died from his injuries.

According to court documents filed in Cass County Court on Tuesday, 56-year-old John Loran was charged with:

• One count of murder
• One count of aggravated battery – posing a substantial risk of death, a Level 3 felony
• One count of battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, a Level 6 felony

In early February, troopers with the Indiana State Police were called to the Logansport hospital in regards to a reported battery involving a patient at the hospital. Troopers were provided with footage of a reported incident that allegedly involved Loran on Feb. 4.

In one video, the documents state that numerous patients were walking through a set of double doors. One of the doors was reportedly being held open by a patient, later identified as Loran. As a man, later identified as Travis Lunsford, approached the doors, Loran reportedly hit him across the face with his elbow.

The documents said that Loran kicked Lunsford in the head multiple times and stomped on Lunsford’s head. Loran reportedly also punched Lunsford in the face several times. Lunsford was taken to a Fort Wayne hospital and was pronounced dead on Feb. 16.

The documents also said that troopers looked at a second video of an incident that reportedly occurred not long after the initial altercation. Loran reportedly walked up to a second patient and struck him in the head. Loran then reportedly kicked the second patient on the side of the head and stomped on the back of his head twice.

Loran was then escorted by staff members through a set of double doors after the second altercation as additional staff were treating the second patient. In an interview that was conducted with the second patient, he told troopers that he had “never spoken to (Loran) or had a conversation with him in the past.”

“(The second patient) believed that (Loran) had planned this attack due to (Loran’s) knowledge of why he was in the hospital,” the documents said.

The documents said that troopers then attempted to interview Loran about the two incidents, but Loran reportedly refused to answer any questions.

Loran’s initial hearing in this case is scheduled for Thursday afternoon, according to court documents.