Plea agreement upheld after 19-year-old attempts to withdraw plea deal in doctor’s murder
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A 19-year-old man’s original plea agreement in an Indianapolis murder case has been upheld after the man tried to change his plea deal in court earlier this month.
According to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, Devon Seats attempted to back out of his plea agreement in court on Feb. 13. Seats had agreed to plead guilty to the home burglary and murder of an Indiana University School of Medicine doctor.
Dr. Kevin Rodgers, 61, a faculty member at the Indiana University School of Medicine, was killed by gunfire during the burglary Nov. 20, 2017, at his home in the 7500 block of Ballenshire South Drive. Rodgers served as IU School of Medicine program director emeritus and was also involved with the emergency training program for more than 25 years.
Devon Seats was one of four men charged in the case. Seats last month had pleaded guilty to murder and three counts of burglary. He admitted to killing Rodgers and burglarizing three homes and faced a sentence of up to 50 years with a mandatory minimum period of incarceration of 45 years.
Seats was not sentenced Feb. 13 as planned because he tried to back out of his agreement. A judge upheld the original plea agreement in court Thursday.
A sentencing hearing for Seats has been scheduled for March 12 at 1:30 p.m.
