Lebanon, IN: Man pleads guilty to lesser charge in ex-wife's death

By Robert Annis
Posted: December 18, 2009
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LEBANON, Ind. -- A Zionsville man entered a guilty plea Thursday morning in the bludgeoning death of his ex-wife and faces a 43-year prison sentence under an agreement with prosecutors.
Michael Stayer, 32, pleaded guilty to felony counts of voluntary manslaughter and neglect of a dependent as part of a deal struck with Boone County Prosecutor Todd Meyer. Stayer had been facing a murder charge and other felony counts in connection with the death of Beth Stayer on June 11.


According to Stayer's confession, he and the victim, his ex-wife, got into an argument at her Whitestown apartment. While he was in their daughter's bedroom, he said, Beth Stayer charged at him with a hammer, which he took from her and proceeded to use on her as their son watched.
Prosecutors said Beth Stayer also was beaten with a metal can and other objects for approximately five minutes.
Leaving his ex-wife in a pool of blood on the floor, Stayer called 911. Beth Stayer was rushed to Methodist Hospital, where she died the next day.
The Stayers had been divorced less than two months at the time of her death. According to court documents, Michael Stayer stalked and threatened his ex-wife in the weeks before her death.
Stayer, in an orange jumpsuit and shackles, sat without emotion during a nearly hourlong hearing in Boone Circuit Court. But Meyer showed some emotion as he described his reasoning in seeking the plea deal: to prevent Stayer's 5-year-old son, Carson, from having to testify.
"The cost to get a murder conviction was too great," Meyer said. "In order to get the murder conviction, we would have to call Carson Stayer as a witness. . . . Making him relive the crime is too significant of a burden to put on a 5-year-old child."
Forensic psychiatrist Ned Masbaum warned that requiring the boy to testify "could be more harmful to Carson by his feeling more unrealistic guilt and depression. He is too young to be able to put his role as a witness into the concept of justice for his mother."
Michael Stayer also struck a separate deal with the Department of Child Services that allows Carson and the Stayers' 2-year-old daughter, Ashleigh, to continue living with their maternal grandfather.
In exchange, the state would not seek to terminate his parental rights, Meyer said.
Stayer's attorney, James Voyles, issued a statement from Stayer's family saying they "deeply regret that this tragic incident occurred" and offered their "continued love and support" for the couple's children.
Boone Circuit Judge Steve David will sentence Stayer at 9 a.m. Feb. 17. Authorities said that under the plea agreement, Stayer would be eligible for parole in 2030.