Police officer's attempted murder charge includes recanted story

A nine-year veteran of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was arrested Friday on a preliminary charge of attempted murder and other counts after police say he tried to kill his girlfriend.

Officer Justin Beaton on Aug. 30 attempted to fatally shoot Nikki Payne in the head while at their Far Southside home, a probable cause affidavit alleges. Payne was hospitalized with broken bones in her face and multiple wounds to her tongue, mouth and throat. A medical report also said she had cuts on her lip, tongue, face and neck from shards of glass and three of her teeth had been knocked out.

Beaton told IMPD officers the injuries occurred in a furniture moving accident, an account Payne gave, as well. But on Monday she recanted, saying the injuries occurred when Beaton shot her with a handgun she thought he had loaded with blanks, the affidavit said.

According to the affidavit obtained by The Indianapolis Star, here is how the events of Aug. 30 unfolded:

IMPD officers were dispatched to the 8600 block of Chateaugay Drive on a report of visible blood outside the residence. When officers arrived, they found blood on the passenger's side door of an IMPD patrol car, blood on the driveway leading up to the walkway of the home's front porch, a shattered front glass door and a trail of blood inside the house.

Police did not find anyone in the home but did find multiple pools of blood throughout the house and a snub-nosed revolver lying on the floor near the front door.

Police later learned that Beaton and Payne were at Community South Hospital and that Payne was suffering from major trauma injuries to her face. Hospital records indicated that Payne was brought to the emergency room by Beaton.

A hospital nurse said that Beaton said he was carrying a steel bed frame when it went through a window and hit Payne in the face. Police were notified because Payne's injuries did not appear consistent with Beaton's statement.

When investigators arrived at the hospital to speak with Beaton, he told them he had to take his 7-week-old baby to the child's grandparent's place for some medication. Beaton was allowed to leave the hospital but was told by officers to return after he had tended to the baby.

He later drove past his home while officers were still there but did not stop.

Police were notified by hospital staff that Payne would have to be transferred to Eskenazi Hospital in serious condition. Detectives tried to talk with Payne before the transfer, but she was having difficulty speaking because of the severity of her injuries.

When Beaton returned to the hospital, he was blocked by police from going into his girlfriend's hospital room. He became agitated, even when detectives explained that an investigation was being conducted and that, being a police officer, Beaton should understand the need for keeping witnesses separated during interviews. Detectives told Beaton that he was not under arrest and that he was free to leave but would not be able to contact Payne until police had a chance to interview her.

At Eskenazi, detectives were able to interview Payne, who confirmed the bed frame story.

But on Monday, Payne called investigators to recant her earlier statement. She said she wanted to tell police the truth. She said that Beaton, who had been drinking, had bought the snub-nose revolver earlier that day and wanted to try it out. Beaton loaded the gun with what Payne thought were blanks, pointed the weapon at her head from just the other side of the glass door and pulled the trigger, the affidavit said.

Blanks, the affidavit notes, have the same or nearly the same amount of gun powder as a normal load.

"I had the cigarette to my mouth and I looked up at the glass door and the barrel of the gun was there and then the next thing I know I had like a real odd ringing in my ear and I couldn't hear and I fell backwards," Payne later told investigators. "I don't think he's a person that should be on the streets."

She said her injuries were not caused by an accident moving the bed frame. An IMPD firearms expert and a forensic pathologist later said the injuries were caused by a firearm.

She said Beaton told her to say the injuries were caused by a furniture moving accident, the affidavit said. She initially got into his IMPD patrol car to go to the hospital but then he told her to get in his SUV.

Payne later told investigators that Beaton had pointed a handgun at her before, when she was pregnant with their child.

"Like he's very, very sloppy with his weapons," Payne told investigators. "He was, it was out, cleaning it or something, and I said, 'Will you please take that in the other room,' and he said, 'Oh, there's nothing in it, see, look,' and pointed it at me and pulled it."

Payne said she came forward Monday because Beaton was drinking heavily again. She told investigators that when she took Beaton's bottle from him, he got mad and started chasing her around the house. So she fled the house in fear, a fear she continues to struggle with as she believes Beaton may kill her for telling police the truth, the affidavit said.

"He's gonna be very mad at me," Payne said in her statement. "I get scared he's gonna try to do something to me. I mean, I get scared honestly that he's probably gonna try to kill me."

Beaton, who was assigned to IMPD operations division in the East District, was taken into custody Friday, police said.

An IMPD news release Friday said he was at the Arrestee Processing Center. Other than to announce Beaton's arrest and the preliminary charges, IMPD would not disclose any other details about the incident.

Beaton faces preliminary charges of attempted murder, domestic battery in the physical presence of a child, pointing a firearm and obstruction of justice. Police said Beaton will be suspended without pay.

His initial hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday in Marion Superior Court.

Beaton was under an IMPD investigation in May 2014 on a separate matter. He and another officer were accused of using excessive force when kicking a suspect who was lying on a sidewalk. Both officers were placed on administrative desk duties pending the outcome of the internal investigation.

It was unclear Friday what the results were of the IMPD inquiry, but police did confirm that the investigation was complete.

Star reporter Jill Disis contributed to this article. Call Star reporter Michael Anthony Adams at (317) 444-6123. Follow him on Twitter: @MichaelAdams317.