Indy sets record for deadliest year after double homicide

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A deadly record for the city has been broken just days before the start of the new year.

IMPD says there have been 144 criminal homicides in the city in 2015. The previous record was 143 in 1998.

The two victims who pushed Indy past that previous mark were teenagers Dionne Williams and Timmee Jackson, who disappeared on Christmas Eve.

In 2014, IMPD investigated 135 criminal homicides. At the time, it was the third-highest total in a year for Indy.

Now it’s been pushed down to fourth as investigators work to find the bodies of the two most recent people added to that deadly toll.

“We’ve seen all the police out here and people standing around like ‘what’s going on?’” said Brittany Taylor as she stood on the 5900 block of East 23rd  Street, just around the corner from her home. She was describing the crime scene investigators were scouring for evidence, which according to court documents was a grisly scene.

“They said they found bloody clothes, fingertips and bones,” she said, recounting what was in the documents.

One of the victims was 15-year-old Timmee along with his friend Dionne. Taylor said Dionne used to play basketball with her son.

“It hit home more because, my son being that age, you know what I’m saying? I got a nephew that’s around the age and, you know, what if it was one of them?” she said.

Across Indianapolis, dozens of sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, mothers, and fathers sadly shared the same fate as those two boys.

Their deaths marked 144 criminal homicides in the city for 2015. When compared to other cities, it might not look as high.

Chicago has had 454 criminal homicides through Dec. 20.

But when calculated based on population provided by the US Census Bureau for 2014, Chicago has 16.6 murders per 100,000 people (per capita). Indianapolis has 16.9 this year.

Other cities across the country have experienced even deadlier years when calculated per capita. Baltimore, Maryland has 342 criminal homicides but its per capita rate is 54.91. In St. Louis, Missouri, there have been 188 criminal homicides creating a per capita rate of 59.22.

“It’s just crazy, all the killings and stuff in Indianapolis and in the world just in general,” said Taylor.

Solving the deadly violence problem in Indy won’t be quick, but investigators do believe they’re close to solving this particular crime. Bail bondsman Kevin Watkins faces two murder charges in the case.

“We understand the stress for the family members involved and hopefully that’s something that we can begin to move past,” said Denise Robinson, Deputy Marion Co. Prosecutor.

Finding more evidence and hopefully the victims’ bodies can do just that.

It’s really crazy that somebody would do something like that it’s so heartless,” said Taylor.

Even though police haven’t found Dionne or Timmee, the Marion County Prosecutor’s office said there was enough evidence for them to charge Watkins with their deaths.

However, for the sake of the teenagers’ families that search will continue.