On the evening of November 28, 2022, a violent transaction in Fort Wayne, Indiana, claimed the life of 27-year-old Johnny Ray Yates Sr., a Black male resident of the area. The incident unfolded after Yates arranged to meet with acquaintances to trade firearms and marijuana. Accompanied by his girlfriend, who drove their vehicle, Yates arrived at a residence in the 2900 block of Reed Street, believing they were there to exchange two of his guns for a Glock 48 equipped with a drum magazine.
Upon their arrival, the couple was joined by two younger individuals who entered the back seat of the car. Lonnel Tinker, then 17 years old, sat directly behind Yates in the passenger seat, while another individual identified as Diego Thornton sat behind the driver. As the group discussed the exchange, the situation abruptly turned into a robbery. Tinker and his associate produced handguns and demanded Yates and his girlfriend hand over their possessions. In the ensuing chaos, Tinker opened fire, striking Yates multiple times in the back.
Yates' girlfriend managed to drive away from the scene of the shooting, eventually stopping in the 2800 block of Monroe Street, where emergency responders located them. Yates was transported to a local hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. The Allen County Coroner ruled the death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds.
Police investigation, aided by witness testimony and digital evidence, quickly identified Lonnel Tinker as the primary shooter. He was arrested and charged as an adult with felony murder and robbery causing serious bodily injury. In legal proceedings that followed, a jury found Tinker guilty of felony murder and attempted robbery. In April 2023, a judge sentenced Tinker to 65 years in the Indiana Department of Correction, the maximum penalty allowed, citing the premeditated and brutal nature of the crime. An appeal filed by Tinker in 2024 was subsequently denied, upholding his conviction and sentence.
