Indianapolis man found not guilty in 2010 deaths of woman, baby - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

An Indiana National Guard member accused in the deaths of an Indianapolis-area woman and baby has been found not guilty.

A judge found Joshwa Carlisle not guilty Wednesday in connection with the 2010 deaths of Tracie Shannon and her daughter Juliana. Carlisle faced murder and arson charges and could have faced the death penalty if he had been found guilty.

Carlisle was accused of smothering Shannon, who was his ex-girlfriend, and pouring accelerant on their nine-month-old daughter. Their bodies were discovered in a Lawrence apartment fire in September 2010. The investigation found that Tracie Shannon was killed before she was set on fire, but that the infant was burned alive.

Prosecutors believe Carlisle was worried his wife would learn he had a baby with another woman and was angry about $200-a-month child support payments.

According to court documents, when Carlisle was told about the deaths, "Joshwa did not cry or say anything, but instead looked up at the ceiling and put his shoes on."

Carlisle reportedly talked to a detective and wondered "if it was true that (arson) is the hardest case to prove."

The coroner said there were zig-zag patterns on the body of the baby that appeared to be from an accelerant.

Carlisle enlisted in the National Guard in 2006 and was a paralegal with no disciplinary actions against him.