In the spring of 1987, a violent series of crimes plagued the elderly community of Indianapolis, Indiana, culminating in a tragic event on May 20 involving 87-year-old Laverne Hale. On that day, the Black female resident was in her home when she was targeted by an intruder. The assailant forced his way into the residence and subjected the elderly woman to a brutal physical assault. The attack was severe, involving blunt force trauma that left her in critical condition.
Although she was discovered and transported for medical treatment, the injuries she sustained during the home invasion proved fatal, and she succumbed to them nine days later in the hospital.
Police investigators quickly connected the attack on Laverne Hale to a disturbing pattern of violence in the area. The authorities identified the perpetrator as Howard Arthur Allen, a local man with a prior criminal history involving crimes against elderly women. Allen had previously served prison time for the 1974 manslaughter of an 85-year-old woman but had been released on parole in 1985. Detectives determined that Allen lived in the same neighborhood as Hale, residing directly behind her property, which facilitated his ability to target her. The investigation revealed that Hale was one of several victims in a spree that included assaults, burglaries, and arson committed by Allen during that period.
The law enforcement breakthrough came later that summer following the murder of another elderly woman, Ernestine Griffin, in July 1987. Evidence found at that crime scene, including a note with Allen's name and witness accounts linking him to the area, led to his arrest on August 4, 1987. During interrogation, Allen admitted to being in Griffin's home but denied the killings. However, prosecutors built a substantial case against him. While Allen faced charges and was identified as the prime suspect in the death of Laverne Hale, the legal proceedings focused heavily on the capital murder charge for Griffin. He was ultimately convicted of murder and robbery in 1988 and sentenced to death, a sentence that was later commuted to a lengthy prison term due to court rulings regarding his mental capacity.
