A Scottsburg man, who told police he had been living from hotel to hotel the past couple of years, has been charged after his alleged girlfriend was found dead in his Scottsburg Hotel room.
Wilburn John Bingaman Jr, 46, was charged in Scott Circuit Court with dealing in the narcotic drug and dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death.
According to Scottsburg Police Lt. Steve Herald, SPD officers Jordan Bowles and Seth Helton were called to the I-65 Suites in Scottsburg shortly after 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3, on the report of an unconscious woman.
When the officers arrived the found Tina Mauldin, 38, deceased.
Bingaman told officers that Mauldin may have taken some of his pills and produced a recently filled prescription bottle of hydrocodone, a schedule 2 narcotic, from his pocket, according to the probable cause affidavit. Herald reported that the prescription was for 90 pills and there were 68 remaining in the bottle.
Questioned at the police station, Bingaman told Herald that earlier that day, he and Mauldin went to a pain clinic, got a prescription and then went to Salem. He said they returned to their hotel room around 1 p.m. and decided to take a nap. When he woke up he said he slid out from under her arm to not wake he up. Bingaman said he then went to the nearby Circle K convenience store.
He told Herald when he returned he could not get Mauldin to wake up, according to the court document.
Bingaman said he and Mauldin had been living together for a couple of months. According to the court document, Bingaman said Mauldin told him she used to us heroin which is why he thought she might have taken some of his pills without him knowing.
However, as Herald continued the interview, Bingaman’s story began to change.
Bingaman admitted that he gave Mauldin two pills after he filled the prescription “because she has severe back pain,” he told Herald.
Continuing their conversation, Herald said Bingaman admitted that he gave her four or five more pills prior to laying down that afternoon.
“I asked him if he believes the pills may have killed her, which would explain his evasive demeanor, and he stated yes,” Herald wrote in the probable cause.
Bingaman was booked into Scott County Jail at 11:33 p.m. charged by Herald with dealing in a narcotic drug.
On Monday, Jan. 9, Scott County Prosecutor Chris Owens filed charges of dealing in a narcotic drug and dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death.
During his initial hearing, Scott Circuit Court Judge Jason Mount set Bingaman’s bail at $100,000 full cash bond. A jury trial has been scheduled for March 27, according to court records.