High-profile child murder case transferred from Southern Indiana to Louisville

A southern Indiana murder case that's haunted two communities for years is now moving to Louisville.

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A case that has stunned the entire Kentuckiana region is getting a new venue.

Washington County, IN, Prosecutor Tara Coats Hunt announced that Jefferson County KY's Commonwealth's Attorney Gerina Whethers will prosecute Dejaune Anderson in the death of her son, Cairo Jordan. A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Anderson on charges of murder, first-degree manslaughter, first-degree criminal abuse, and abuse of a corpse.

The case began when Cairo's body was found in a suitcase in a rural wooded area of Washington County, Indiana, in April of 2022.

"When his body was discovered in a suitcase in a rural wooded area of Washington County, our entire community was shaken," Hunt said in a statement. "From that moment forward, the people of Washington County surrounded him with love- through vigils, memorials, and ultimately ensuring he received a dignified burial. He became a child Washington County claimed as its own."

Anderson was arrested in California in March of 2024, ending a years-long nationwide manhunt.

Why the jurisdictional shift?

Hunt said the decision to request Kentucky take over prosecution wasn't made lightly. The case involves facts and evidence spanning both Indiana and Kentucky, requiring extensive legal analysis about which jurisdiction was most appropriate.

"Although Washington County has been fully prepared to prosecute this case, shifting jurisdiction ensures the strongest legal foundation and prevents any future appellate ruling from overturning a conviction due to a technicality," Hunt explained.

The prosecutor emphasized that this move was about securing justice rather than any inability to handle the case locally. Washington County was ready to prosecute, but Hunt said determining subject matter jurisdiction, evidentiary considerations, and statutory authority pointed toward Kentucky as the stronger venue.

This is likely attributed to comments from the co-defendant in the case, Dawn Coleman, who has since pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Anderson at trial. Coleman told officials she found Anderson on top of Cairo, who was face down on a bed. Coleman told authorities that Anderson killed Cairo in their Louisville apartment, and Coleman helped cover it up by putting his body in a suitcase and dumping it in Southern Indiana.

Previous conviction in the case

Coleman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and received a 30-year sentence with five years suspended to probation.

Hunt praised the collaboration between Indiana and Kentucky authorities throughout the investigation and thanked Whethers and her team for taking on the prosecution.

"Their professionalism and compassion have been unwavering," she said. "We are grateful for their partnership and their willingness to pursue this case with the seriousness it deserves."

Anderson has two arraignments scheduled for Jefferson County Circuit Court- on Friday, December 12th, and Monday December 15th.

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