On the night of June 8, 2023, a violent incident occurred in the 6400 block of Mississippi Street in Merrillville, Indiana, resulting in the death of 34-year-old White female Ashley Lanee Bitikofer. Merrillville Police Officers were dispatched to the location at approximately 11:15 p.m. after receiving reports of a shooting. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered Bitikofer had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the response of emergency personnel, she was pronounced deceased at the scene due to the severity of her injuries.
Officers also located a second victim, identified as Michael Lehman, who had sustained numerous gunshot wounds during the same encounter. Medics provided immediate treatment on-site before Lehman was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Chicago, where he was listed in critical condition. The investigation was immediately handed over to Merrillville Detectives, who began collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses to determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting.
Through witness statements and evidentiary leads, investigators quickly identified a suspect, Dejuan Boyd Mcintyre. Reports indicated that Mcintyre and Bitikofer had previously been involved in a tumultuous relationship that had ended several months prior to the shooting. By the afternoon of June 9, 2023, detectives had secured a search warrant for Mcintyre and his residence in Gary, Indiana. The Merrillville Tactical Apprehension Squad assisted in serving the warrant, and Mcintyre surrendered peacefully to authorities without further incident.
Following his apprehension, the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office filed formal charges against Mcintyre, including one count of murder for the death of Bitikofer and one count of attempted murder regarding the injuries inflicted upon Lehman. He was subsequently held in custody at the Lake County Jail while awaiting court proceedings. Bitikofer, a resident of Portage, Indiana, was survived by her two sons, her mother, and several other family members who mourned the sudden tragedy.
