ISP: Woman charged with reckless homicide after Austin man was shot and killed

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A southern Indiana woman is in jail after allegedly shooting and killing a man.

The Washington County Sheriff's Department responded to North Peacock Hollow Road in Salem, Indiana, just after 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, on a report that a man had been shot in a wooded area, Indiana State Police said in a news release.

Officers responding to the scene found Michael Walker, 55, of Austin, Indiana, behind a home with a fatal gunshot wound. Detectives from ISP's Sellersburg Post were called to the scene to handle the investigation, which determined Walker was hunting ginseng on the property behind the woman's home with two other men and two dogs.

Investigators said additional information led them to believe Krystal Grangier, 35, fired "at least one gunshot" in Walker's direction. Walker was allegedly hit by a bullet fired by Grangier, ISP said.

Grangier was arrested on a charge of false informing but was also charged with reckless homicide after an autopsy, conducted Saturday, Oct. 30, determined Walker "sustained a gunshot wound which resulted in his death," ISP said. She is being held at the Washington County Jail and has yet to appear in court.

ISP said it can't speculate on why Grangier fired her gun and if it was or wasn't because they were hunting ginseng.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office said it is common to have reported trespassing complaints because of ginseng. Ginseng is a natural root plant that's used as an herbal supplement in things like tea, especially in Asian cultures.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources said it's been harvested and exported globally from Indiana since the 1700s. While it takes hundreds of roots to make a pound, the department said the demand is so high right now that ginseng is up to about $650 to $700 per pound.

"A lot of people think that this is this is easy money," said Laura Minzens, ginseng coordinator with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. "It's very hard work and it's very hard and dirty and sweaty work."

There is a protected season for harvesting ginseng from September to December.

Indiana DNR sees about 3,500 pounds harvested annually, totaling about $2,275,000 in Ginseng.

ISP said the investigation into Walker's death remains ongoing.