17-Year-Old Faces Murder Charge for Fatal April Shooting
17-Year-Old Faces Murder Charge for Fatal April Shooting in East Indy
INDIANAPOLIS — A 17-year-old has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old at an east Indianapolis gas station last month.
According to court records, Sir Braylon Howell was charged as an adult with two counts of murder, one count of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of dangerous possession of a firearm in the death of Malachi May. Investigators say May was shot at point-blank range through an open window of his truck.
The shooting happened at around 11:30 p.m. on April 15 near the intersection of East 34th Street and North Emerson Avenue. May was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. He died there two days later.
Detectives were able to identify Howell as a suspect through video footage from the gas station and texts located on May’s phone.
About a week after the shooting, a person reached out to police about an Instagram page for the suspect that became active again after being shut down following the shooting. Investigators identified the account that belonged to Howell which led them to a home near North Whittier Place and East 34th Street. He was then taken into custody.
Howell’s jury trial is set to begin on July 8.