Shooting victim left behind several pleas for help before dying

Grand Ave./ Lucy Perry photo

By Lucy Perry
Indiana Central News

The victim in a fatal weekend shooting left behind several pleas for help, as she admitted to others the ongoing abuse she allegedly endured from the suspect --- also her boyfriend.

Kristen Gregg, 27, of Terre Haute, died just after being transported to the hospital Saturday afternoon. The suspect had called 911, claiming he accidentally shot her in the chest.

When Terre Haute Police Department investigators responded to the scene of the shooting at 1434 Grand Avenue, on the city's north side, 33-year-old Steven Rickard admitted to pulling the trigger, but he said it was accidental.

Rickard/Vigo County Jail

According to the probable cause affidavit, filed by Det. Murphy, of the Terre Haute Police Department, Rickard initially said he was cleaning the gun , when it accidentally went off in Gregg's direction. She was struck while she was in the bedroom. 

He eventually changed the story to say he was handed the gun by another person in the house, when he pulled the trigger and it fired at Gregg. He reportedly stated that he didn't mean to pull the trigger hard enough for it to fire.

Rickard, with a criminal history of multiple arrests of domestic battery, was booked into the Vigo County Jail Saturday night. He is charged with reckless homicide, possession of firearm by a serious violent felon, pointing a firearm and possession of meth.

Detectives spoke with witnesses and searched the home, where they found 1-gram of meth. Witnesses report the victim had just sent text messages about the abuse she endured during the tumultous relationship with Rickard.

Gregg simply didn't know what to do. She was lost. She was trapped.

In fact, just a couple weeks before her death, Gregg made her last cry for help.

She confided to a friend, by text, alleging details of one such horrifying incident, according to the court documents.

"Steven and his friend held me in basement and they both beat the hell out of me for hours. He burnt me with torch several times and he even also used weapons. They literally choked me several times and my ribs are cracked. I need help out of this relationship. left, but want to g0 back, idk what t0 do anymore."

Neighbors at the scene said they witnessed erratic behavior and multiple incidents of domestic abuse from the residents at the home. They also claimed to have heard gunshots fired from that direction on several occasions.

Also, there are several indicators of serious abuse and threats made in black and white on the victim's Facebook page regarding the relationship.