Jury selection begins in Exantus trial

Jury selection began this week in the trial of an Indiana man charged with murdering a 6-year-old boy in his family’s Versailles home. Ronald Exantus, 34, was found competent to face a murder charge at trial by former Woodford Circuit Judge Rob Johnson in November 2016.

Six-year-old Logan Tipton was stabbed to death in his bedroom in December 2015. Two of his siblings suffered non-life threatening lacerations. His father, Dean Tipton, scuffled with Exantus and got a kitchen knife away him before police officers arrived at the Versailles home, according to authorities.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Gordie Shaw has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Exantus, who has pleaded not guilty to murder, first-degree burglary, two counts of first-degree assault and fourth-degree assault.