In the summer of 2023, the life of Timothy E. Kates, a 41-year-old Black/African American man known in his community as an anti-violence activist and rapper, was tragically cut short. On the evening of June 27th, police were dispatched to a residence in the 1000 block of West 13th Street in Anderson, Indiana, where they discovered Kates's body inside the home.
An autopsy would later reveal that he had sustained six gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the homicide quickly led authorities to identify two individuals, Roger Rodriguez Jr. and Demarcus Davis, as persons of interest. The search for the suspects extended beyond Indiana, with U.S. Marshals locating and apprehending Demarcus Davis in Mississippi approximately ten days after Muncie Police had arrested Roger Rodriguez Jr. on July 16th. Both men were subsequently incarcerated at the Madison County Jail as they awaited legal proceedings.
The motive for the killing appeared to be a transaction that went horribly wrong. Investigators determined that Davis, Rodriguez, and Kates had arranged to meet at the West 13th Street residence. At some point during their interaction, Davis briefly stepped out to his vehicle. Seconds after he returned to the house, multiple gunshots were fired.
In a joint trial that concluded in January 2025, a Madison County jury found both Demarcus Davis and Roger Rodriguez guilty of murder, felony murder, and armed robbery. During the trial, the defendants claimed self-defense, a narrative the jury ultimately rejected after deliberating for over three hours. A handgun was found next to Kates's body at the scene. Following the guilty verdict, both men admitted to being habitual offenders. On February 12, 2025, a judge sentenced Davis and Rodriguez to a combined total of 196 years in prison for their roles in the shooting death of Timothy Kates.
