A Portage man has admitted a role in connection with a Lyft driver’s 2021 murder, court records show.

A court hearing for Isaih Lenburg, 25, was rescheduled on Thursday for Aug. 23 on Zoom.

He faces up to 13 years in a plea agreement signed Wednesday admitting to armed robbery, a Level 3 felony; assisting a criminal, a Level 5 felony; and misdemeanor carrying a handgun without a license. A judge would have to review and accept the deal.

Co-defendant Robert Simms, 35, of Chicago, is facing murder, robbery and arson charges in the Sept. 23, 2021 death of Lyft driver Glynon “Coach” Nelson, 38, of Crown Point. Lenburg is charged as an accomplice in this case. Simms’ trial is set for Aug. 28.

Simms is also charged in the Sept. 29, 2021 death of Nicholas Kowalski, 29, of Park Forest, Illinois. Court records allege he killed Kowalski while trying to rob him. His trial is set for Sept. 25.

The plea requires Lenburg to tell what he knows about both murders.

According the the probable cause affidavit, Nelson was cooperative during the robbery, but Simms “killed him anyway.” He was later found shot twice in the back of the head at Old Hobart Road and Atchison Drive in Gary’s Miller section.

About a week before, Kowalski drove over to Simms’ place, police wrote. Days later, Kowalski, Simms and Lenburg drove away in Kowalski’s blue van, the affidavit states. Sometime later, Simms returned, dropping Lenburg off, it said.

After Kowalski and Simms took off a second time, Simms returned alone, charges state. The next day, Simms and Lenburg appeared to pull Kowalski’s body out of the van, wrapped in a tarp, then buried the body in the backyard, police wrote.

Kowalski’s van was taken to Lowell, then set on fire, the affidavit states. Indiana State Police later found it in a cornfield. Police recovered Kowalski’s body from Simms’ backyard in a shallow grave. He was shot in the head and torso, according to documents.

In a three week span in 2021, authorities implicated Simms in the two Lake County murders, a Porter County armed robbery and an alleged New Albany Waffle House stickup in Floyd County. Simms has an extensive criminal history in multiple states, including several robberies, charges allege.