Court documents: Alleged drug dealing, roommate tensions led to fatal Beech Grove shooting

Tensions between former roommates and allegations of dealing drugs preceded the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old inside his Beech Grove apartment, according to court documents.

Police were called by Jackson Porter, 21, around 2:30 p.m. May 18. He told the dispatcher that he shot someone and thought they were dead. Porter is now charged with murder in connection with the death of Alexander Bohman.

Bohman was found with multiple gunshot wounds and pronounced dead at the scene in 140 block of Diplomat Court.

Per instructions from the dispatcher, Porter stepped out of the apartment with his hands up after police arrived then he was taken into custody, according to the probable cause affidavit for his arrest.

Porter moved out of the apartment about a few weeks before the deadly shooting and was staying with his parents in Indianapolis.

Bohman shot multiple times by former roommate, affidavit states

At about 11 a.m. May 18, Porter purchased a firearm and some ammunition from a store in Indianapolis, he told police. Around 1 p.m., Porter went to meet Bohman at the Beech Grove apartment but didn’t think his former roommate was home.

Porter told police he fell asleep in his car for about 45 minutes then went inside the apartment after Bohman returned his phone call. The former roommates were watching videos on YouTube and hanging out before the shooting, according to the affidavit.

Porter told investigators he went to the bathroom, put in earplugs and took the safety off his gun.

Porter came out of the bathroom, pointed the gun at his former roommate and stated, “I will not sell drugs for you anymore” before firing 10 shots at Bohman, Porter stated in the affidavit.

Then Porter reloaded and fired two to three more times at Bohman’s head, Porter told police.

Porter then called 911 and did not attempt to render aid to his former roommate.

Drug dealing allegations and threats

Bohman was known to carry a Glock firearm in a holster tucked into his pants and Porter thought he was reaching for it while sitting on the couch, he told police.

“I don’t know if he even really had it (gun), I just saw him reach for it. It might’ve just been in his room,” Jackson said, according to the affidavit for his arrest.

A Glock firearm was located in the apartment during a search, but not on or near Bohman, according to the affidavit.

Before the shooting, Porter had been visiting Bohman about five times a week even though he was moved out of the apartment.

Porter had been driving Bohman around in the months leading up to the shooting to help him sell drugs, Porter said in the affidavit. A friend of the former roommates also told police that drug dealing caused tension between them.

Porter told investigators Bohman threatened to shoot him or his parents' house. The friend of the roommates also told police Bohman had threatened Porter before the shooting, according to the affidavit.

Bohman had not made any threats on the day of the shooting, Porter told police.

An attorney for Porter did not immediately return a request for comment before publication of this article. A pretrial conference in Porter’s case is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 11.

Who was Alexander Bohman?

The last time Brandi Becker saw her son was on Mother’s Day. Four days later, the shooting in Beech Grove took Bohman’s life.

“His favorite food is steak,” Becker said. “Alex was the professional steak cooker, as he called himself."

The family feasted on cheeseburgers, hotdogs, brats, pork chops, chicken, corn on the cob, and then banana pudding and vanilla cake at the Mother’s Day celebration. Bohman also cooked steaks for his family.

Becker and her children and stepchildren enjoyed each other’s company and rode dirt bikes. She spoke with Bohman on the phone the next day.

“He told me he loved me and that he would see me in a few days,” Becker said. “I told him I loved him too.”

Bohman had worked at a restaurant near downtown and enjoyed being around people, his mother said. He graduated from North Central High School in 2020.

Her son was not a drug dealer, Becker said, but did have disputes over money with his former roommate.

"Alex was loving, caring and funny,” Becker said. “He was straightforward. If you said something he didn't agree with, he was blunt. He was supportive and loved his family. No parent should ever have to bury their child."

Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Beech Grove shooting: Man charged in former roommate's death