Man killed in robbery outside his funeral home; 2 charged with murder
UPDATE: Jashan Wallace-Carswell, 18, and Stacey Myron Fuller, 19, each face two counts of murder in connection with the fatal shooting of an Indianapolis funeral home owner on Saturday, according to court documents from the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. News 8”s Adam Pinsker will have reports on News 8 at 5, 6, 10 and 11 p.m.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE from News 8 follows
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A prayer vigil was set for Wednesday for the owner of an Indianapolis funeral home who was shot during a robbery early Saturday outside his business.
The Marion County Coroner’s Office on Monday identified him as James Dixon III. Dixon was killed during a shooting about 1:30 a.m. Saturday outside the funeral home at 1910 N. Belleview Place. That’s just west of the White River near the intersection of Lafayette and Cold Springs road on the city’s west side.
Dixon died at the crime scene.
A representative of Dixon Memorial Chapel & Cremation Service said the family is working to cope with the tragedy and declined to talk with News 8 until at least Tuesday.
Ronald Covington Sr., pastor at Friendship Baptist Church and president of the Haughville Strong Neighborhood Association, tells News 8 that a news conference and prayer vigil for Dixon, who also was a member of the clergy, will happen at 5 p.m. Wednesday in front of Dixon Memorial Chapel.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers and FBI agents were conducting an investigation in the area early Saturday when they saw the shooting, the police department said in a news release issued Saturday night. Some of the officers and agents rushed to give quick medical help to Dixon, while others chased suspects toward a vehicle.
Two people were taken in custody: Jashan Wallace-Carswell, 18, and Stacey Myron Fuller, 19. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will determine any charges against the suspects. They were arrested Saturday on preliminary charges of murder and robbery. IMPD said Monday afternoon that the jail-booking photos of the two suspects were not yet available.
IMPD said in the release, “Detectives also learned the vehicle the suspects were in was previously taken in a carjacking. Detectives are investigating to determine if these suspects were involved in additional robberies.”
Officers used an unmarked vehicle to block the suspects’ getaway vehicle at West 16th Street and Belleview Place.
IMPD says one suspect fired a shot into a windshield of the unmarked police vehicle; no one was hurt. IMPD shared a photo of a vehicle with the damaged windshield.
Once the suspects’ vehicle was stopped, Wallace-Carswell exited from the passenger side and dropped a handgun to the street. IMPD shared photos of the gun in the street.
Fuller ran north from the stopped vehicle, and police say they saw him throw a handgun over a fence before they apprehended him.
Wallace-Carswell and Fuller were taken to Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital for evaluation.
During the melee, an IMPD officer fired his service weapon at both suspects, but did not hit either. The police shooting has initiated an internal affairs investigation. The officer who fired his weapon was placed on administrative leave, a standard practice. Also, the Use of Force Review Board will have a hearing on the use of deadly force after the internal investigation is completed.
Police bodycams were activated during the crime, IMPD says.
Anyone with information in the case was asked to call Detective Sgt. Michael Duke at 317-327-3475 or e-mail him at at michael.duke@indy.gov. Anyone with information who wants to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.
