Amish Teen Killed In Rock Attack: Police Seek Help In 1969 Cold Case

Indiana State Police announced today that they are seeking information in a cold case over half-a-century old – in which a 17-year-old Amish boy was killed when hit by a large rock thrown from a passing car.

Mervin Lehman of LaGrange, Indiana died on March 22, 1969, after a rock entered the buggy he was riding in and struck him in the neck or chest area. The rock was sizeable, described as about six inches in diameter.

His 16-year-old nephew was driving the buggy, and managed to get him home, but he was later pronounced dead at hospital.

Not the only Amish attacked that night

In a similar incident that night, two people in another Amish buggy were seriously injured (more on that below). That would suggest it was someone out entertaining themselves by dangerously throwing objects at buggies.

The announcement by Indiana State Police was made in a Facebook post (among other places I assume). Here is the full text:

Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit Looking for Information in 1969 Death of Amish Teen

LaGrange, IN – The Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit is looking for any information in the death of an Amish teen from an incident that happened on March 22, 1969.

As described in the newspaper articles from the period (attached), the Amish teen was killed by a large rock that was thrown from a passing vehicle.

The teen and his nephew were in a horse-drawn buggy on LaGrange County Road 300 West near County Road 350 South around midnight. After the rock hit the victim, they hurried home.

A neighbor, who drove, took the injured victim to the hospital. The victim, identified as Mervin Lehman of LaGrange, was pronounced dead at the hospital.

A unique fact of this case is that there was another similar incident around the same time, on the same night, about two miles away. Both passengers of this Amish buggy were injured in this seperate incident.

The Indiana State Police Cold Case Team is asking for the community’s assistance in this case. If anyone has tips, remembers anything of interest, or has information from either incident, they are encouraged to call the Indiana State Police Area 2 Cold Case Team at 1-800-453-4756 or email ispcoldcase@isp.in.gov .

Additional details from reporting at the time

The Indiana State Police have also provided four newspaper clippings from the time about the case, giving more details. From the articles we learn these additional details:

• Mervin Lehman was said to have been struck in the chest in one article, and “just below the neck” in another; a third says he “was killed by a blow at the base of his neck”.
• His nephew Ernest Lehman, the buggy driver, was uninjured.
• The other attack incident happened just two miles away and about ten minutes before or after (it’s not indicated which attack was first) the fatal attack on Mervin Lehman.
• In the other attack, 21-year-old Glen Troyer and 21-year-old Emma M. Miller were the victims. Both were hit on the forehead and hospitalized. Emma Miller suffered a fractured skull and severe lacerations while Glen Troyer “suffered a bad cut on the forehead”.
• One article notes that “attacks on Amish are not uncommon” according to the Sheriff.
• Along those lines, one article notes that around a year prior, four local youths were arrested and sentenced for a similar attack. Fortunately, the Amish youth victim was only knocked unconscious in that incident.
• Leads were said to have “led authorities nowhere”. The Sheriff said the case was difficult as it happened at night, and they had “no accurate description of the car”.
• At the time, rewards for information were offered totaling $600. A LaGrange newspaper offered a $100 reward, while a local businessman named Hug Johnston offered an additional $500.

This sort of thing still happens today

As noted above, the Amish have historically endured harassment – which sometimes has turned deadly. This would not be the only time that an Amish person was killed by a thrown object, as in the tragic case of Baby Adeline in another Indiana community.

For that matter, throwing objects at buggies is not just something that people did in the pre-internet era out of boredom. It still happens often enough today.

For example, in this 2023 case in Geauga County, Ohio, an Amishman was permanently blinded in one eye when teens threw an egg at his buggy during a harrassment spree. In this 2022 case in Ashland County, Ohio, teens threw water bottles out of cars at Amish schoolchildren.

Also in 2023, someone was terrorizing Amish in their homes by throwing rocks, railroad spikes and other objects through their windows. There have also been cases of someone firing guns at Amish homes and a school.

Why is this coming up now?

Suffice to say, it is curious to see this story – and you have to wonder why we are seeing it now.

Is this simply a matter of a cold case unit happening to re-open an old incident that was never solved, and asking the public for help, as a matter of standard procedure?

Or could there have been additional developments that have led the State Police to take the further steps of making it known they are looking back into it, and requesting public help?

The reporting does not indicate why the case is being publicized.

Mervin Lehman’s parents are likely no longer living. But no doubt he has other relatives and his church community who have never gotten answers as to what happened on that early Spring night in 1969.

Though it seems unlikely given the passage of time, it’s not impossible. Perhaps there is reason to think they can find out who did this. Let’s hope they do.

Related: Crime Experiences Of The Amish…Told By The Amish