In the pre-dawn hours of a July Saturday in South Bend, Indiana, the life of 25-year-old Donovan R. Russell was brought to a violent and tragic end. On July 26, 2025, around 3 a.m., police responded to reports of gunfire in the 3900 block of Sheridan Plaza. Upon their arrival, they discovered Donovan Russell inside his still-running car, which was riddled with bullet holes. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators would later recover approximately thirty spent rifle casings in the street near his vehicle, with five more found by his body, a testament to the brutal nature of the attack.
The investigation into the shooting quickly painted a grim picture of the events leading up to the homicide. Witnesses reported seeing an unfamiliar dark, four-door car with a spoiler parked across the street shortly before the gunshots rang out. A man holding a rifle was seen standing by the car, confronting a witness who had gone outside to walk their dog. The armed man, later identified as 27-year-old Amante A. Vazquez, explicitly stated he was looking for Russell and had been watching the house. Another witness, drawn outside by raised voices, saw the gunman, described as a Hispanic male with curly black hair. This individual identified himself as the boyfriend of Savannah Ragan, a 23-year-old woman with whom Russell shared a child. A witness overheard the suspect making comments about shooting Russell and attempted to de-escalate the situation before retreating inside to call 911. Shortly after, the fatal volley of shots was fired.
Within days of the shooting, the investigation led to the apprehension of two suspects. On July 29, 2025, Amante A. Vazquez of Michigan City and Savannah Ragan of South Bend were arrested in Michigan City through the collaborative efforts of the South Bend Police Department, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office, the U.S. Marshals Task Force, Indiana State Police, and the Michigan City Police Department. Vazquez was charged with Murder and a Firearm Enhancement. Ragan was charged with Aiding, Inducing or Causing Murder. Both were booked into the St. Joseph County Jail and held without bond. Court records indicated that an argument had occurred between Russell and Ragan earlier on the night of the shooting. Vazquez was scheduled for an initial court appearance on August 4, with Ragan's set for August 11, marking the next chapter in the pursuit of justice for Donovan Russell.
