Police say the couple inside was Tippecanoe County Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly, and that one of the people now accused in the attack was scheduled to appear in Meyer’s courtroom in a felony case just days later. Five people have been arrested in connection with the shooting, and all remain presumed innocent as the case moves into the courts.
The Shooting At The Meyers’ Home
According to a Lafayette Police Department news release, summarized by Fox News Digital, officers responded to a report of shots fired at the home of Judge Steven Meyer and his wife on a Sunday afternoon in Lafayette, Indiana.
Dispatch audio obtained by Fox News Digital captures a sequence that investigators say is central to the case. A person is heard arriving at the judge’s door around 2:15 p.m. Police say the individual knocked, claimed, “We have your dog,” then fired multiple rounds through the closed door.
Both Steven and Kimberly Meyer were shot but survived. Police have described their condition as stable. Authorities have not publicly detailed the nature of their injuries or the precise number of shots fired.
Lafayette police and other local agencies quickly began a search for suspects. Within a short time, investigators identified and arrested five people they say were involved in planning or carrying out the assault.
Five Arrests And A Pending Jury Trial
Records cited in the Fox News report name the five arrested as:
Thomas Moss, 43, of Lafayette, Indiana.
Blake Smith, 32, of Lafayette, Indiana.
Amanda Milsap, 45, of Lafayette, Indiana.
Raylen Ferguson, 38, of Lexington, Kentucky.
Zenada Greer, 61, of Lexington, Kentucky.
Two Kentucky residents among five arrested in Indiana judge shooting
>> https://t.co/8ejZCx1upJ pic.twitter.com/v8Ektwbdfd— FOX19 NOW (@FOX19) January 24, 2026
At the time of publication, police had publicly identified them as suspects in the shooting. The specific criminal charges in the attack have not been fully detailed in the Fox News account. Each defendant is entitled to contest the allegations in court.
Court records, as described in that reporting, show a significant overlap between the alleged shooter group and a case already sitting on Judge Meyer’s docket. Moss was scheduled for a jury trial two days after the shooting in a case in which Meyer was the presiding judge. Fox News reports that Smith and Moss have both had prior cases heard by Meyer.
The Lafayette Police Department is the lead investigative agency. General information about the department and its jurisdiction is available on the city site at lafayette.in.gov, but detailed case documents typically appear in police press releases and county court records rather than on the city homepage.
Gun Purchase And Ballistic Link Alleged
One day after the shooting, investigators focused on a handgun they believe was used in the attack. A probable cause affidavit, quoted by Fox News Digital, states that law enforcement learned Blake Smith had previously bought a firearm that matched the gun recovered after the incident.
Police reportedly found a partial serial number on the gun. That partial number, according to the affidavit description, aligned with records of a purchase made by Smith. The article does not indicate whether a full ballistic comparison had been completed or whether defense attorneys dispute the alleged link.
Smith is described by officials as an associate of Thomas Moss. Prosecutors characterize Moss as a high-ranking member of the Indiana chapter of the Phantom Motorcycle Club, described in court filings as a gang. They also allege that Smith is a member of the same group. Moss is further alleged to have a prior association with the Vice Lord gang, according to the same reporting on court documents.
Membership in a motorcycle club or gang is not, by itself, a crime. Prosecutors typically raise alleged gang ties if they believe it helps explain motive, organization, or potential threats to witnesses or officials. Defense attorneys often challenge such characterizations as prejudicial. Public filings in Indiana trial courts can be accessed through the statewide portal at public.courts.in.gov/mycase, although individual case records may be restricted or require a more specific search.
The Charges Facing Moss In A Separate Case
The impending jury trial that brought Moss back before Judge Meyer traces to charges from mid 2024. According to Fox News’ summary of court records, Moss was charged in June 2024 with:
Item 1: Three felony counts of domestic battery.
Item 2: Three felony counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
Item 3: Two felony counts of intimidation.
Item 4: One felony count of criminal recklessness.Those charges stem from alleged conduct involving Moss’s then-ex-wife. On June 19, 2024, according to the probable cause narrative, she told police that Moss struck her in the back of the leg with a broomstick. After hitting her, he allegedly said “he would hit her harder the next time if she did not follow his instructions.” The following day, she reported that Moss called her a slave and threatened to “hit her in the head.” Those statements are recorded in court documents as her account and have not been tested at trial.
The Fox News report also references a separate incident from October 2022. In that event, Moss’s ex-wife told police that he fired shots into the floor after their son became upset when asked to help them get back into a locked residence. Responding officers reported finding multiple bullet holes in a closet behind the living room and in the bathroom, and the ex-wife said Moss kept several guns in the house.
Police and prosecutors have pointed to Moss’s prior criminal history in describing him as a repeat offender. Earlier court records, as summarized in the article, show convictions for battery resulting in serious bodily injury, criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief, and criminal trespass.
None of those prior convictions, on their own, proves involvement in the attack on Judge Meyer. They do, however, illustrate the kind of violent conduct prosecutors believe Moss is capable of, which could become a factor in decisions about pretrial detention and sentencing if he is convicted in either case.
Alleged Witness Tampering And Gang Pressure
The case against Moss and his associates does not stop with the domestic violence and weapons charges. According to Fox News Digital, Moss’s ex-girlfriend told investigators that co-defendant Amanda Milsap offered her $10,000 not to testify at Moss’s upcoming hearing.
That alleged offer, she said, came on behalf of Moss and the Phantom Motorcycle Club. If accurate and corroborated, such a payment could constitute attempted bribery or witness tampering, serious offenses in their own right. The Fox article does not specify whether additional charges for witness tampering had been formally filed against Milsap or others at the time of its reporting.
Prosecutors often cite attempted interference with witnesses as a reason to seek higher bail, stricter conditions of release, or pretrial detention. Defense teams, in turn, can challenge the credibility of the witnesses who report such offers. Those disputes typically play out in evidentiary hearings before trial or through cross-examination if the case reaches a jury.
Judicial Security And Open Questions
Attacks targeting judges or their families are relatively rare but have drawn national attention in recent years. The federal judiciary and the U.S. Marshals Service have both emphasized the importance of protecting judges at home and in the courthouse, as outlined in general terms by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts at uscourts.gov.
In this Indiana case, the alleged link between the shooting and a pending jury trial in the same judge’s courtroom raises significant questions about motive and security. Police say at least one suspect had purchased a gun matching the one used in the attack. Prosecutors describe gang connections and a history of violence. Defense attorneys have not yet had a full opportunity, at least in public filings, to challenge those claims.
As the case proceeds, court records will need to clarify who is accused of pulling the trigger, who allegedly planned or financed the attack, and whether the apparent intersection with a scheduled trial was a coincidence or intent. For now, Judge Meyer and his wife are recovering, five people are under arrest, and the question of how a stranger came to knock on a judge’s door with the words “We have your dog” remains for the courts to sort out.
