INDIANAPOLIS -- Dice, drugs and stacks of cash led to the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old Indianapolis man late last month, according to new charges filed in Marion County court on Friday.
IMPD officers were called to the 500 block of West 28th Street around 7 p.m. on Sept. 29 on a report of a person shot.
They arrived to find 22-year-old James Butler unresponsive and suffering from multiple apparent gunshot wounds.
Butler was pronounced dead at the scene.
MAP | 2017 Indianapolis Homicides
On Thursday, police announced they had arrested 17-year-old Dewayne Harris on preliminary charges of murder and robbery in connection with Butler’s death. Harris is being charged as an adult in the case.
According to a probable cause affidavit field in the case, investigators believe Harris had gone to the house on West 28th Street to sell marijuana to a group of men playing dice in a backyard. According to witnesses, those men included Harris and his brothers.
After the drug transaction was complete, a witness told police Harris and his brothers began heckling Butler for not having any “bands” – stacks of cash. Butler apparently responded by flashing approximately $4,000 in cash at the men.
At that point, the witness told police Butler took a phone call and the other men began motioning to each other – apparently conveying their intent to rob him.
One of the men, later identified by the witness as Harris, then allegedly followed Butler as he was leaving and placed a handgun against his back.
The witness told police shots were then exchanged between the two men, resulting in Butler being struck multiple times.
Police responding to the scene found Butler in possession of a revolver containing three spent cartridge casings, along with a knife and $430 in cash.
Police also found blood and bullet holes on the siding of a nearby home and detached garage.
In an interview with police, Harris reportedly said he had not played dice or seen his brothers that day, and that he hadn’t shot anyone that day.
According to police, Harris was on GPS monitoring at the time of the incident. Data from his monitor reportedly shows him at the address where the shooting until approximately 6:55 p.m. on Sept. 29 – the same time police were called to the area.
As of Friday evening, Harris was being held at the Marion County Jail without bond.
MORE FROM THE CRIME BEAT | The ‘Grundy Crew’ has a long history in Indianapolis. It may have caught up with them. | PC: Man murdered over missing drugs belonging to the ‘Mexican Mafia’ | Why are .40-calibers surging in Indy as crime guns? | Message written in blood leads IMPD to murder suspect | MAP: 2017 Indianapolis Homicides
