Suspect Pleads Guilty In Shooting Death Of Gary Police Officer

CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) -- An Indiana man has pleaded guilty to the murder of a Gary police officer under a deal that spares him the death penalty.

Monday's plea agreement calls for 28-year-old Carl Blount of Gary to be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the July 2014 shooting death of 47-year-old Patrolman Jeffrey Westerfield.

Prosecutors agreed to drop other charges against Blount, including theft and battery, and won't prosecute him in connection with a double slaying about 10 days before Westerfield's death. The plea agreement has no details about those slayings.

Court documents say Westerfield was investigating a reported domestic disturbance between Blount and his girlfriend when he was shot in his squad car.

Westerfield's family had no comment after Monday's court hearing. Blount will be sentenced Feb. 8.

Gary is about 30 miles southeast of Chicago.

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