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Multiple Officers from Sellersburg Post 45 Receive Indiana State Police Investigation of the Year Award
The Indiana State Police recognized outstanding service and achievement Tuesday during its annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony in Indianapolis. Among the honorees were four Detectives assigned to the Sellersburg Post and a Crime Scene Investigator. Detectives Matthew Busick, Brian Busick, Travis Baker, Lieutenant Chris Tucker, and Crime Scene Investigator F/Sgt. Phill D’Angelo each received the Investigation of the Year award from Superintendent Anthony Scott for their exceptional work on the Cairo Jordan death investigation.
On April 16, 2022, a man hunting for mushrooms in a remote area of Washington County, Indiana, discovered a brightly colored suitcase in a wooded area off the roadway. After opening the suitcase and finding the body of a child, he immediately contacted law enforcement.
Deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department were the first to arrive and confirmed the suitcase contained the body of a deceased child. The Sheriff’s Department then requested the Indiana State Police to assume lead on the investigation.
Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators from the Indiana State Police Post in Sellersburg responded and began processing the scene. State Police Detective Matt Busick was assigned as the lead investigator. The scene was documented, searched, and evidence was collected by Sgt. Phill D’Angelo. The suitcase was transported to the ISP Post in Sellersburg, where Latent Print Examiner Mallory Webb, with Sgt. D’Angelo’s assistance, recovered several latent prints. Swabs for DNA analysis were also collected.
At the onset, the identity of the child was unknown. Investigators quickly learned that no child matching the victim’s description had been reported missing. Extensive efforts were undertaken to identify the child, including facial recognition attempts, fingerprint checks, news media engagement, and collaboration with numerous law enforcement partners such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Despite numerous public tips, no leads initially proved valuable.
Detective Busick and his team worked tirelessly to pursue all available leads. He utilized multiple investigative tools, including cell site data and roadway surveillance footage. Detective Busick also initiated the use of familial DNA in hopes of identifying the victim.
On June 22, 2022, Analyst Mallory Webb notified Detective Busick that the latent prints recovered from the suitcase had resulted in a match. Using this information, Detective Busick located body‑camera footage from the South Carolina Highway Patrol related to a previous arrest. The footage showed the suspect, a third individual, and the child.
With assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the child was identified as five-year-old Cairo Ammar Jordan.
The Indiana State Police Laboratory continued analyzing DNA evidence from the suitcase to assist in identifying suspects. With the identities of the child and his mother established, Detective Busick obtained and executed numerous search warrants for electronic and social media data.
Through a detailed and collaborative investigation involving ISP laboratory personnel and Intelligence Section Analyst Amber McClain, investigators secured murder arrest warrants for two suspects. Both individuals were ultimately arrested and charged with murder, with assistance from multiple law enforcement partners.
Due to Detective Busick’s investigative skill, resourcefulness, and collaborative approach, this complex case reached a successful conclusion. What began with virtually no leads resulted in the identification of the victim, the suspects, and ultimately the pursuit of justice. The determination and teamwork of the following department members—along with support from many others—were critical in resolving this case.