Police: Indiana man confessed to fatally stabbing boy, 6, during Versailles burglary

Police say an Indianapolis man broke into a family's Versailles home early Monday, wandered up the stairs and stabbed a sleeping 6-year-old boy to death.

The Woodford County Coroner has identified the victim as Logan Tipton, a kindergartner at Simmons Elementary. The accused killer has been identified as Ronald Exantus, 32, of Indianapolis.

Exantus is charged with murder and burglary. He appeared appeared before a Woodford County judge Monday afternoon for an arraignment.

Court documents provide more details into the killing, but it is still unclear why Logan's home was targeted. His family said they did not know Exantus, who listed on a police report that he lives in Indianapolis, which is roughly 175 miles north.

A Woodford County prosecutor said Exantus, who was escorted into the courtroom by nine deputies and officers, will likely face other charges, including assault, because he attacked two other kids in the home. The attack was eventually broken up by their father, according to police.

Bridget Hofler, a court-appointed attorney for Exantus, said she feels certain "he's mentally ill." She said at his arraignment that he was unresponsive when she asked him about his background and family.

Police were called about the attack just before 4 a.m. Monday. The Versailles Police Department received a call about a burglary in progress at a home on Douglas Avenue. Police say the homeowner called 911 after discovering an armed man inside the home.

According to court documents, Exantus entered the home and "proceeded to walk around the residence."

While inside the home, a police report says, Exantus went to an upstairs bedroom where Logan was sleeping in his bed. Exantus "with a large kitchen knife that he obtained in the house" stabbed the boy several times in the head. Logan’s aunt says four other children were sleeping in the bedroom.

The family told WKYT that Logan’s 11-year-old sister is a hero. When she woke up, she saw someone in the bedroom and threw herself at them. She started screaming for their father, their aunt said.

Police say the boy's father rushed to the room and managed to detain Exantus until police arrived. The police report says Exantus, during an interview with detectives, confessed to stabbing the boy.

A CBS affiliate in Indiana says Exantus did not have a criminal record in Indianapolis.

If Exantus has a Kentucky connection, it was not immediately clear.

A Facebook page for Ronald Exantus says he lives in Noblesville, Indiana, where he was a Dialysis RN at Fresenius Medical Care.

Jon Stone, a corporate spokesman for Fresenius Medical Care North America, told WKYT that Exantus "has been released from employment with the company." Stone said Exantus worked with the company's acute dialysis program in Northeast Indiana.

Exantus' Facebook page says he is from Coral Springs, Florida. A search of Broward County court records did not reflect any previous criminal history for a Ronald Exantus. The Facebook page says he studied at Med Tech College in Indianapolis. Records with Indiana licensing shows a Ronald Exantus who was issued a license in July 2013. The licenses, which is scheduled to expire in October 2017, is listed as active.

Logan's death has jarred the community of Versailles, a city that has a population of 9,054, according to U.S. census data.

Neighbors who saw Logan playing outside the house returned to the same question: Why?

The police report says it is "unknown" whether alcohol or drugs were a factor.

"It's just a horrible thing, makes you wonder why this would happen to this little boy. It's just so sad," said neighbor Tiffany Crow.

Hundreds of people have already donated thousands of dollars through a GoFundMe webpage for Logan’s funeral expenses.

"They're just a solid family. Great people. Never had any issues with them or trouble," noted the Tipton's landlord, John Truman.

Donations for funeral expenses can also be made out to the Tipton family at Kentucky Bank.

The family says they cannot live in the home after what happened.

They say generous people in the community have opened their homes so they have temporary places to stay.