On a summer morning in Indianapolis, Indiana, the life of 12-year-old Israel Offett was tragically cut short. In the pre-dawn hours, he and his 24-year-old brother, Wayland Coe, were found inside a car, both having sustained gunshot wounds. The brothers were rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but neither would survive their injuries.
The family’s world was shattered later that morning when Israel’s mother, preparing for a family trip, discovered he was not in his bed.
A call to his phone was answered by someone who informed them of the devastating news. The family was left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of two of their own, left to identify their loved ones through black and white photographs provided by the coroner.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led police to a suspect. Within a day of the shooting, a witness came forward, identifying 19-year-old Anthony Bean as the gunman. According to the witness, the tragic events unfolded after Wayland Coe was seen talking to a group of girls, one of whom was Bean’s girlfriend. This interaction allegedly prompted Bean to fire multiple shots into the vehicle occupied by the two brothers.
Anthony Bean was located and taken into custody the day after the shooting. During questioning, he reportedly gave inconsistent statements about the events of that morning. He was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of murder and two counts of intimidation. As the legal proceedings began, a trial date was set for the early fall. Bean was held in jail without bond awaiting his court appearance. There is no publicly available information regarding the outcome of the trial or any subsequent conviction or sentencing.
