A 14-year-old boy who admitted to fatally stabbing a 61-year-old Anderson man during a robbery attempt has received a dual sentence under Indiana law, a sentencing approach reportedly used for the first time in Madison County.
Joseph H. Vannote Jr., who turned 14 this week, appeared in Madison Circuit Court Division 6 on Wednesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to the October 2024 killing of Mark Miles. Judge Mark Dudley sentenced him to 45 years for murder and armed robbery but structured the sentence using Indiana’s dual sentencing statute, which allows juveniles to be housed in youth facilities until age 18.
Enacted in 2013, the law gives judges the option to defer a portion of a juvenile’s adult sentence, contingent upon their behavior and rehabilitation efforts while in the juvenile system. Upon reaching adulthood, the offender’s case is reviewed to determine if they must complete the remainder of their sentence in the adult correctional system.
The Madison County Prosecutor’s Office had requested a 50-year term. The sentence handed down falls just short of that, but with a crucial opportunity for review.
“If he fails to comply while in juvenile detention, he’ll be required to serve the full term,” said defense attorney Bryan Williams. “But if he succeeds, it gives him a chance to prove he’s more than the sum of his actions.”
Williams also expressed concerns about whether Vannote, just 13 at the time of his arrest, truly understood the implications of his guilty plea and the waiver of his legal rights.
Vannote’s transfer to adult court followed a hearing before Judge Steve Koester, who noted that the young defendant initially gave conflicting accounts before ultimately admitting to both the robbery and killing.
Court documents reveal that Vannote was already on probation in Illinois for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon at the time of the incident. According to police reports, he approached Miles at a local convenience store and followed him home with the intent to rob him. After being told to leave and allegedly struck with a cane, Vannote retrieved a kitchen knife and stabbed Miles multiple times in the torso.
Investigators say Vannote made several false claims during questioning, including misleading statements about the interaction, which he later recanted. He eventually admitted to stealing Miles’ wallet and searching the man’s pockets for money after the attack.
Reflecting on his actions during a police interview, Vannote acknowledged, “I could have walked away. But I didn’t. And now I’ve killed someone.”
Miles was discovered by an acquaintance who became concerned and went to check on him, finding the front door ajar and his body inside.
As Vannote enters the juvenile system, his path forward hinges on his conduct over the next four years. A hearing upon his 18th birthday will determine if the remainder of the 45-year sentence will be imposed, or if rehabilitation efforts merit a different outcome.
