On the first day of 2023, the life of 18-year-old Anthony Holdbrook was tragically cut short in Lafayette, Indiana. The young Black man was found with a gunshot wound shortly before midnight in the 800 block of North 7th Street. Emergency services rushed him to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. The incident marked the first homicide of the new year in Lafayette and set in motion an investigation that would lead detectives to another Indiana city.
Investigators
diligently followed leads that pointed them toward Kokomo, Indiana. Their efforts paid off when they identified five suspects who had traveled to Lafayette and fled the scene of the shooting in a gray PT Cruiser convertible. Between April 14th and April 20th, 2023, all five suspects were taken into custody. The individuals arrested were Dimanione Lovelace Jr., Amarion Alsup, Bailey Hensley, and Shae Martin, along with a 15-year-old male whose name was not publicly released. The four adult suspects faced serious charges, including murder, robbery, and theft.
The investigation revealed that the group from Kokomo had arranged to meet with Holdbrook under the pretense of a gun trade. Bailey Hensley later admitted to investigators that she was the driver for the group. The planned transaction took a violent turn, resulting in a struggle over a firearm. During the altercation, shots were fired, and Anthony Holdbrook was fatally wounded.
The wheels of justice began to turn for those accused in Holdbrook's death. One of the central figures in the case, Dimanione Lovelace Jr., faced a bench trial. He was found guilty on multiple counts, including felony murder and robbery. In May of 2025, a judge sentenced Lovelace Jr. to a total of 72 years, with 64 of those years to be served in the Indiana Department of Correction, followed by eight years of probation. The other individuals involved also faced legal consequences for their roles in the events of that New Year's Day.
