Indianapolis killings in October 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.
September | October | November
Montrez Cushenberry, 29, killed, person of interest interviewed and released in shooting on West 39th Street
Oct. 30: Police were called to the 3000 block of West 39th Street on a report of a person shot just before 1 a.m. They found Montrez Cushenberry, 29, with gunshot injuries, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers located a person of interest and found a firearm on or near the male who had been killed.
The person of interest was interviewed, and investigators determined they were responsible for the shooting. After consultation with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, the person of interest was released pending further investigation.
Detectives are trying to determine if anyone was involved in the shooting.
Lead detective: Colten Smith, Colten.Smith@indy.gov
Kalin Washington, 16, killed, 9 others hurt in shooting at party on East 65th Street
Oct. 29: Ten young people aged 16-22 were shot, one of them fatally, at what police say was a party on the city's northeast side.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers responded to an industrial park in the 5100 block of East 65th Street at midnight on Oct. 29 after a large gathering was reported to police. When they arrived, officers believed they heard gunshots and saw a large crowd dispersing from the area, according to a Sunday statement issued by the department.
Kalin Washington, 16, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Nine others were injured, police said, but all of them are currently in stable condition.
Multiple firearms were reportedly found at the scene by investigators. The statement said officers had detained "numerous individuals" but no arrests have been made.
"Our investigative team is actively working to establish their involvement in this incident," police said.
There is no known threat to the public, the department added.
Lead detective: Gregory Taylor, Gregory.Taylor2@indy.gov
Xaizer McClain, 22, dead after double shooting on Station Street
Oct. 27: Officers responded to the east side of Indianapolis just before 4 p.m. to investigate a shots fired call at the 2700 block of Station Street where they found two people injured by gunfire, a man and a woman.
While medics rushed the woman to a nearby hospital in stable condition, officials declared Xaizer McClain, 22, deceased at the scene.
Lead detective: Daniel Hiatt, Daniel.Hiatt@indy.gov
Lavoris Johnson, 24, shot and killed on West Ray Street
Oct. 23: Shortly before 9 p.m. officers were dispatched to the 5700 block of West Ray Street for multiple reports of shots fired.
Before officers arrived at the west-side apartment complex they received additional information that a person was shot. Police found Lavoris Johnson, 24, outside an apartment with gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.
A family disturbance led up to the shooting, according to police. Hours later, officers arrested his brother, 22-year-old Larenzo Johnson, in the killing.
Lead detective: Douglas Morning, douglas.morning@indy.gov
More: 'I shot my brother': Family argument preceded deadly sibling shooting on west side
Tracy Harmon, 45, found shot in vehicle near Grassy Creek Park
Oct. 23: Tracy Harmon, 45, was found in a vehicle with gunshot wounds minutes before 10 p.m. in the 3100 block of Osceola Lane near Grassy Creek Park on the city's east side.
Harmon died at the scene. Investigators believe an argument took place before the shooting.
Detectives soon after arrested Rodregus Morgan, 61, in the shooting.
Lead detective: Christopher Higgins, christopher.higgins@indy.gov.
More: Indianapolis police find suspect passed out in car with woman he allegedly killed
Devin Williams, 36, shot and killed on Riva Ridge Drive on southeast side
Oct. 23: A shooting originally thought could be self-inflicted is being investigated as a homicide.
About 6 a.m. officers responded to a house in the 5900 block of Riva Ridge Drive, near its intersection with South Arlington Avenue on the city's southeast side.
Officers found Devin Williams, 36, inside the house with gunshot injuries they initially thought could be self-inflicted. He died at the scene.
About 90 minutes after an initial news release the department announced the shooting was being investigated as a homicide and that another person was detained, but their role in the shooting wasn't provided.
Lead detective: Gregory Shue, Gregory.Shue@indy.gov.
More: TikTok star Kelsey Pumel's former partner Devin Williams shot and killed in Indianapolis
Abel Ramos-Utuy, 29, killed in shooting on Georgetown Road
Oct. 21: Minutes after responding to another, unrelated shooting, police were called to the 5400 block of Georgetown Road about a person shot just before 2 a.m. Officers found 29-year-old Abel Ramos-Utuy outside with gunshot wounds.
He died at a hospital.
A few weeks later, police announced an arrest in the shooting. Ja’que Mason, 28, was arrested on Nov. 2 in Ramos-Utuy's death after he was located in Greenwood.
