In the late morning of May 18, 2024, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace on Sunny Acres Lane in Bedford, Indiana, leaving 44-year-old Johnnie Grubb IV fatally wounded. Another man, Jeffery Crane, 49, of Mitchell, was also critically injured in the incident which authorities say was captured on surveillance video. Grubb, a self-employed mechanic known for his intelligence and willingness to help friends, was found inside his residence while Crane was discovered in the garage.
Both men were rushed to IU Health Bedford Hospital where Grubb was pronounced dead. Crane, who suffered gunshot wounds to his chest and leg, was airlifted to a hospital in Louisville for emergency surgery.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led law enforcement to identify two men who had fled the scene. Authorities tracked the suspects through a vehicle and by pinging a cell phone, which led them to the Unionville area of Monroe County. Later, police conducted a traffic stop on the State Road 45/46 bypass and took 36-year-old Timothy Brian Helton of Camby into custody. A loaded 9mm handgun, believed to be the weapon used in the shooting, was found under the passenger seat of the vehicle. The second man, 29-year-old Christopher Cecil, was later located and arrested in Greene County on an outstanding warrant and a new charge of methamphetamine possession.
According to statements made to the police, the shooting stemmed from an ongoing dispute. Grubb's fiancée told investigators that two men had attempted to steal their four-wheeler a couple of weeks prior to the shooting and that one of the men had pulled a gun on Crane at that time. In his statement to the police, Helton admitted to being under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the incident and claimed he felt threatened. He stated that after Grubb made a comment about his firearm, he drew his weapon and began firing, though he claimed he did not specifically aim at Grubb.
Timothy Brian Helton has been charged with murder, attempted murder, criminal recklessness, pointing a loaded firearm, and carrying a firearm without a license. His jury trial is scheduled to begin in Lawrence County Superior Court II. Christopher Cecil has not been charged in connection with the shooting itself.
