On January 26, 2025, Matthew W. Huttle, a 42-year-old man who was pardoned for his involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot of January 6, 2021, was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Jasper County, Indiana. The incident happened a week after President Trump issued the controversial pardons as one of his initial presidential actions.
The fatal incident unfolded when a deputy from the Jasper County Sheriff’s office initiated a standard traffic stop near the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area. Huttle, a Hobart, Indiana resident, allegedly resisted arrest while armed, leading to a confrontation with the deputy.
In a public statement, Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson said, “For full transparency, I requested the Indiana State Police to investigate this officer-involved shooting.” The officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave following department policy. Williamson also extended his condolences to Huttle’s family, acknowledging the profound impact of such a loss.
The pardons were granted on January 20, 2025, and included pardons and sentence commutations for approximately 1,600 people. The Justice Department was instructed to seek dismissal with prejudice of all pending indictments related to the January 6, 2021, conduct, effectively ending the largest criminal inquiry in the department’s history.
More than 1,200 people were convicted for their actions on January 6, 2021, with about 200 admitting guilt for assaulting law enforcement. The events resulted in injuries to over 100 police officers, making it one of the most severe attacks on law enforcement in recent American history.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the pardons as “an outrageous insult to our justice system” and commended the officers who defended the Capitol during the riot.
In an August 2023 plea agreement, Huttle pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds during the Capitol riot. The agreement outlined that Huttle entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door around 2:45 p.m. and left through a broken window near the Senate Wing after about 10 minutes.
In his sentencing, Huttle’s lawyer pleaded for leniency, portraying him as a “nonviolent individual” with a history of alcohol abuse and personal difficulties. Court records showed that Huttle had no previous criminal history and had been employed consistently as a construction worker in Hobart for over ten years before his arrest.
FBI investigations confirmed Huttle’s presence on Capitol grounds for several hours on January 6, 2021, and his entry into the building for about 10 minutes.
Law enforcement officials strongly criticized the pardons, describing them as a significant betrayal and a grave injustice. They pointed out that the pardons primarily benefited the most violent members of the pro-Trump mob, including those convicted of assaulting officers with pepper spray, crutches, and other weapons, many of whom received full clemency.
Huttle’s case is not an isolated event of a pardoned January 6 defendant reencountering law enforcement. Another rioter, Daniel Ball of Florida, was arrested on federal firearm charges shortly after receiving his pardon.
The Indiana State Police Criminal Investigations Division Lowell Post is heading the investigation into Huttle’s fatal shooting. A comprehensive autopsy was performed Monday morning at the Jasper County morgue, with results pending further analysis. The findings will be submitted to the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office for an official review, typically a process that takes several weeks.