Atlanta council votes to terminate Town employee implicated in 1992 murder case

ATLANTA, Ind. — The Atlanta Town Council has voted to terminate its utility superintendent and building commissioner, Andy Emmert.

The council took a vote on Emmert’s employment during an executive session Saturday morning. Emmert was not present during the session.

Emmert is implicated in the March 1992 killing of Tony Bledsoe. Previous reporting indicates Indiana State Police arrested Thomas Anderson Jr. of Arcadia earlier this month for his alleged role in Bledsoe’s death. Anderson Jr. has been charged with one count of murder.

During ISP’s investigation, Anderson told troopers Emmert shot Bledose in the head with a shotgun. Anderson also claimed that Emmert stabbed Bledsoe multiple times.

Anderson told police the killing stemmed from a car theft racket he and Emmert were part of. During his interview with investigators, Anderson said Bledsoe threatened to tell police Anderson and Emmert sold him a stolen car radio.

Anderson also told police he and Emmert dismembered Bledsoe after shooting and stabbing him. He added that he and Emmert placed Bledsoe’s hands, head and feet in a bucket of concrete.

Anderson told investigators he and Emmet drove toward a town with “green” in the name before they dumped Bledsoe’s body.

Law enforcement recovered a body without a head, hands or feet along U.S. Highway 40 in Putnam County in April 1992. The remains were not identified as Bledsoe until 2018.

As of this article’s publication, Emmert had not been arrested or charged for his alleged role in the Bledsoe’s death. Though he has not been arrested or formally charged, the Atlanta Town Council still voted to terminate his employment.

President Murry Dixon was the only council member who did not vote to terminate Emmert on Saturday.

“I’m not in the legal system,” Dixon said. “I’m not judge. I’m not a jury. I’m not a prosecutor.”

State police towed multiple classic cars from Emmert’s property in October. Soon after the cars were towed, the town council placed Emmert on administrative leave.

Council records, however, indicate Emmert was reinstated as the town’s utility superintendent and building commissioner in November. Town records show that Emmert was reinstated by the council because the Town was having a difficult time troubleshooting problems related to its water systems.

The council reported that the water systems issues were quickly resolved upon Emmert’s return to work. His reinstatement lasted from November to the point of his termination.

When they announced Anderson’s arrest, state police indicated that their investigation of Bledsoe’s killing was not fully complete yet.

With Emmert out as its building commissioner and utility superintendent, the Town will need to employ a certified operator to handle its utilities.

The town council did not open the floor for public comments during its executive session on Saturday. One person was even asked to leave just minutes into the meeting.

Though tensions ran high — even with no public comments — the council discussed Emmert’s employment status for more than an hour.

As of 8:30 p.m. Saturday, no additional information on ISP’s investigation of Bledsoe’s killing had been made available.

Hannah Adamson and Charles Benberry contributed to this report.