Plainfield inmate accused of beating fellow prisoner to death not facing murder charge

PLAINFIELD, Ind. — More than a year after an inmate at the Plainfield Correctional Facility was beaten to death in his cell, the Hendricks County Prosecutor filed charges this week against a fellow prisoner.

Robert Miller, 26, is facing charges of robbery and aggravated battery, but not a murder charge.

According to court documents, Miller beat 60-year-old Jeffrey Clouser to death inside his cell back in July 2024. Clouser was later found dead by prison staff and the coroner ruled his death a homicide.

“He was in a wheelchair,” said Clouser’s family attorney, Harvey Lancaster. “He was not able to defend himself and there’s a question as to whether he should’ve been in this area at all.”

Surveillance images from inside the prison captured Miller entering Clouser’s cell and then emerging with what detectives described as swollen knuckles. Those cameras later captured him returning to the cell several times and leaving with Clouser’s personal belongings.

Other inmates told investigators that Miller told them to mind their own business or they would be next.

“The evidence is there. It’s been quite some time. It’s been over a year since this incident happened,” Lancaster said. “They’ve been investigating this for a year and he’s charged with assault and burglary.”

Lancaster said he and Clouser’s family are disappointed and angry that Miller is not facing a murder charge.

“They have ample evidence. They have enough evidence to charge,” Lancaster said. “We handle criminal cases in our office too, and I’ve seen people charged with things on a lot less than what they have here.”

Hendricks County Prosecutor Loren Delp declined to discuss his charging decision, citing prosecutorial ethics.

Clouster’s family is pursuing a wrongful death lawsuit against the Indiana Department of Corrections, accusing them of failing to keep inmates safe.

A few months before Clouser’s death, two inmates were charged with felonies after a prison attack led to another inmate dying from a brain injury.

Lancaster said it’s reflective of the culture at Indiana’s prisons.

“They don’t treat these inmates as if they have rights,” Lancaster said. “An assault occurred. Nobody did anything and now this man is dead.”

According to the IDOC website, Miller is still incarcerated but has since been moved to a different facility. He is scheduled to be released on October 8 but a warrant has been issued for his arrest in this most recent case.