Court records: Man was trying to break up fight before fatal Beech Grove shooting in April

“You should’ve never jumped in,” a 22-year-old Beech Grove woman said as she walked past the man she is accused of shooting inside an apartment complex, according to court documents.

A few hours later, DeMarcus Antonio French died from a gunshot wound to his abdomen at a hospital.

The 26-year-old was trying to break up a fight involving his girlfriend, sister, sister’s ex-girlfriend and the ex’s new girlfriend when he was shot on April 25, according to the Beech Grove Police Department.

More: Indianapolis killings in April 2023

D’Yauni Wilkins-Jones, who had dated French’s sister, and was living in their apartment complex, was arrested in connection with the shooting in the 2400 block of Albany Street.

Wilkins-Jones was taken into custody on Sunday after a warrant for her arrest was issued in May. She is facing a murder charge and two counts of battery resulting in bodily injury, court records indicate. A probable cause affidavit for her arrest does not detail how she was taken into custody or why there was a delay.

French’s girlfriend and sister, who both lived with him in the apartment building, told investigators they were fighting with the sister’s ex and the ex’s new girlfriend when French tried to break it up and was shot.

The man’s girlfriend and sister both identified Wilkins-Jones as the shooter in a photo lineup, according to the probable cause affidavit for Wilkins-Jones's arrest.

'This needs to stop': Man killed in shooting at Beech Grove apartments

French’s sister told investigators she dated Wilkins-Jones for three years before they broke up a few weeks before the shooting. She told police her ex-girlfriend moved into her building with a new girlfriend about a month before the shooting and there had been daily arguments since.

French’s sister said her ex’s new girlfriend initially had the gun during the fight, but it fell to the ground. That was when Wilkins-Jones picked it up and French got between his sister and Wilkins-Jones to stop the fight, according to the affidavit.

“If anybody move, I’m gonna shoot,” Wilkins-Jones said before French was shot several times, witnesses told police in the affidavit.

Wilkins-Jones, and her new girlfriend, were walking away when she told French he never should have tried to break up the fight.

French’s girlfriend helped him outside the apartment building and tried to aid him with the gunshot injuries, according to the affidavit.

As Wilkins-Jones and her new girlfriend walked by the couple outside, Wilkins-Jones again stated that French should never have tried to stop the fight, the affidavit reads.

Police found several shell casings and a black nylon from a firearm holster in the hallway of the apartment building. Investigators did not locate the firearm used in the shooting, but French's sister described it as an all-black Glock 9mm, according to the affidavit.

An attorney for Wilkins-Jones was not listed in court records before the publication of this article. An initial hearing in the case is set for Tuesday.

French’s killing was the first homicide in 2023 in Beech Grove. Since then, two other men have been killed in homicides in the city this year. A 21-year-old man was killed in an apartment complex shooting in May then a 29-year-old man was killed in a shooting at a different apartment complex in June.

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

Court records: Suspect in deadly Beech Grove shooting returned to scene before arrest

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

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana man fatally shot trying to break up fight, court records state