Indianapolis mass murder (2006)
Encyclopedia
The Hamilton Avenue Murders is the colloquial name for the mass murder
of seven people in a house at 560 North Hamilton Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana
, on June 1, 2006.
According to the television program
America's Most Wanted
, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a 911 call just after 10:00 p.m. They found seven dead victims on main floor, three of whom were children aged 11 and under. The victims were shot with a military-style weapon, police charged.
Witnesses said that two suspects were seen entering the house shortly before the murders were believed to have taken place. Flora Albarran arrived with a friend to pick up her son around 10:00 p.m. Her brother Magno also arrived about the same time. Both noticed that the house lights were out, which they knew was odd. When Flora entered, witnesses said she started screaming and yelled to her friend not to come in. The two suspects were seen leaving through the front door moments later.
Police identified the suspects as James Stewart and Desmond Turner. Stewart was caught the following day and arrested without incident. Turner, who had finished a four-year stint in prison
only six months before, was the subject of a widespread manhunt
by local, state and federal authorities. He was captured on June 3, two days after the murders, when he turned himself in without incident at a Hardee's restaurant
on Indianapolis's east side. Prosecutors charged Turner and Stewart with 7 counts of murder
, 7 counts of felony murder
, 7 counts of criminal confinement, robbery
, burglary
, carrying a handgun without a license (Stewart), and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon (Stewart). Prosecutors originally sought the death penalty against Turner, but eventually dropped that request and only sought a sentence of life without parole
in exchange for Turner agreeing to waive his right to a trial by jury and instead be tried before a judge only.
Both suspects maintain their innocence, but Stewart's girlfriend
has claimed that he had admitted his role in the shootings.
Desmond Turner was convicted of 7 counts of felony murder
, 7 counts of criminal confinement, burglary
, and robbery
; he was sentenced to life imprisonment
without parole plus 88 years on November 20, 2009. James Stewart was convicted of 7 counts of felony murder
, 6 counts of criminal confinement, robbery
, burglary
, carrying a handgun without a license, and found him to be a habitual offender
; he was sentenced to 425 years in prison on January 6, 2010. Both men have promised to appeal
.
The house on 560 North Hamilton Ave. was set on fire 2 years later in an arson
attack on August 23, 2008.
On March 31, 2010 Indianapolis announced that the home on Hamilton Avenue will be demolished in the next 60 days. As promised, the house was demolished the morning of July 16, 2010.
Mass murder
Mass murder is the act of murdering a large number of people , typically at the same time or over a relatively short period of time. According to the FBI, mass murder is defined as four or more murders occurring during a particular event with no cooling-off period between the murders...
of seven people in a house at 560 North Hamilton Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, on June 1, 2006.
According to the television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted is an American television program produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode...
, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a 911 call just after 10:00 p.m. They found seven dead victims on main floor, three of whom were children aged 11 and under. The victims were shot with a military-style weapon, police charged.
Witnesses said that two suspects were seen entering the house shortly before the murders were believed to have taken place. Flora Albarran arrived with a friend to pick up her son around 10:00 p.m. Her brother Magno also arrived about the same time. Both noticed that the house lights were out, which they knew was odd. When Flora entered, witnesses said she started screaming and yelled to her friend not to come in. The two suspects were seen leaving through the front door moments later.
Police identified the suspects as James Stewart and Desmond Turner. Stewart was caught the following day and arrested without incident. Turner, who had finished a four-year stint in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
only six months before, was the subject of a widespread manhunt
Manhunt (law enforcement)
In law enforcement, a manhunt is a search for a dangerous fugitive involving the use of all available police units and technology and sometimes help from the public....
by local, state and federal authorities. He was captured on June 3, two days after the murders, when he turned himself in without incident at a Hardee's restaurant
Hardee's
Hardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southeast and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since its establishment in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain, Carl's...
on Indianapolis's east side. Prosecutors charged Turner and Stewart with 7 counts of murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, 7 counts of felony murder
Felony murder rule
The rule of felony murder is a legal doctrine in some common law jurisdictions that broadens the crime of murder in two ways. First, when an offender kills accidentally or without specific intent to kill in the course of an applicable felony, what might have been manslaughter is escalated to murder...
, 7 counts of criminal confinement, robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
, burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, carrying a handgun without a license (Stewart), and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon (Stewart). Prosecutors originally sought the death penalty against Turner, but eventually dropped that request and only sought a sentence of life without parole
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
in exchange for Turner agreeing to waive his right to a trial by jury and instead be tried before a judge only.
Both suspects maintain their innocence, but Stewart's girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
has claimed that he had admitted his role in the shootings.
Desmond Turner was convicted of 7 counts of felony murder
Felony murder rule
The rule of felony murder is a legal doctrine in some common law jurisdictions that broadens the crime of murder in two ways. First, when an offender kills accidentally or without specific intent to kill in the course of an applicable felony, what might have been manslaughter is escalated to murder...
, 7 counts of criminal confinement, burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, and robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
; he was sentenced to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
without parole plus 88 years on November 20, 2009. James Stewart was convicted of 7 counts of felony murder
Felony murder rule
The rule of felony murder is a legal doctrine in some common law jurisdictions that broadens the crime of murder in two ways. First, when an offender kills accidentally or without specific intent to kill in the course of an applicable felony, what might have been manslaughter is escalated to murder...
, 6 counts of criminal confinement, robbery
Robbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
, burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, carrying a handgun without a license, and found him to be a habitual offender
Habitual offender
A habitual offender is a person who has repeatedly committed the same crime. Various state and jurisdictions may have laws targeting habitual offenders, and specifically providing for enhanced or exemplary punishments or other sanctions...
; he was sentenced to 425 years in prison on January 6, 2010. Both men have promised to appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
.
The house on 560 North Hamilton Ave. was set on fire 2 years later in an arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
attack on August 23, 2008.
On March 31, 2010 Indianapolis announced that the home on Hamilton Avenue will be demolished in the next 60 days. As promised, the house was demolished the morning of July 16, 2010.
Victims
- Emma Valdez, 46
- Alberto Covarrubias, 56, Valdez's husband
- Flora Albarran, 22, Valdez's daughter
- Magno Albarran, 29, Valdez's Son, Flora Albarran's brother
- Luis Albarran, 5, Flora Albarran's son
- David Covarrubias, 8 Valdez's son
- Alberto Covarrubias, 11 Valdez's son