A Jennings County man has been sentenced to 65 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections in a murder investigation from last year.

The Jennings County Sheriff’s Department says 36-year-old Alan J. Marantos pled guilty to the murder of 52-year-old Brian K. Kirby. A missing persons investigation into Kirby’s disappearance was started in March 2020. That began what authorities called the largest land/air and water search in Jennings County history. Partial remains were recovered and identified as the missing man.

Marantos was identified early in the investigation as a suspect and he was arrested on unrelated charges in April of 2020.

Investigators say that Marantos, Kirby and three other people were at a home in Country Squire Lakes when Marantos beat Kirby to death. He then allegedly took Kirby’s body to a home on Chatsworth Lane in Country Squire Lakes, where he burned Kirby’s remains over the course of several days. The ashes and remains were then disposed of in several different locations in western Jennings County.

Marantos pled guilty to murder which carries a sentence of 45-65 years. Last week Jennings Circuit Court Judge Murielle S. Bright, sentenced Marantos to the maximum allowed time.

A driver was seriously injured in a crash on West County Road 100N yesterday afternoon, according to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.

According to police reports, they were called to the crash in the 1200 block of West County Road 100N at 12:27 yesterday afternoon and found the driver trapped inside the wreckage. Columbus Township Fire and Rescue worked to extricate the driver, 30-year-old Allick Olive, from the wrecked vehicle.

Olive was then flown by Life Line helicopter to IU Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment.

Sheriff Matt Myers praised the agencies that worked together to rescue Olive. which also included Columbus Regional Hospital paramedics and Columbus police officers.

Columbus City Utilities has issued a boil water advisory for some customers on Marr Road.

The precaution is being taken after water was shut down due to a line repair at Bloomfield Apartments. Affected customers should boil water for five minutes before consuming it or using it for cooking.

If you have any questions you can call the Water Service Hotline at 812-418-6435.