Man Sentenced to 85 Years for Fatal Stabbing Captured on Voicemail

An Indiana man, Cody Allen Wade, has been sentenced to 85 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of his mother's boyfriend, Carl Haviland, an incident that was inadvertently recorded in a voicemail message. This exclusive information was obtained by Fox News Digital.

The tragic incident occurred in 2020 when Wade, 33 years old, stabbed Haviland multiple times due to a dispute with his mother, as per court documents provided by Fox News Digital. Wade was found guilty of murder in August and received his sentence from Clay County Superior Court Judge Robert A. Pell on September 6.

Wade's lengthy sentence was influenced by his previous convictions, including burglary in 2013 and arson in 2018. These prior offenses led to the addition of a habitual offender enhancement to his punishment, according to documents from the Clay County Prosecutor's Office.

Despite completing his sentence for arson in March 2020, Wade was on probation when he committed the murder. Additionally, he faced charges of battery and resisting law enforcement for assaulting police officers during his arrest for Haviland's homicide.

Before the tragic event, Wade left a voicemail on his mother's phone, inadvertently capturing the entire incident. The recording was presented as evidence during Wade's trial.

In the voicemail, Wade can be heard threatening a stabbing, and he proceeds to enter his mother's house, confronting Haviland, who cries out in pain. Wade's mother repeatedly begs him to stop the assault, while racial slurs are hurled.

After the stabbing, Wade returns to a neighbor's porch, admitting that he "just caught a murder charge" and urging another neighbor to call 911.

According to prosecutors, the voicemail also captured Wade kicking and taunting Haviland after the stabbing.

Haviland, a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm and later in the National Guard, sustained five stab wounds to the chest, including one that struck his heart, in addition to head trauma, as per police reports.

Wade claimed to have no memory of the stabbing due to blacking out from drinking. When informed of Haviland's death, he asked for an attorney.

Judge Pell emphasized the gravity of the crime, noting that Wade had stabbed Haviland despite his mother's efforts to prevent it.

Carl Haviland's son, James Haviland, expressed relief at the lengthy prison sentence, stating that it eliminates concerns about potential legal technicalities. Carl Haviland, a devoted family man, left behind five children.

Fox News Digital was unable to reach Wade's attorney for comment at the time of reporting.