In a quiet neighborhood on the southwest side of Indianapolis, the afternoon of Sunday, February 7, 2021, was shattered by a grim discovery. Just after 1 p.m., police officers were called to the 1000 block of Hardin Boulevard to investigate a death. Inside a residence, they found 54-year-old Donna Hawes, a female, suffering from apparent trauma. Tragically, she was pronounced dead at the scene. The Marion County Coroner's Office later confirmed that Hawes had been fatally shot.
The investigation into her death quickly became a homicide case. Detectives with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department worked to piece together the events that led to the violent end of a life. Their efforts led them to a suspect, and on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, an arrest was made.
John Moreno, 27 years old at the time, was taken into custody in connection with the murder of Donna Hawes. Following his arrest, Moreno was formally charged with murder. He was scheduled for an initial court hearing the following Friday as the legal process to seek justice for Hawes began.
