Joel Meyer Convicted of Charges Including Attempted Murder

Following a five-day bench trial before Judge Angela Warner Sims, Joel Meyer was found guilty of Attempted Murder, a Level 1 felony, Aggravated Battery, a Level 3 felony, and Criminal Confinement, a Level 3 felony.  Judge Sims set sentencing for November 26, 2024, at 9:00 am where Meyer faces a maximum possible sentence of 56 years. The State's case was presented by Deputy Prosecutors Jennifer Haley and Jesse Miller. The case was investigated by Officer Scott Bertram of the Pendleton Police Department.

On September 17 , 2022, officers of the Pendleton Police Department responded to an address on Carrick Glen Blvd., due to a report of a man lying in the driveway with a significant injury. By the time officers arrived, the man was gone, and officers eventually made contact with Joel Meyer at the back door. Meyer refused to allow officers entry to the residence and also refused to allow officers to check on Meyer's then girlfriend who officers suspected was inside the residence. Officers made entry to conduct a welfare check and located Meyer laying on the floor with significant cuts to both arms and located his girlfriend laying in a bed with extensive injuries to her face, neck, arms, shoulder, and wrists. While providing medical care, officers noticed the smell of natural gas and found that the gas stovetop was left running without being ignited. 

Meyer’s girlfriend had a pacemaker, and she sustained significant injuries near the pacemaker leads, losing her medical alert bracelet in the struggle. Meyer threatened suicide on several prior occasions if she were ever to leave him, and there was evidence of a significant altercation and battery after Meyer’s self-inflicted wounds. At trial Meyer claimed his girlfriend’s wounds were the result of a fall or falls. A search warrant of Meyer's phone located several videos of Meyer battering his girlfriend, pushing her down, telling her he is a god, and making her crawl on her knees to apologize.