NewsLocal News

Actions

Man faces murder charge following road rage death

Posted at 5:55 PM, Feb 19, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-19 17:55:52-05

INDIANAPOLIS — A Plainfield man faces a preliminary charge of murder for an incident that appears to have begun as road rage on I-465.

Indianapolis Police released their report on what led up to the murder of 33-year-old Mustafa Ayoubi at a west side apartment complex Saturday.

32-year-old Dustin Passarelli was arrested at the scene.

Friends of the victim, who was originally from Afghanistan, told investigators they were waiting for Ayoubi at the apartments, just off I-465 at West 38th. Street.

One friend told police Ayoubi drove up with Passarelli behind him and the two men got into a heated argument, with Passarelli yelling religious and ethnic insults including, "go back to your country."

Then, according to the friend, Passarelli shot Ayoubi multiple times.

In the police report, Passarelli said he was driving on 465 when Ayoubi's car came up behind him in an aggressive manner.

He said he followed Ayoubi off the highway and into the apartment complex were the two argued and the victim was shot.

Passarelli told police Ayoubi called him a, "dirty Jew.

Police say Ayoubi was not armed.

In an interview with RTV6, Ayoubi's sister said her brother was the victim of a hate crime.

Indiana does not have a hate crime law.

Whether Passarelli could face federal hate crime charges has not yet been decided.