Matthew W. Huttle, 42, a recipient of a presidential pardon for his involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, was killed during a traffic stop by a Jasper County, Indiana sheriff’s deputy on January 26, 2025. The shooting happened just a week following Trump’s controversial pardons as one of his first presidential actions.
The incident began near the Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area when a Jasper County sheriff’s deputy attempted a routine traffic stop. Huttle, a Hobart, Indiana resident, allegedly resisted arrest while armed, leading to a confrontation with the deputy.
Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson released a statement stating, “For full transparency, I requested the Indiana State Police to investigate this officer-involved shooting.” The sheriff added that the involved officer was placed on paid administrative leave, as per protocol and department policy. He also expressed sympathy to Huttle’s family, acknowledging the trauma that accompanies any loss of life.
The pardons, announced on January 20, 2025, were part of a broad executive action, pardoning and commuting sentences for roughly 1,600 individuals. The Justice Department was directed to dismiss all pending indictments against individuals related to January 6, 2021, effectively ending the largest criminal investigation in the department’s history.
More than 1,200 individuals had been convicted of crimes related to January 6, with about 200 admitting to assaulting law enforcement. The day’s violence resulted in over 100 injured police officers, marking it as one of the most significant attacks on U.S. law enforcement in recent history.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described the pardons as “an outrageous insult to our justice system” and commended the law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol during the assault.
Among the January 6 prosecutions, Huttle’s case was less severe. In August 2023, he signed a plea agreement, admitting guilt to a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds during the Capitol riot. The agreement outlined Huttle’s entry into the Capitol through the Senate Wing door at approximately 2:45 p.m., where he stayed for around 10 minutes before exiting through a broken window near the Senate Wing.
At the sentencing, Huttle’s attorney pleaded for leniency, characterizing him as a “nonviolent individual” with a history of alcohol abuse and personal hardship. According to court documents, Huttle had no previous criminal record and had been continuously employed as a construction worker in Hobart for over ten years before his arrest.
FBI investigations verified that Huttle spent several hours on Capitol grounds on January 6, 2021, and was inside the building for about 10 minutes.
Law enforcement officials voiced strong criticism against the pardons, labeling them a severe injustice. They pointed out that the pardons mainly benefited the most aggressive members of the pro-Trump mob, including those convicted of assaulting police officers with items like pepper spray and crutches. Many of these individuals received complete clemency.
This is not the first case of a pardoned January 6 offender encountering law enforcement. Another riot participant, Daniel Ball of Florida, was apprehended on federal gun charges shortly after receiving a pardon.
The Indiana State Police Criminal Investigations Division Lowell Post is spearheading the investigation into the shooting. A full autopsy was conducted Monday morning at the Jasper County, Indiana morgue, with results pending further analysis. The findings will be forwarded to the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office for a formal review, generally lasting several weeks.
