Vijayawada: Jordan AndradeA 25-year-old man from the town of Porter in the United States was sentenced to 60 years in prison by a local court for the murder of a 29-year-old man. Varun Raj PuchaThe graduate student from Camam was at the fitness center in Valparaiso on October 29 last year.
Andrade stabbed Wallen in the head while he was sitting in a massage chair at the fitness center. .
Varun is pursuing Masters in Computer Science Valparaiso University exist Indiana in the United States. He completed his BTech degree from a private college in Hyderabad before leaving for the US in 2022.
Court documents show Andrade pleaded guilty but suffered from mental illness and has been battling mental illness. bipolar disorder and Schizophreniathe situation worsened after graduating from high school.
Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer handed down the sentence as part of a plea agreement. While Indiana law provides for 45 to 65 years in prison for murder, the maximum sentence was reduced by five years as part of the agreement.
The Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) will later decide whether Andrade will serve his sentence in prison or a mental hospital.
Despite Andrade’s history of mental health, the court emphasized the seriousness of the crime in imposing a 60-year sentence.
Varun’s father, P Ram Murthy, welcomed the verdict but expressed suspicion that the accused may have tried to mislead the court by claiming to suffer from mental illness. Murthy is a teacher at Maripeda Mandal School in Mahabubaba, Telangana.
Murthy said he last spoke to Varun a day before the incident. Varun came to meet his parents on vacation in June 2023 and stayed there for more than a month. This was the last time family and friends saw Varun.
During the hearing, Andrade’s father, Joe Andrade, reportedly recounted his son’s deterioration in mental health after graduating from high school, describing his diagnoses of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Although initial treatment stabilized his condition, changes in medication led to a return of symptoms such as paranoia and erratic behavior. Joe expressed deep regret and said that if his son was healthy, he would not do such a thing.
Valparaiso police Detective Sgt. Chris Allison testified that during the interview, Andrade appeared calm and fully aware of his actions, even saying he expected to be charged with first-degree murder.
Andrade’s defense attorney said he planned to appeal, a process in which the court appointed a public defender.