Lead detective: Connie Person, Connie.Pearson@indy.gov
Edwin Simon-Osorio, 15, dies in shooting on North Emerson Avenue
Oct. 21: Police responded before 2 a.m. to the shooting in the 2100 block of North Emerson Avenue where they found Simon-Osorio, 15, with a gunshot wound inside a vehicle. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead.
Investigators said the teen is believed to have been shot in the 5400 block of East 20th Street, though what led to the gunfire remains under investigation.
Lead detective: Gary Smith,Gary.Smith@indy.gov
Tommy Brock Jr.'s death in Fountain Square hit-and-run crash declared a homicide
Oct. 19: Officers responded just before midnight to a report of a vehicle crash involving a pedestrian in the 1700 block of East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive near its intersection with South State Avenue in the Fountain Square neighborhood. Officers found Tommy Brock Jr., 32, with traumatic injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the vehicle that struck Brock fled prior to officers arriving.
Police on Oct. 31 announced the arrest of 25-year-old Donnyha Tyler in the case.
Lead detective: Michael Wright, Michael.Wright@indy.gov
Alejandro Sandoval, 33, found dead after shooting in backyard on East Ohio Street
Oct. 19: Officers were called to the 1600 block of East Ohio Street just after 1 p.m. a report of a person shot. They found Alejandro Sandoval, 33, in the backyard of a home with gunshot injuries, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
The circumstances that led to the shooting are under investigation, but police believe they have identified everyone involved.
Lead detective: Christopher Edwards, Christopher.Edwards@indy.gov
Brandon Lamonte Drake, 35, killed in early morning shooting on Primrose Avenue
Oct. 18: Officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 4400 block of Primrose Avenue on the north side of Indianapolis. Additional reports came in that someone had been shot and police found Brandon Lamonte Drake, 35, with gunshot injuries outside a vehicle.
Drake was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooting remains under investigation.
Lead detective: Ronald Sayles, Ronald.Sayles@indy.gov
William Edward Hodges Jr., 32, dies in shooting at East 30th and Mitthoefer
Oct. 17: William Edward Hodges Jr., 32, was shot and killed near East 30th Street and North Mitthoefer Road.
The shooting happened just before 4 p.m. in the 10000 block of East 30th Street near a Family Dollar store.
About 10 minutes later, a second man was found shot roughly 4 miles away at East 56th Street at the 5600 block of North Post Road. Medics rushed the second man, Wendell Russell, to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Police later arrested Russell in the killing.
Lead detective: Anthony Johnson, Anthony.Johnson@indy.gov
More: How a pair of shoes led to a shooting suspect's arrest after killing at Family Dollar
Jose Ismael Herrera Jacobo, 35, killed, two others hurt in North High School Road shooting
Oct. 15: Jose Ismael Herrera Jacobo, 35, was killed and two other people were injured in a shooting on the city's northwest side.
Officers responded to a call just before 3 a.m. in the 3900 block of North High School Road, a shopping complex near West 38th Street, on a report of a person shot.
Officers arrived and discovered two men suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were transported to the hospital in critical condition. Herrera Jacobo was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.
Following that call, another call came in just after 3:30 a.m. about a male shot in the 7100 block of Rockville Road, off North Girls School Road in the Chapel Hill neighborhood
Further investigation revealed that person was also shot in the 3900 block of North High School Road. He was transported to the hospital in serious condition.
Lead detective: James Hurt, james.hurt@indy.gov
Chapel Hill shooting: 1 person dead, 2 wounded in shooting at Indianapolis shopping complex
Daejhan Skipper, 17, fatally shot in vehicle on North Gladstone Avenue
Oct. 13: Shortly before 8 a.m. officers responded to the city's east side after receiving a call from someone on their way to work reporting an unknown person was found inside their Kia.
Arriving officers found 17-year-old Daejhan Skipper dead inside the vehicle's driver's side at the scene in the 1400 block of N. Gladstone Avenue near its intersection with East 15th Street. Officer Samone Burris said investigators were still determining how Skipper died.
The coroner's office later ruled he died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Homicide detectives are investigating.
Tre-Shawn Glenn, 22, killed, two injured in triple shooting inside hotel on Northwest Boulevard
Oct. 11: Police were called about 10:30 a.m. to a shooting at an Extended Stay America hotel.
