On the night of April 3, 2021, in Indianapolis, Indiana, 35-year-old Lamar Pittman, a Black male, was fatally shot. The incident occurred shortly before 11:30 p.m. inside a residence located in the 10000 block of John Jay Drive. When officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department arrived at the scene, they discovered Pittman suffering from injuries consistent with a gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, and his death was later ruled a homicide by the Marion County Coroner's Office.
Detectives investigating the case quickly identified the individual who had shot Pittman. This person, his ex-wife Monica Conley, was taken in for questioning. During her statement to the police, Conley asserted that Pittman had been stalking her for more than a year, even during a period when he was incarcerated for intimidation. She reported that on the night of the shooting, Pittman had entered her home without permission and confronted her in her bedroom. Fearing for her life, Conley stated that she retrieved her own firearm and shot him.
Following her statement, Monica Conley was released from custody pending further investigation by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Law enforcement officials continued to work with the Marion County Prosecutor's Office to examine the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting and to determine whether any charges would be filed. Conley later spoke publicly about the incident, expressing her frustration with the justice system and stating her belief that if prior charges against Pittman had been acted upon more decisively, he would not have been able to enter her home that night. The case brought attention to broader issues surrounding domestic violence and the legal system's response to stalking and intimidation.
