IMPD: 2 dead after believed ‘murder-suicide’ on Indy east side

INDIANAPOLIS — Two people are dead following what officials with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department believe was a murder-suicide on the east side of Indianapolis Thursday evening.

According to IMPD, officers from the department’s East District were dispatched to the 1300 block of North Chester Avenue at around 8 p.m. on Thursday for a welfare check.

Officers were called after a neighbor noticed a foul smell and alerted the landlord. Officers entered an unsecured door of the home after making “several announcements.”

When they were inside the home, they found two people who appeared to have been shot.  The individuals, who were believed to be an adult man and an adult woman by investigators, appeared to have been dead for several days and officials said their bodies were decomposing.

“They was good people man. They really were. I just don’t understand how people can do things like this. It’s a shame,” said neighbor James Mitchell.

Mitchell lives across the street. He said he didn’t notice anything suspicious until police arrived because gunshots are not unusual on the street.

“There’s gunfire in this neighborhood all the time. Every night. Every single night,” said Mitchell.

“It’s terrible. It’s a shame that something like this had to happen,” said neighbor Rita Taylor.

Both neighbors were shocked that preliminarily police believe the deaths may be a murder-suicide.

“Detectives preliminarily believe this to be a murder-suicide,” the department said, “however, that has not been confirmed.”

“Knowing how the couple were, they were quiet, never argued, never fought. Then for something like this to happen, it’s devastating,” said Taylor.

A search of police reports shows prior to the deaths, police had never been called to investigate any domestic violence at the address.

Neighbors insist there were no obvious warning signs of trouble in the relationship.

“You know they were real nice people. Pleasant. Never bothered anybody.  Just good people,” said Mitchell. “There’s something wrong with human beings. We’re flawed.”

Homicide detectives with the department are investigating the incident, officials said. The Marion County Coroner’s Office will determine the exact manner and cause of death. The office will also release the names of the deceased once a proper next-of-kin notification has been made.

Anyone with information in relation to the incident is asked to contact homicide detectives at (317) 327-3475.

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