Indianapolis killings in November 2023
After three years of seeing more than 200 homicides annually, IndyStar is tracking each killing to better understand violence in the city and remember the victims. This list is preliminary, and the number of homicides can change as authorities investigate the circumstances of each case, determining whether the slaying was criminal, justified, accidental or suicide. IndyStar has excluded cases ruled accidents, suicides, fatal overdoses or hit-and-run deaths unless they were deemed intentional. This information is compiled using data from Indianapolis police, court records and interviews with family and friends of those killed. Anyone with information that could help a homicide investigation is asked to call the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Office at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 to remain anonymous.
Are we missing information? Email Sarah Nelson at sarah.nelson@indystar.com or Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com.
A day care. A mall. A highway. Indianapolis shootings leave residents caught in the crossfire
Devyn Elyjah Phillips, 23, killed in shooting at west-side apartment complex
Nov. 29: One man is dead after a late-night shooting at an apartment complex on the west side of Indianapolis.
Officers were called to the 5700 block of Wilkins Street on a report of a person shot around 11 p.m. They found Devyn Elyjah Phillips, 23, with gunshot injuries in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Lead detective: Kyle Hoover, Kyle.Hoover@indy.gov
Wyatt Andrew Payton, 18, killed in disturbance on South Holt Road
Nov. 29: Officers responded to the 3200 block of South Holt Road around 4 a.m. on a report of a disturbance with a person possibly shot.
Police found Wyatt Andrew Payton, 18, unresponsive with gunshot injuries in the roadway in the neighborhood on the southwest side of the city.
Payton was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives believe a disturbance was occurring between Payton and another person. Then a third person intervened in the disturbance and shot Payton.
The shooter, a teenage male, was not on scene when officers arrived but returned and was taken into custody. Officers are not looking for anyone else involved. The teen was interviewed by police and then released after consultation with the Marion County Prosecutor's Office pending further investigation.
Lead detective: Steven Gray, Steven.Gray@indy.gov
Indianapolis police investigating death of Raphael Carter Jr., 62, who was found with 'trauma to his body'
Nov. 26: Homicide detectives are investigating the death of Raphael Carter Jr. who was found dead Sunday morning on the city's east side.
Officers were called at about 8 a.m. to the 100 block of North Oxford Street in the Englewood neighborhood. They found Carter with "trauma to his body," according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
Raphael Carter III, his son, was arrested in the killing shortly after.
Lead detective: Larry Craciunoiu Larry.Craciunoiu@indy.gov.
More: A father shot twice in the head. A son jailed. What court records reveal in Oxford St killing
Ousman Gasama, 34, found dead in courtyard off Shortridge Road
Nov. 23: Officers found 34-year-old Ousman Gasama with traumatic injuries in the courtyard of apartment buildings in the 200 block of North Shortridge Road about 8:30 a.m., according to a news release.
Police tracked a trail of blood to an apartment in a building south of the courtyard.
Investigators later announced the arrest of 39-year-old Efrem Edmondson in Gasama's death. He was arrested Nov. 30 in the 300 block of North Shortridge Road.
Lead detective: Ryan Clark, Ryan.Clark@indy.gov
Makayla Lockhart, 27, fatally shot in Lawrence
Nov. 22: LAWRENCE: A 27-year-old woman has died after she was shot in Lawrence, according to Gary Woodruff, deputy chief for the Lawrence Police Department.
Shortly before 11 p.m., Lawrence police responded to a report of a person shot in the 4600 block of Normal Avenue, where they found Makayla Lockhart with at least one gunshot wound, he said.
Detectives' working theory is she might have gone outside to investigate a possible vehicle theft that was going on, which resulted her being shot, Woodruff said.
Police believe two men in dark clothing were involved but do not have more specific descriptions of them or the vehicle, he said.
David Swanigan, 22, and Rosalba Arceo, 25, killed in shooting on Dr. MLK Jr. Street
Nov. 19: Officers responded to the intersection of West 29th Street and Dr. MLK Street on the north side of the city on a report of a person shot around 11 p.m.
