Joseph Oberhansley case: Man who killed and dismembered girlfriend has life sentence upheld

Joseph Oberhansley, left, was convicted in September 2020 of murder and burglary in the slaying of Tammy Jo Blanton, right, in Jeffersonville in September 2014. Photo / via Facebook

WARNING: Disturbing content:

The Indiana Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the life sentence without parole for a man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend and eating parts of her body.

Joseph Oberhansley was convicted in September 2020 of murder and burglary in the slaying of Tammy Jo Blanton in Jeffersonville in September 2014. Clark Circuit Judge Vicki Carmichael sentenced Oberhansley to life in prison without parole, based on a jury recommendation.

Oberhansley’s attorney, Victoria Casanova, argued before the court last month that her client’s mental health wasn’t taken into consideration and that the jury didn’t return a proper verdict form in weighing aggravating and mitigating circumstances.

The opinion written by Justice Christopher Goff said the jury made “the necessary weighing determination”. Three other justices concurred and Justice Geoffrey Slaughter agreed in part.

The body of Blanton, 46, was found at her home the morning of September 11, 2014, badly mutilated with more than 25 sharp force injuries and multiple blunt force injuries, authorities have said.

Oberhansley testified that two men had been at the victim’s home when he arrived around 4am that day and said they were responsible for Blanton’s death. He said they knocked him out and that he awoke when police arrived.

During the trial, the court heard Oberhansley broke into the home of Blanton in 2014 and murdered her in cold blood.

Joseph Oberhansley was convicted in September 2020 of murder and burglary in the slaying of Tammy Jo Blanton, pictured, in Jeffersonville in September 2014. Photo / via Facebook

Police found parts of Blanton’s skull on a dinner plate with the rest of her dismembered corpse discovered in the bath.

Police were alerted to the crime after Blanton failed to turn up at work and friends reported her missing.

Clark County prosecutor Jeremy Mull told the jury during the trial that Blanton “suffered so many indignities that night”.

“She was terrified, she was stabbed, she was dismembered, she was eaten and she was raped,” Mull said.

Joseph Oberhansley, pictured, was convicted in September 2020 of murder and burglary in the slaying of Tammy Jo Blanton in Jeffersonville in September 2014. Photo / via Facebook

“And the justice for each of those acts of indignities is important if it is proven. It’s what justice demands.”

Today, Mull expressed relief at the ruling.

“I hope that the family of the victim can rest a bit easier now that the result of the proceedings has been reviewed and upheld,” he said.

Oberhansley is incarcerated at the New Castle Psychiatric Unit of the Indiana Department of Correction.

- additional reporting mirror.co.uk