Mitchell Andrew Searle, 37, has been sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty on multiple felony charges stemming from a violent crime spree that terrorized residents of Belleview on the night of December 11, 2024.
Judge Peter Brigham handed down the sentence following Searle’s conviction for:
- Burglary with Battery
- Two counts of Burglary of a Dwelling
- Burglary of a Structure
- Three counts of Criminal Mischief
In addition to the life term, Searle received two concurrent fifteen-year sentences and a five-year concurrent sentence.
A Night of Terror
The chaotic night began when Corporal Harrington of the Belleview Police Department responded to a reported burglary in progress at Shepherd’s Lighthouse, a residential facility. Upon arrival, Cpl. Harrington noticed the front door open, but his attention was quickly diverted by yelling from a nearby residence.
Approaching the home, the officer could see the front door had been violently kicked in. A victim inside, along with their spouse and infant child, recounted the terrifying moments when the door was breached.
The victim stated they armed themselves with a firearm and pointed it at Searle as he entered the threshold, causing him to retreat.
While speaking with the victim, Cpl. Harrington learned the suspect had also broken into the next-door neighbor’s house, causing a victim there to flee out the back door to safety. The suspect in all three incidents was described as a white male wearing a black hoodie.
Arrest and Identification
The string of burglaries came to an end thanks to swift law enforcement action. A responding Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy was patrolling the area when he spotted a subject matching the description running toward a nearby McDonald’s.
As the deputy attempted to stop the individual, later identified as Searle, the defendant ran to an occupied vehicle in the drive-through line. In a final act of violence, Searle opened the passenger door and struck the female victim inside with his elbow before being taken into custody by the deputy.
Searle was positively identified as the burglar after a review of security footage from Shepherd’s Lighthouse and confirmation from eyewitnesses.
Assistant State Attorney James Moody successfully prosecuted the case, securing the convictions that led to Searle’s life sentence.
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