In the spring of 2021, a tragedy unfolded in a quiet neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana, forever altering the lives of several families. On the afternoon of April 20th, police were dispatched to a residence on Third Street where they made a grim discovery. Inside, 40-year-old Jennifer Dray and 30-year-old Amanda Shroyer were found suffering from gunshot wounds.
Dray, a female, was pronounced dead at the scene, while Shroyer succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.
The investigation into the double homicide revealed a dark narrative of suspicion and reprisal. The home where the two women were found had been rented by a man who had died from a drug overdose just days prior. In the wake of his death, friends and associates, including a man named Joshua Dube, began to cast blame upon Jennifer Dray, believing she was responsible for the fatal overdose. This belief appears to have set in motion the violent events that followed.
According to court documents, Dube was at the Third Street house when he and Dray became involved in a dispute. During the confrontation, Dray and Shroyer locked themselves in a bathroom. Dube then contacted Marina Zrnic, who arrived at the house with Ronald Wayne Price. Witnesses reported that Zrnic was in communication with Dube before she and Price entered the home. What happened next was a brutal act of violence; the two women were shot as they emerged from the bathroom.
In the immediate aftermath, Dube fled the scene with bags of methamphetamine and cocaine, and was apprehended later that night during a traffic stop. He was subsequently charged with dealing methamphetamine, cocaine, and a narcotic drug.
The investigation into the murders led to the identification of Marina Zrnic as a person of interest. She was later charged with felony murder and attempted robbery in connection with the deaths of Dray and Shroyer. In a plea agreement, Zrnic pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. As part of her cooperation with authorities, she identified Ronald Wayne Price as the gunman. Zrnic told investigators that she brought Price with her for protection and that he unexpectedly opened fire on the two women.
Ronald Wayne Price, a white male, was identified as the primary suspect in the murders. After a search by law enforcement, he was located and arrested in September 2021 following a standoff with police. Price faced multiple charges, including two counts of murder and two counts of felony murder. Following a jury trial, he was found guilty on two counts of felony murder and received an aggregate sentence of 130 years in prison. His appeal of the conviction was unsuccessful. Joshua Dube also eventually pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and confinement.
