Nicarro Laroy Drake, a 30-year-old African American male, was fatally shot on March 17, 2020, in Naperville, Illinois. The incident occurred during a party at a residence in the Steeple Run subdivision. According to reports, April O. Turner, a 36-year-old woman, shot Drake after enduring years of alleged abuse from him. Turner reportedly went to a closet, retrieved a 9mm handgun, and fired three shots, one of which struck Drake in the chest, resulting in his death.
Following the
shooting, another woman at the party wrestled the gun away from Turner and threw it into a bathroom sink. Turner then called 911 to report the incident. When deputies from the DuPage County Sheriff's Office arrived, they arrested Turner. During her initial court hearing, Turner claimed that she had suffered years of abuse from Drake and "went ballistic" after the most recent incident.
Turner was charged with first-degree murder and held on a $500,000 bail. However, in October 2022, the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office dropped the murder charges against Turner. The decision was based on recently discovered evidence that indicated Turner was a victim of chronic domestic abuse at the hands of Drake. The evidence included court records showing that at least 11 women, including Turner, had sought orders of protection against Drake, and he had nearly two dozen violent criminal cases on record.
The case highlighted the complexities of domestic violence and the challenges faced by survivors in the judicial system. Turner's legal team argued that she acted in self-defense, and the strength of the evidence led the State's Attorney's Office to conclude that they could not meet the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Turner was not legally justified in using deadly force against Drake.
