In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Indianapolis, the life of Raphael V Carter Jr, a 62-year-old man, was brought to a tragic end. On November 26, 2023, police were called to his apartment in the 100 block of N. Oxford Street, where they discovered a grim scene. Carter Jr was found in a pool of blood next to his wheelchair, having sustained two gunshot wounds to the head.
A respected figure in his community, he served as an assistant pastor and Sunday school superintendent at Serenity the Prince of Peace Church of God In Christ. Despite the health challenge of having a leg amputated due to diabetes, he remained dedicated to his church and was well-regarded by those who knew him.
The initial call to the police was made by Carter Jr's son, 39-year-old Raphael Carter III, who claimed to have discovered his father's body. However, the narrative he first presented to investigators would soon unravel. Under questioning, the son's story changed dramatically, and he confessed to the killing. He admitted to shooting his father around midnight, several hours before he placed the call to the authorities. In the intervening time, he had gone to a casino with his husband, a detail he supported with ATM receipts.
The motive behind the fatal shooting appears to be rooted in a deep-seated family conflict. The father and son had been estranged for several months due to the elder Carter's disapproval of his son's sexual orientation and marriage. Although they had recently begun to reconnect, the underlying tension remained. The son informed police that his father wanted him to leave his husband and 'live right.' This long-standing disagreement seemingly culminated in the tragic events of that November night.
Following his confession, Raphael Carter III was arrested for the murder of his father. He also disclosed to investigators that he had hidden the murder weapon, a. 38 caliber revolver belonging to his husband, in a bush near a church. Despite a search, police were unable to locate the firearm. Court records also revealed that in the days leading up to the murder, Carter III had allegedly told his husband that his father had passed away in the hospital from health complications, suggesting a period of premeditation. He was subsequently held at the Marion County Jail without bond, pending the filing of formal charges.
