Man shows no remorse for fatally shooting registered sex offender, deputies say

VANDERBURGH CO., Ind. (WFIE/Gray News) – A man in Indiana told deputies he has no remorse for fatally shooting a registered sex offender, authorities said.

According to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, 34-year-old Ricky Allen Kiper Jr. shot and killed 41-year-old James C. McClernon on Wednesday.

Investigators said Kiper knocked on the front door of a home, asked for McClernon, then shot him.

Kiper was caught about a mile from the scene, and an affidavit shows he admitted to shooting McClernon twice.

Officials said Kiper told them he killed McClernon because he was a sex offender. Investigators said Kiper was not remorseful, and he told them his actions were justified.

McClernon’s family told WFIE that while McClernon was on the sex offender registry, it was for a situation that occurred more than two decades ago in Canada. The family said McClernon got into an altercation with an adult woman, served his time, and was not placed on the sex offender registry in Canada.

McClernon’s family said they did not understand why he was placed on the sex offender registry when he moved to the United States and were actively in the process of trying to get McClernon taken off the registry when he was killed.

A lieutenant with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office said there is a chance the prosecutor will seek enhanced charges against Kiper based on his criminal record, as well as because of the use of a firearm in the crime.

Kiper is being held at the Vanderburgh County Jail without bond.

Copyright 2022 WFIE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.