Police say drug argument led to murders, arson

ANDERSON, Ind. -- An argument over drugs might have led a man to allegedly kill two people and set fire to a house to cover up the crimes, police said.\nPolice charged Craig N. Shank, 23, of Anderson, in the stabbing deaths of Lynsey K. Schildmeier, 20, and Joshua S. Summitt, 23, whose bodies were found Sunday in Schildmeier's burned home.\nShank and Summitt knew each other, although it was unclear how well, Anderson Police Detective Joel Sandefur said. After a night of barhopping, the men went to Schildmeier's home, where she lived with her father, an Anderson fireman who was among the first to respond to the fire, police said.\nShank and Summit used cocaine, then argued, possibly over who had more of the drug, Anderson Police Detective Larry Crenshaw said in a probable cause affidavit. Shank told police Summitt came at him with a knife that he deflected then turned on Summitt, stabbing him once in the throat and again in the neck.\nSchildmeier, who was in the back bedroom, heard the noise and came out to investigate. Shank ordered her into the bathroom and made her take a shower, Crenshaw said.\nShank might have raped her, but "his memory is sketchy or blocked," Crenshaw said. He cut her throat and left the body in the bathtub with the water running, the affidavit said.\nTo make the killings look like a burglary, Shank ransacked the home and stole a collector's gun, Sandefur said. He cleaned the knife and put it back in the kitchen drawer, then set fire to the house, police said.\nPolice tracked down Shank several hours later after finding his number on the caller ID of the home's phone.\nShank was charged with two preliminary counts of murder and one count each of rape, arson and theft. Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said it is too early to tell if the state will seek the death penalty.\n"That is certainly something that will be considered," Cummings said. "There is a lot of information we need to have before that decision is made"