Jury selection begins for man accused of murder, cannibalism

Jury selection begins for man accused of murder, cannibalism

A murder trial is getting under way for a southern Indiana man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and eating parts of her body.

Attorneys for 38-year-old Joseph Oberhansley and Clark County prosecutors began selecting jurors Monday in suburban Indianapolis, in the Hamilton County seat of Noblesville.

Oberhansley’s jury selection was moved due to media attention and the extreme charges he faces.

He’s charged with murder, burglary and rape. Prosecutors say Oberhansley broke into the Jeffersonville home of his 46-year-old ex-girlfriend, Tammy Jo Blanton, in September 2014, raped her, fatally stabbed her and ate parts of her body.

The 12 chosen jurors and four alternates will be brought to Jeffersonville in Clark County for the trial and will be sequestered for its duration.

Opening statements are expected to begin Wednesday.

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