Hendrick Robinson, a 59-year-old man, was walking in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, on the afternoon of Monday, October 19, 2026, when a violent encounter cut his life short. While much of his personal story remains private, his death prompted a swift and thorough investigation that uncovered a detailed sequence of events leading to an arrest within days.
The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. near the 400 block of Richard Gordon Hatcher Boulevard.
According to detectives with the Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, surveillance footage from a nearby building showed Mr. Robinson walking when he was approached by a man in a black hooded sweatshirt. The two appeared to exchange words before walking together toward an alley. Shortly after they moved out of the camera's view, a barrage of gunfire erupted.
Investigators at the scene discovered a chaotic and violent picture. They recovered 76 spent shell casings, indicating that at least three different firearms had been discharged during the confrontation. Police also determined that Mr. Robinson had been carrying a .45-caliber handgun, leading them to believe he may have been defending himself against at least two other armed individuals. An autopsy later confirmed that he died from a gunshot wound to the torso at Methodist Northlake Hospital. Audio captured on the surveillance system recorded a male voice saying, "I'm empty," and another complaining that a "switch" — a device to make a firearm fully automatic — was not working, suggesting the motive was a robbery.
Witnesses reported hearing the gunshots and seeing two or three people running from the alley. The individuals were seen getting into a white 2023 Nissan Sentra and speeding away from the area. This vehicle became the central focus for investigators. Using license plate reader data and additional surveillance footage, police identified the Nissan and its owner.
Just three days later, on October 22, Gary Police located the white Nissan Sentra near 8901 East 5th Avenue. They conducted a traffic stop and found 20-year-old Keionta Lamar Martin of Merrillville in the passenger seat. An AR-style pistol was discovered on the floorboard where he was sitting. Martin was taken into custody. During questioning, he denied any knowledge of the homicide, though he admitted to owning the car and the firearm. He gave conflicting accounts of his whereabouts at the time of the shooting, initially placing himself near the scene before changing his story.
The investigation continued to build a case against Martin. License plate readers confirmed his Nissan was in the vicinity of the homicide shortly after it occurred. A search warrant was executed at his grandfather's residence, where Martin had reportedly been trying to conceal his car. A neighbor provided security footage that showed Martin arriving about an hour after the shooting. On the video, Martin could allegedly be heard making a statement suggesting an older man had died and speaking explicitly about the shooting.
A key breakthrough came from a witness who spoke with detectives. This individual stated that Martin had arrived at the residence on October 19 and described a robbery gone wrong. According to this witness, Martin admitted that he and an associate had tried to rob someone in an alley when an "older man" started shooting at them. Martin allegedly said his associate shot the man and that he also began firing a weapon equipped with a "switch."
On October 24, 2026, the Lake County Prosecutor's Office formally charged Keionta Lamar Martin with murder, robbery, attempted robbery, and two firearm enhancements. He is being held at the Lake County Jail. The case is being handled by the Lake County Prosecutor's Homicide Task Force, which continues to investigate. As of late October 2026, Martin is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Authorities have asked anyone with information to contact Detective Escutia at 219-755-3855.
