Prosecutor Tara Coats Hunt Commends Grand Jury Indictment in Cairo Jordan Homicide Case

Washington County, Indiana (December 9, 2025) – Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Tara Coats Hunt announces that on the afternoon of December 8, 2025, a Jefferson County, Kentucky Grand Jury, under the direction of the Commonwealth's Attorney Office, returned an indictment in the homicide case involving the death of Cairo Jordan.

Dejaune Anderson, Cairo’s mother, has been indicted on Murder, Manslaughter 1st Degree, Criminal Abuse 1st Degree, and Abuse of a Corpse.

Prosecutor Hunt made the complex and difficult decision to request that the Jefferson County Commonwealth’s Attorney review the investigation into Cairo’s murder and consider presenting the case to a Grand Jury. As a result, the prosecution of Dejaune Anderson will now be directed by Commonwealth’s Attorney Whethers and her office.

This case involves facts and evidence spanning both Indiana and Kentucky. Determining the appropriate jurisdiction required extensive legal analysis, including subject matter jurisdiction, evidentiary considerations, and statutory and common law authority. 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.

“This case has been in the hearts of our community since the night Cairo was found,” Hunt said. “When his body was discovered in a suitcase in a rural wooded area of Washington County, our entire community was shaken. 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.”

The Washington County Prosecutor’s Office has worked closely with law enforcement since the investigation began, and Hunt praised the continued collaboration with Jefferson County.

“I want to thank Commonwealth’s Attorney Gerina Whethers and her dedicated team,” she said. “Their professionalism and compassion have been unwavering. We are grateful for their partnership and their willingness to pursue this case with the seriousness it deserves.”

This investigation has already resulted in one conviction: co-defendant Dawn Coleman pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and received a 30-year sentence, with five years suspended to probation.

Hunt reiterated that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

“Our community should be assured that every decision my office has made is guided by the pursuit of justice for Cairo,” she concluded. “We will continue to support Jefferson County as this case moves forward, and we remain committed to honoring Cairo’s life and memory.”