Responding officers found three people with gunshot wounds inside a hotel room at 8520 Northwest Blvd., near West 86th Street and I-465. Pike Township Fire medics pronounced one of the people shot, 22-year-old Tre-Shawn Glenn, deceased. The two others injured, a man and a woman, were taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Officer Samone Burris said a disturbance is believed to have led up to the shooting. Officers are not looking for additional people involved.
Lead detective: Ryan Clark, Ryan.Clark@indy.gov
Christian Peters, 16, dies in double shooting at intersection of Scotland Drive and Bank Place
Oct. 10: Officers responded to the intersection of Scotland Drive and Bank Place, in a neighborhood on the west side of Indianapolis, just before 10 p.m. on a report of a person shot.
They found 16-year-old Christian Peters with gunshot injuries and he died after he was taken to a hospital.
About 40 minutes later, officers responded to a report of a walk-in person shot at a nearby hospital. They found another teenager with gunshot injuries in stable condition.
Near the scene of the shooting, a man identified himself as being involved and was detained by officers. Police spoke with at least one witness at the scene and believe the teenager hurt and the teen killed were involved in the same shooting.
The circumstances that led up to the shooting remain under investigation and the man detained near the crime scene is still in custody.
Lead detective: Kyle Hoover, Kyle.Hoover@indy.gov.
Kevon Bell, 21, found shot and killed on Brentwood Drive
Oct. 10: Kevon Bell, 21, was found dead with gunshot wounds just after 3 p.m.
Officers were responding to reports of a person shot in the 4100 block of North Brentwood Drive — near East 42nd and North Post Road — when they found Bell dead in the middle of the street.
No information on a suspect was available in the hours after the homicide.
Sgt. Anthony Patterson said police and the city have focused heavily on increasing security in the neighborhood, such as added surveillance cameras and patrols, because of increased crime.
Photos: Inside Towne and Terrace, an Indianapolis housing complex plagued by crime and violence
Travis Wade's death ruled homicide after he was found 'breathing irregularly' in a chair on South Holt Road
Oct. 9: At about 10:30 p.m., IMPD Southwest District officers arrived at a residence in the 500 block of S. Holt Road regarding a possible deceased man. Officers arrived and spoke with household members who said Travis Wade, 64, was sitting in a chair when they noticed he started "breathing irregularly."
Medics responded and pronounced Wade deceased. The Marion County Coroner’s Office later determined his cause of death to be blunt force traumatic injuries and his manner of death to be homicide.
Lead detective: Sergeant Michael Duke, Michael.Duke@indy.gov.
Fredrick Jamar Johnson III, 19, killed in double shooting on East 40th Street on Indianapolis' northeast side
Oct. 4: Officers responded to a house in the 5800 block of East 40th Street on a report of a person shot around 9 p.m. on the northeast side of Indianapolis. They found a juvenile male with gunshot injuries, who was transported to a hospital in critical condition.
Officers also found 19-year-old Fredrick Jamar Johnson III in the garage with gunshot injuries, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lead detective: David Miller, David.Miller2@indy.gov
Robert Louis Hornbuckle Jr., 46, dies after shooting near John Marshall Drive on east side of Indianapolis
Oct. 3: Officers were called on a report of a person shot at an apartment complex in the 10100 block of John Marshall Drive on the east side of Indianapolis at 8 p.m.
They found a man in the driver’s seat of a van with gunshot injuries. He was transported to a hospital in critical condition, where he died.
The man was later identified as 46-year-old Robert Louis Hornbuckle Jr. Detectives believe Hornbuckle was shot a short distance from the apartment complex and that he drove the van to the location where he was found.
Lead detective: Matthew Melkey, Matthew.Melkey@indy.gov
Stephen Rozelle Hale, 32, shot and killed outside apartment complex on John Marshall Drive
Oct. 1: Officers responded to a report of a person shot in the 10100 block of John Marshall Drive on the city's east side just after 11 a.m.
They found Stephen Rozelle Hale, 32, with gunshot injuries on the ground in the parking lot of an apartment complex. He was transported to a hospital, where he died.
Two days later, police said they identified the person responsible for the shooting and that they were interviewed and released after consultation with the Marion County Prosecutor's Office. The shooting may have been in self defense, but the investigation is ongoing, according to investigators.
Lead detective: Larry Craciunoiu, Larry.Craciunoiu@indy.gov
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis killings in October 2023
