Five Charged in Plot to Kill Indiana Judge

Alleged scheme to avoid trial and silence witness leads to arrests and charges

Jan. 28, 2026 at 7:55pm

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Five people have been arrested and charged in connection with a plot to kill an Indiana judge and his wife. The alleged mastermind, Thomas Moss, was trying to avoid an upcoming trial on domestic violence charges and recruited others, including an alleged hitman, to carry out the attack. The judge and his wife were wounded in the shotgun attack, but are recovering from their injuries.

Why it matters

This case highlights the lengths some individuals will go to avoid facing justice, even resorting to extreme measures like attempted murder. It also raises concerns about the safety of judges and the integrity of the judicial system when they become targets of violence.

The details

According to prosecutors, the alleged plot involved paying a witness $10,000 to remain silent, and then having the judge and his wife killed by a shotgun blast through their front door. The accused hitman, Raylen Ferguson, was tracked down after being identified through doorbell camera footage. Ferguson was recruited by Moss, a member of an outlaw motorcycle gang. Three other individuals, including Moss's ex-wife Amanda Milsap, are also facing charges related to witness tampering and the attempted murder.

  • On January 18, Judge Steven Meyer and his wife Kim were wounded in a shotgun attack at their home.
  • On January 29, four of the five suspects made their initial court appearances.

The players

Thomas Moss

A 43-year-old Indiana motorcycle gang member who was the alleged mastermind behind the plot to kill the judge and his wife in order to avoid an upcoming trial on domestic violence charges.

Raylen Ferguson

A 38-year-old man who was arrested as the alleged hitman recruited by Moss to carry out the shotgun attack on the judge's home.

Blake Smith

A 32-year-old Lafayette resident and fellow gang member of Moss who is accused of providing the gun used in the attack.

Amanda Milsap

The ex-wife of Thomas Moss and a mental health worker who is accused of trying to bribe a witness in Moss's initial court case.

Judge Steven Meyer

The Indiana judge who was wounded, along with his wife Kim, in the shotgun attack on their home.

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What they’re saying

“None of the allegations that were alleged that happened directly actually happened to me by any of the incidents that occurred here. I am presumed innocent, I've not done anything since I've been in jail, that would warrant me to be segregated from anybody else, to not have contact with my family.”

— Thomas Moss

“It's an allegation of witness tampering.”

— Judge Lisa Swain, Presiding Judge

“I have absolutely no information that my client is connected to any plot against the judge at all. 100 percent. I do not see it in that affidavit of probable cause.”

— Earl McCoy, Defense Attorney for Amanda Milsap

What’s next

The judge overseeing the case will decide on Tuesday whether to grant bail for the suspects.

The takeaway

This brazen plot to kill a judge and silence a witness highlights the serious threats that members of the judicial system can face, and the need for robust security measures to protect them and the integrity of the legal process.