A central Indiana man accused of fatally beating and stabbing his 66-year-old sister-in-law now also faces a rape charge. The Herald Bulletin reports the additional charge was filed Thursday against 68-year-old George Arthur Knotts of Elwood. Knotts was arrested July 11, three days after police found the body of Linda Speer in her Elwood home. Online court records show Knotts already was facing charges of murder, strangulation and criminal confinement. He's being held without bond. The records show he doesn't have an attorney yet. A probable cause affidavit released Thursday says Speer had been choked with a pink scarf and stabbed 14 times with a sharp object. Her daughter found the body July 8. Elwood is about 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
