Fight over shoes leads to South Bend murder charges, officials say
SOUTH BEND — Two people are facing murder charges this week in connection to a fatal shooting near the Byers Softball Complex on March 13.
The shooting left Daniel Henderson, 54, dead as court documents say he was shot by Jesstin Lottie, 21, after the two men got into a fight over a pair of shoes in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Courtney O'Neal, 21, is also charged with murder and assisting a criminal for her role in the incident.
South Bend police were dispatched to the apartment complex just south of the softball fields, called the Arbors at Belleville, around 2:30 p.m. March 13 for reports of a shooting. The officers found a man, identified as Henderson, who had been shot and was "laying outside near piles of personal items," court documents filed on Tuesday say.
Henderson was taken to the hospital, but later died from his injuries.
Court documents say detectives spoke to a witness on scene who said Henderson lived at the apartments but had to "leave the apartment with his belongings" though the documents do not clarify why. While Henderson was outside, he made a phone call but was approached by two people police believe to be Lottie and O'Neal.
Lottie tried to take a box of shoes from Henderson's pile, the documents say. Henderson tried to prevent his shoes from being stolen and a fight broke out between Lottie and Henderson, with O'Neal allegedly "jumping in." At some point during the fight, the witness told police they heard "a loud sound" and O'Neal and Lottie ran away, while Henderson was left laying on the ground.
The documents also say police recovered the voicemail message Henderson was leaving as Lottie and O'Neal allegedly approached him. Henderson is heard in the message telling someone to put his stuff down and put their gun away, court documents say.
A man's voice can allegedly be heard on the message warning Henderson that he is going to get shot and a woman's voice is heard "encouraging the altercation," documents state. Investigators also say Lottie and O'Neal were captured on surveillance footage running away from the apartment complex following the shooting.
As of Tuesday afternoon, O'Neal is being held at the St. Joseph County Jail, but Lottie has not been taken into custody.
Email Marek Mazurek at mmazurek@sbtinfo.com. Follow him on Twitter: @marek_mazurek
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Murder charges filed in South Bend shooting allegedly over shoe box
