In an act of violence that shattered a spring afternoon in Indianapolis, 27-year-old Timothy Lewis II lost his life on May 15, 2022. The fatal encounter unfolded on the city's near southeast side, in the 1600 block of Harlan Street, near East Minnesota Street and South Keystone Avenue. Responding to a report of a person shot, officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department discovered Lewis with gunshot wounds to his head and face.
Despite the immediate medical attention he received, Timothy Wayne Lewis II passed away from his injuries on May 18, 2022, at Eskenazi Hospital, surrounded by his family.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led to a suspect. Witnesses provided a description that allowed police to apprehend John May after a brief pursuit. The case against May was solidified by a neighbor's security camera which had captured the tragic altercation. The video evidence showed May pointing a gun at Lewis's face and firing. The footage further depicted May standing over Lewis and shooting him again, sealing a brutal and tragic fate. This crucial piece of evidence painted a clear picture of the events that led to Timothy's untimely death.
In the face of overwhelming evidence, the legal process moved forward. John May was charged with the murder of Timothy Lewis II. Following his trial, a jury found him guilty of the crime. In a hearing on December 20, 2024, John May was sentenced to 51 years in prison for his role in the deadly shooting. The sentencing brought a measure of closure to a case that had deeply affected the community and, most profoundly, the family and friends of Timothy Lewis II, who remembered him as a kind-hearted man with a contagious smile and a giving personality.
