In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 19, 2025, the life of 16-year-old Kardenai Anthony Hollis was tragically cut short. A Black male from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Hollis was discovered by police around 3:08 a.m. in the 1800 block of River Run Trail, unresponsive and suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency responders transported him to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced deceased.
The Allen County Coroner's Office later confirmed that the cause of death was gunshot wounds and officially ruled the manner of death a homicide. His death marked the 22nd homicide in Fort Wayne and Allen County for the year 2025.
Initially, authorities sought the public's assistance in identifying the young victim. Once his identity was confirmed as Kardenai Anthony Hollis, the investigation into the circumstances of his death intensified. The Fort Wayne Police Department, the Allen County Prosecutor's Office, and the Allen County Coroner's Office collaborated on the case. Community members mourned the loss of the teenager, whose ordinary summer night ended in sudden violence at an apartment complex.
The investigation quickly led to a suspect. Within five days, detectives identified and arrested 19-year-old Jamoni Lee Burton in connection with the shooting. Burton, who reportedly lived in the same apartment complex as Hollis, was booked into the Allen County Jail on a murder charge on July 24, 2025. Court documents revealed that the motive may have been related to an alleged robbery, with sources telling detectives that Hollis was supposedly involved in robbing Burton.
Evidence gathered by investigators began to piece together the events of that fatal morning. According to court records, Burton's ex-girlfriend had seen him with guns and he had told her he would 'probably be in jail.' On the night of the shooting, Burton allegedly called his residence, stating he 'got into some shit woo woo woo' and that they should 'check the news.' A doorbell camera captured video of Burton at 3:21 a.m., shortly after the shooting, breathing heavily. A crucial piece of physical evidence came from preliminary forensic tests, which matched shell casings found at the crime scene to a weapon discovered under Burton's bed. Following his arrest, Jamoni Burton faced a murder charge for the death of Kardenai Hollis.
