(Dubois County)–A 25-year-old bank robbery and home invasion involving the restraint of a mother and child has been solved, according to Indiana State Police, who say the person responsible is now deceased.
Investigators say the case began September 1, 2000, when an armed man robbed the Holland National Bank in Ferdinand. Employees reported the suspect wore a mask, carried a handgun, and implied he had an explosive device before leaving with cash.
Police say earlier that morning, a mother and her young child were forced inside their home on Ferdinand Road Northwest, restrained with plastic ties and duct tape, and left in a closet. They later freed themselves and alerted authorities.
Investigators determined the suspect used the mother’s vehicle in the robbery. A blood sample collected at the home was preserved as evidence.
In 2024, the Indiana State Police Cold Case Unit reopened the case. That DNA evidence was submitted for genetic genealogy testing, which narrowed the investigation to three brothers with ties to the area.
Police say two of those individuals are deceased. The third was tested and ruled out.
Based on the remaining evidence, investigators say the case has been resolved and attributed to one of the deceased brothers.
The names of the brothers were not released.
