Javier Campa Olvera-Aguilar, a 49-year-old Hispanic male, tragically lost his life on March 30, 2024, an innocent bystander caught in a violent altercation at a BP gas station in East Chicago, Indiana. He had simply gone to the store to buy sodas. What should have been a routine errand ended in a hail of gunfire that left him fatally wounded. Another man was injured in the shooting but survived.
The investigation into the shooting led police to identify Maurice Berry Jr., a 22-year-old
from Hammond, as the gunman. Authorities determined that the incident stemmed from a 'romantic rivalry.' Berry had allegedly gone to the gas station with the intention of shooting his former girlfriend's new boyfriend. Surveillance footage captured Berry entering the gas station and opening fire. Olvera-Aguilar, who was already in line, was struck by the gunfire. The weapon used was a modified Glock handgun capable of fully automatic fire, which discharged twelve rounds in a matter of seconds.
Maurice Berry Jr. was arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, and several weapons-related offenses. During his trial, the prosecution presented the case as a 'hit job,' arguing that Berry had lain in wait for his intended target. The defense, however, claimed that Berry had acted in self-defense, alleging that the other man had reached for something in his jacket, causing Berry to fear for his life and fire first.
Ultimately, the jury convicted Maurice Berry Jr. of voluntary manslaughter, attempted murder, and operating a loaded machine gun. On July 30, 2025, he was sentenced to 82 years in prison for his role in the tragic death of Javier Campa Olvera-Aguilar and the wounding of the other man.
