Fort Wayne Man Sentenced for 2022 Homicide Role

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Michael Barker, 45, was sentenced to 65 years in prison for his role in the 2022 homicide of 63-year-old William J. Kintzel in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Barker was one of two men connected to Kintzel's death, with the other, Anthony Lopez Jr., receiving a 91-year sentence in November 2022. Barker had initially fled prosecution but was tracked down by U.S. Marshals in Cleveland in December 2023.

Why it matters

This case highlights the importance of law enforcement's ability to apprehend suspects who attempt to evade prosecution, as well as the severity of sentences handed down for violent crimes involving firearms and homicide in the state of Indiana.

The details

According to court documents, Kintzel's body was found four days after his April 2022 death in a wooded area off the sidewalk on McCormick and Birchwood avenues in Fort Wayne. He had been battered with a gun and shot several times in the chest. A jury later found Barker guilty of felony murder and robbery resulting in serious injury following a December 2025 trial.

• Kintzel's body was found on April 14, 2022.
• Anthony Lopez Jr. was sentenced in November 2022 to 91 years in prison.
• Barker was tracked down by U.S. Marshals in Cleveland in December 2023.
• Barker's trial took place in December 2025.
• Barker was sentenced on February 13, 2026.

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Michael Barker out on bail pending his appeal.