They found two people inside a vehicle with gunshot injuries. One person was killed in the shooting and the second person was in critical condition and transported to a hospital, where they died.
The two people killed were identified as 22-year-old David Lee Swanigan and 25-year-old Rosalba G. Torres Arceo.
Lead detective: Christopher Winter, Christopher.Winter@indy.gov
Kaleiah Veloise-Mae Dean, 14, dies in double shooting
Nov. 16: A double shooting near North Emerson and East 32nd Street left one juvenile dead and another injured.
About 7 p.m., officers in the area heard gunshots, which were quickly followed by reports about a person shot roughly a block north, in the 5100 block of East 32nd Street.
Police found Kaleiah Veloise-Mae Dean, 14, and a 15-year-old boy with gunshot wounds. Dean, 14, died at the scene. The boy was taken to a hospital in serious condition.
Dean was enrolled at Arsenal Technical High School, according to Indianapolis Public Schools. In a statement, district officials said counseling services are available at the school.
"Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to the student's family and friends during this difficult time," the district's statement said.
Lead detective: Lottie Patrick, Lottie.Patrick@indy.gov
Dayon Darnell Lyles, 13, killed in shooting on Blue Spruce Lane
Nov. 16: A teenager, who was likely not the intended target, was killed in a shooting at a northeast side apartment complex.
Police were called just after 8 p.m. to the 3500 block of Blue Spruce Lane, where they found 13-year-old Dayon Darnell Lyles outside with gunshot injuries.
Lyles was transported to a hospital in critical condition, where he died.
IMPD officer William Young, while speaking with reporters at the scene, encouraged anyone involved in the shooting to to speak with investigators.
“This family is hurting,” Young said. “There’s a mother out here who just lost a child. That has to wake our community up. We shouldn’t be used to these things ... that are occurring in our neighborhoods.”
The shooting stemmed from a disturbance that didn't involve Lyles, Young said.
Lead detective: Matthew Melkey, Matthew.Melkey@indy.gov
Thomas Edward Parker, found in 'advanced stage of decomposition' on southeast side of city
Nov. 14: Shortly before 6 p.m., IMPD Southeast District officers were dispatched to an apartment in the 8600 block of Shadow Ridge Lane on a report of a deceased person. When officers arrived, they found 63-year-old Thomas Edward Parker, who was in the advanced stages of decomposition, according to a news release.
On Dec. 7, the Marion County Coroner's Office determined Thomas Parker's death was a homicide. His cause of death was blunt force trauma.
Detectives believe they have identified the person responsible for Thomas Parker's death and that they are a family member, the news release stated.
In February, his son, Julian Parker, was arrested in the killing.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office is being consulted and will make a charging decision.
Lead detective: Anthony Johnson, Anthony.Johnson@indy.gov
Trevon Anthony Smith, 27, shot and killed at east side apartments on Greenbrook Trail
Nov. 14: Officers responded to the apartments in 10000 block of Greenbrook Trail on the east side of Indianapolis on a report of a person shot just before 4 a.m.
They found Trevon Anthony Smith, 27, with gunshot injuries. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he died.
Lead detective: Christopher Morgan, Christopher.Morgan@indy.gov
Caiden Clements, 17, killed in shooting near Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Nov. 12: SPEEDWAY — Police are investigating a fatal shooting in a neighborhood near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Officers responded to a report of shots fired at about 2:11 a.m. Sunday, near the corner of West 22nd Street and North Auburn Street, according to the Speedway Metropolitan Police Department.
They found 17-year-old Caiden Clements suffering from a gunshot wound and he died at the scene.
Benjamin Mulkey was charged in the case.
More: A 19-year-old showed off his rifle to friends. Now a teenager is dead
Quarran Marshon Hopkins, 18, killed, one critically hurt in shooting on Railhead Court
Nov. 5: Officers were called to a home in the 7300 block of Railhead Court on a report of a person shot around 7:20 p.m. Sunday. Upon arrival, police did not find anyone with gunshot injuries, but saw evidence of a shooting.
