IMPD: Uber driver admitted to killing passenger ID'd as missing woman

DISCLAIMER: This story contains details that may not be suitable for all readers, including brief mention of sexual abuse of a corpse.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis police have arrested an Uber driver after they say he admitted to murdering a passenger identified as a missing woman found dead on the near southeast side Monday.

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Francisco Valadez, 29, faces murder charges for the death of Chanti Dixon, 30, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department posted on Facebook Tuesday.

Dixon’s body was found near a wooded area in the 1800 block of Wagner Avenue around 1 p.m. Monday. That’s a couple of blocks northwest of the intersection of East Raymond Street and South Sherman Drive.

Police say Dixon had sustained a gunshot wound. She was last seen early Sunday morning and reported missing on Monday.

A probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8 says detectives on the scene spoke with Dixon’s mother. She told officers that Dixon got off work around 3:30 a.m. Sunday and took an Uber to get home.

Detectives reviewed cell phone data from Dixon’s phones and found she ordered an Uber at her place of work, took it to a location on East Washington Street around 4 a.m., then left in the same Uber to head to her home address on Earhart Street.

Investigators soon determined Valadez was the Uber driver, and named him a person of interest.

When police spoke with Valadez at his home, he told investigators that he did give Dixon a ride, but when he dropped her off, a black male came up to his car and tried to rob her. Valadez said the male shot Dixon in the thigh, and both Dixon and the male fled the scene.

Valadez also said he already cleaned the blood from his car. Valadez’s mother told officers that he’d cleaned everything out of his car and also carried a gun on him that was inside the home.

After this, court documents say Valadez was taken to the IMPD Homicide Office for a full interview.

The affidavit says Valadez “told two different stories as to what happened with Ms. Dixon” before admitting to “(shooting) Dixon in the head in the back of his car while he was trying to have sex with her.”

He also told investigators that after shooting her, he drug her body behind a concrete barrier at the end of Wagner Street, and tried having sex with her body before he left the scene.

Valadez was arrested and booked into the Marion County jail on Tuesday. He faces a preliminary charge of murder.

A court date hasn’t been set.

IMPD Chief Bailey said in a press conference Tuesday that this homicide is “disturbing” and “disgusting.”

“You have to intervene when you know you can prevent violence,” Bailey said. “I am so sorry to (Ms. Dixon’s) family.”

Assistant Chief Catherine Cummings says as a woman, this case hit differently.

“Women, girls, mothers, they have a right to exist freely in our community without fear of something heinous happening to them. They have a right to walk, bike, order a rideshare,” she said.

Sade’ Batey, a close friend of Dixon’s, told News 8 that Dixon left a big impression on everyone in her life.

“Chanti BreSha Dixon. I am hurt and devastated (by) this happening. It hit so close to home and it hurts so bad,” Batey said. “She was goofy, she was happy, always laughing, always caring. She was a mom before anything, hardworking, and dedicated to her goals. She had such a big impression on all around her. I hate this happened. I’m still in disbelief, but I love you, girl, and forever will!”

Uber banned Valadez from driving

A spokesperson for Uber told News 8 on Tuesday that Valadez has been banned from using the platform, and Uber plans to assist IMPD in the investigation.

“Our hearts break for Ms. Dixon’s family and loved ones in the midst of this tragedy. The details of this act of violence are atrocious and we will assist Indianapolis police however we can as they continue to investigate,” the spokesperson said.

They also encourage riders to know what safety resources are available to them in the app, including:

Uber’s emergency button
911 integration through RapidSOS
RideCheck
Audio recording
GPS tracking
Share My Trip
“Live Help” from an Uber safety agent

Chief Bailey asks that anyone who has encountered Valadez as a rideshare driver in the past few months or anyone with information on Dixon’s death was asked to call the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475.