Serena Dolnics pleaded not guilty after investigators found Gregory Dolnics dead during a welfare check at their shared residence.
VALPARAISO, Ind. — A northwestern Indiana woman has been charged with murder after authorities said her father was found fatally stabbed inside their shared home during a welfare check Sunday evening.
Serena Desiree Dolnics, 32, pleaded not guilty Thursday in the death of her father, 69-year-old Gregory Dolnics, according to court records and published reports. She remained in the Porter County Jail without bond. The charge is an allegation, and Dolnics is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Porter County sheriff’s deputies went to the Morgan Township residence outside Valparaiso on July 26 after relatives reported that they had been unable to contact Gregory Dolnics. Family members told dispatchers that Serena Dolnics lived with him and had made unusual statements when they asked to speak with him, court documents said.
While a relative was speaking with a 911 dispatcher, a friend of Serena Dolnics contacted family members from the property. The friend reportedly said she was covered in blood and that Gregory Dolnics had been stabbed, according to accounts of the charging documents.
The friend told an officer that Serena Dolnics had locked him out of the house. An officer looking through a window reported seeing drops of blood on the floor and a person lying inside, court records said. Deputies forced their way into the residence after receiving no response.
Investigators said officers found Gregory Dolnics on the living room floor near bloodstained furniture. He had injuries to his head, neck, back, arms and hands. Authorities also alleged that an organ had been removed from his chest and placed on his body. The detail was included in court filings but is described here in restrained terms because of its graphic nature.
During a protective sweep, deputies saw a bedroom door close and lock, according to investigators. Serena Dolnics was found behind the door and taken into custody. Authorities said her clothes, legs and feet were stained with blood.
She was first taken to a hospital for injuries to her hands. Medical workers believed the wounds were consistent with a knife slipping through her hand, according to court documents. Investigators said Dolnics claimed the injuries came from using a weed trimmer or small saw while doing yardwork.
Authorities reported finding no apparent garden at the property. Dolnics told investigators that she had been alone and had not seen her father injured, court filings said. She also described their relationship as generally good despite occasional arguments.
Police recovered three knives with blood on their handles from the living room and kitchen areas, according to investigators. Officers also documented blood leading through the house and several footprints that appeared to have been made by a barefoot person.
An autopsy determined that Gregory Dolnics died from multiple sharp-force injuries, and his death was ruled a homicide. Authorities had not publicly announced a suspected motive as of Friday. The evidence described in the charging documents has not yet been tested at trial.
During her initial court appearance by video, Serena Dolnics entered a not-guilty plea. Published reports said she was placed in protective clothing while in custody. Information about whether an attorney had been appointed or retained was not immediately available.
The case remains pending in Porter County court. Authorities have not announced additional arrests, and the next confirmed procedural developments will depend on the court’s scheduling and the status of Dolnics’ legal representation.
Author note: Last updated August 1, 2026.