Officers learned a resident transported a person with gunshot injuries in a private vehicle. Police located the vehicle and followed it to Community North Hospital. One man with gunshot injuries was inside the vehicle in critical condition.
Police learned another person injured in the shooting was taken to Community Rehabilitation Hospital North. There, officers found Quarran Marshon Hopkins, 18, with gunshot injuries. He was transported from the rehab hospital to Community North Hospital by medics and later died.
Detectives determined both men were shot on Railhead Court and found several firearms at the scene. Multiple people were detained in connection with the shooting and police believe everyone involved knew each other.
Lead detective: Det. David Miller, David.Miller2@indy.gov.
Luis Garcia, 17, male killed, two men injured in shooting on Edwin Court on city’s west side
Nov. 5: Officers responded about 1:30 a.m. Sunday to a report of a person shot in the 100 block of Edwin Court near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and found three people with gunshot injuries.
Luis R. Garcia, 17, was transported in critical condition to a hospital, where he died. Two 28-year-old men were transported to hospitals in stable condition.
Detectives believe there was a disturbance before shots were fired between one or more individuals from one group and one or more individuals from another group, according to police.
Lead detective: Det. Gary Toms, Gary.Toms@indy.gov.
Samuel Ling, 23, killed, five people hurt during shooting in south side nightclub parking lot
Nov. 5: Officers heard gunshots about 1:20 a.m. Sunday in the 5900 block of Madison Avenue while dispatch received multiple calls of shots fired and directed officers to the parking lot outside GZ Club.
Police found five people in the parking lot with gunshot injuries. Medics pronounced Samuel Ling, 23, dead on the scene.
Four other people shot were immediately taken to hospitals, including a 29-year-old man and a 25-year-old man in stable condition and a 23-year-old woman and 25-year-old man in critical condition.
Later on Sunday, officers responded to a delayed report of a walk-in person shot at Franciscan Health Indianapolis. They found a 22-year-old man in stable condition and determined he had been injured in the shooting in the nightclub parking lot.
Bullets flew into several nearby businesses during the shooting. Multiple witnesses stayed at the scene and cooperated with investigators.
Detectives learned there was a disturbance inside the GZ Club before the shooting. Detectives found multiple firearms at the scene.
Lead detective: Det. Douglas Swails, Douglas.Swails@indy.gov
Devin Gilbert III, 15, killed in shooting near KIPP Indy Legacy high school on Indy's north side
Nov. 3: A teenage male is dead after a shooting in the parking lot next to KIPP Indy Legacy High School on the north side of the city.
Police were first called to the Leadership and Legacy Center at 2200 Ralston Avenue on a report of a person shot about 1 p.m. Officers found 15-year-old Devin Gilbert III suffering from gunshot injuries.
Gilbert was transported to a hospital, where he died. No one else was hurt in the shooting. A spokesperson for the school later confirmed Gilbert was a student at KIPP Indy Legacy High School.
A 15-year-old male was arrested in connection with the shooting. The suspect was not a student at the high school, according to IMPD.
Police said there was a disturbance at the school earlier in the day and they were investigating its connection to the shooting. Gilbert was targeted in the shooting.
It took place in the parking lot next to the Edna Martin Christian Center and KIPP Indy Legacy High School.
Lead detective: Det. Larry Craciunoiu, Larry.Craciunoiu@indy.gov
‘This violence is preventable’: Teen dies in shooting near KIPP Indy high school
Janiya Carr, 15, found shot dead behind trees on Aristocrat North Drive
Nov. 1: Indianapolis police were called about noon about a death investigation near a residential area on the northeast side of the city.
Responding officers found a teenage girl behind the residences and tree line at 10200 Aristocrat North Drive. Emergency medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene.
Responding homicide detectives soon found the teen had gunshot wounds and she was identified as 15-year-old Janiya Carr by the Marion County Coroner's Office.
One day after her body was found, 34-year-old Tevis Walker was arrested in Carr's death.
Lead detective: Jeremy Ingram, Jeremy.Ingram@indy.gov
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis killings in November 2023
