In a tragic turn of events on a Thursday afternoon, a verbal dispute in a hotel parking lot escalated into fatal violence, claiming the life of 27-year-old Lawrence Jonte Walker. The incident, which unfolded on December 19, 2024, at the SureStay Hotel on Wernsing Road in Jasper, Indiana, cut short the life of the Cleveland, Ohio native. Walker, a male, was an employee of an external contracting company and was working in the area at the time of his death.
The altercation began around 2:00 p.m. in the hotel's parking lot between Walker and his 20-year-old coworker, Jakahri Keyshaun Curry of Macon, Georgia. The argument quickly intensified, leading Curry to allegedly draw a firearm and shoot Walker multiple times. Witnesses reported hearing five to eight shots fired. Following the shooting, individuals at the scene transported Walker to Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
While Walker was being rushed to the hospital, Curry retreated into the SureStay Hotel. Officers from the Jasper Police Department arrived at the scene at approximately 2:08 p.m. and, after being informed by witnesses that the suspect was inside, located Curry and took him into custody without incident. Both Walker and Curry were part of a larger group associated with a construction company that was staying at the hotel.
Following the arrest, the Dubois County Prosecutor's Office filed for a 72-hour hold on Curry to evaluate the case. Subsequently, on December 23, 2024, Dubois County Prosecutor Beth Schroeder formally charged Curry with one count of murder. During his initial court appearance, Curry was ordered to be held without bond. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, led by the Jasper Police Department with assistance from the Dubois County Sheriff's Office, the Indiana State Police, and the Dubois County Prosecutor's Office. A status hearing for the case is scheduled for February 18, 2025, with a jury trial set for April 22, 2025.
