In the pre-dawn hours of a cold Friday in Indianapolis, tragedy befell James 'Red' Goliday Jr., a 46-year-old Black male. On January 29, 2021, at approximately 3:30 a.m., the sound of gunfire echoed through the 4000 block of Stratford Court, near the intersection of East 42nd Street and North Post Road. Officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to the scene, where they discovered Goliday suffering from what would prove to be fatal gunshot wounds.
Initially found in a critical state, he was rushed from the scene, but medical efforts were not enough to save his life. The Marion County Coroner's Office would later confirm that Goliday’s death was a homicide caused by the gunshot wounds he sustained. His death added to a grim tally of violence that had plagued the Towne and Terrace housing complex on the city's northeast side, a community that had already mourned the loss of six others to fatal shootings in the latter half of the previous year.
The investigation into the shooting was immediately launched by IMPD homicide detectives. Despite their efforts, specifics regarding the circumstances that led to the shooting have remained elusive to the public. To date, authorities have not identified any suspects in connection with the murder of James Goliday Jr. No arrests have been made, and the case continues to be an open and active investigation. Detectives have urged anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward and contact the IMPD Homicide Office or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana, hoping that a crucial tip might lead to a breakthrough and bring a measure of justice to a grieving family and a community scarred by violence.
