IndyStar Exposes Sexual Abuse within USA Gymnastics

Support For Survivors

Our final installment of this three-part series features an interview with Tim Evans and Robert Scheer Indianapolis Star reporter and photo journalist respectively. Both of our guests interviewed dozens of women who came forward to report emotional and sexual abuse perpetrated by Larry Nassar and other USA Gymnastics team doctors. Tim and Robert share details with Shaunestte about how this story began, the discoveries the team made through the depth of their investigation, and the detailed checks and balances that journalists must adhere to in order to responsibly report a story.

Host- Shaunestte Terrell

Guests- Tim Evans and Robert Scheer

Tim Evans is an investigative reporter at The Indianapolis Star and a member of the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame. Since joining The Star in 1997, he has reported extensively on issues related to child welfare, sexual abuse and the criminal justice system. Evans was a member of the IndyStar investigative team that uncovered widespread sexual abuse in gymnastics and the crimes of Larry Nassar and is profiled in the Netflix documentary Athlete A.

In addition to reporting, Evans heads IndyStar Call for Action. The free consumer helpline has saved or recovered more than $1.5 million for Hoosiers since 2016. His work has been recognized with dozens of state and national awards, including the Casey Medal for reporting on children's issues from the University of Maryland’s Journalism Center on Children & Families and Annie E. Casey Foundation; the Tom Renner Award for criminal justice reporting and the IRE Medal, the highest honor bestowed by Investigative Reporters and Editors; the Free Expression Award from the Freedom Forum Institute and Newseum; the Medal of Freedom from the University of Missouri School of Journalism; and Indiana Journalist of the Year from the Society of Professional Journalists. Evans and his wife, the Rev. Jennifer Evans, live in Brownsburg and are parents of an adult son, Morgan Evans.

Robert Scheer was raised in California, and while earning a biology degree from Humboldt State University, took a photo class on a whim and worked toward becoming a photojournalist. After working at several small Northern California newspapers, he joined the Indianapolis Star as a staff photographer in 1998, where he currently works. An early advocate for newspaper video, his still, multimedia, and mobile work have sent him to news and sporting events in Iraq, Greece, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and most large cities of the United States.

In recent years, he has worked on IndyStar investigations into the deer breeding industry, the underregulated world of pet medicines, and with a team of four colleagues, broke major investigations on USA Gymnastics and disgraced team doctor Larry Nassar. Scheer has worked as an adjunct college professor, volunteers as an ESL tutor, and does outdoor things like cycling and backpacking.