2 men in their 20s found dead in 1st Indianapolis homicides of 2019
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Police are investigating two people found dead in a west side home Saturday night as the first criminal homicides of 2019 in Indianapolis.
Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were called to the 1100 block of Sharon Avenue, near West 12th Street and North Tibbs Avenue, around 6:30 p.m. Saturday after a caller said they could see someone inside the residence lying on the floor and not moving.
Police say two people were found unresponsive inside the residence and were pronounced dead at the scene. No additional information about the victims or their deaths was immediately available. Their deaths are the first criminal homicides recorded in the city this year, Officer Michael Hewitt with IMPD confirmed.
The victims have been identified as 27-year-old Christopher Johnson and 28-year-old Kenneth Valentine.
In 2018, Indianapolis saw a record 159 criminal homicides, the last on New Year’s Eve, when a man was found shot in a stolen tow truck. Steven Roe, 32, was charged with murder after officers asked him if he knew who the shooter was, and he replied, “I am,” according to court documents.
Detectives on Saturday night were searching for witnesses.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the IMPD Homicide Office at 317=327=3745 or Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.
