In the early morning hours of September 11, 2021, a fatal encounter unfolded in an abandoned lot in Gary, Indiana, leading to the death of 28-year-old Andrew Lukacek. Lukacek had been called to the location near the Tavern In The Oaks bar by his recent ex-girlfriend, Felicia Nelson. It was believed that Nelson had asked Lukacek to help her and a group of friends acquire cocaine.
Some of Nelson's friends were unable to enter the bar and remained in their vehicles across the street, with Nelson occasionally bringing them drinks.
Around 1:30 AM, Lukacek arrived and approached Nelson's vehicle. Shortly after, a white SUV appeared, and a man, later identified as David Cotto, Nelson's new boyfriend, exited the vehicle and confronted Lukacek. Witnesses reported that Cotto made a threatening statement before pulling out a gun and shooting Lukacek. Cotto then fled the scene. Emergency services were dispatched at approximately 1:49 AM, but Lukacek succumbed to a gunshot wound to the chest at the scene.
The investigation into Andrew Lukacek's death quickly focused on David Cotto and Felicia Nelson. In the aftermath of the shooting, Nelson and her children reportedly went with Cotto to a hotel. It was suggested that the couple believed that if they were married, Nelson would not have to testify against Cotto. On September 24, 2021, U.S. Marshals located and arrested David Cotto at Felicia Nelson's home in Gary, where he was found hiding in the attic.
Following the investigation, David Cotto was charged with murder with a firearm enhancement. Felicia Nelson was charged with assisting a criminal, a Level 5 felony, for allegedly harboring Cotto and making plans to leave the area with him. The cases against Cotto and Nelson were joined for trial. A jury found both David Cotto and Felicia Nelson guilty of their respective charges. Cotto, who also admitted to being a habitual offender, was sentenced to an aggregate term of seventy-five years of incarceration for the murder of Andrew Lukacek.
