In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Angola, Indiana, the life of 20-year-old Fernando Fernandez Reyes was tragically cut short. On October 9, 2022, Reyes and another young man, 23-year-old Francisco Javier Velazquez Martinez, were found fatally shot outside a residence on North Elizabeth Street. The grim discovery was made by Angola police officers who were responding to a report of gunshots in the area shortly after 1:00 a.m.
The event sent a shockwave through the local community, prompting an immediate homicide investigation.
Born in Angola on November 16, 2001, Fernando was a graduate of Prairie Heights High School and a father to a young daughter named Ari. He was known for his active lifestyle, enjoying skateboarding, basketball, and working out. His interests also included video games, anime, and music, particularly underground rap and Spanish music. His sudden and violent death left his family and friends to grapple with a profound loss.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly identified a suspect: 19-year-old Bryar Everett Wolfe of Fremont, Indiana. Several hours after the bodies of Reyes and Martinez were discovered, around 5:30 a.m., police encountered Wolfe near the scene of the crime. Armed with a handgun, Wolfe engaged in a shootout with the officers before attempting to flee. A second exchange of gunfire occurred a few blocks away, during which Wolfe was struck. Despite efforts to provide medical aid, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital.
The Indiana State Police took over the investigation into the entire incident, including the officer-involved shooting. The four officers who were involved in the shootout were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard procedure. The case was to be reviewed by the Steuben County Prosecutor's Office. The deaths of Fernando Fernandez Reyes and Francisco Javier Velazquez Martinez were ruled a double homicide, with the perpetrator being the deceased suspect, Bryar Everett Wolfe.
