On November 21, 2020, a violent confrontation in Jasper, Indiana, claimed the life of Tre Lee Carnahan, a 21-year-old White male who had resided in the area. The tragic sequence of events unfolded in the early morning hours within the Maple Grove trailer park, where a transaction involving a significant quantity of marijuana had been arranged. Carnahan had reportedly communicated with acquaintances beforehand about his intention to rob the seller rather than complete the purchase. The seller, identified as 19-year-old Andres W.C. Lopez from Owensboro, Kentucky, had traveled to the location with two other individuals to conduct the deal.
When the meeting took place around 2:00 a.m., the situation quickly escalated into chaos. Reports indicate that Carnahan approached Lopez’s vehicle with a firearm, intending to take the narcotics by force. During the altercation, both men discharged weapons, striking one another in the chest. Lopez managed to flee the immediate scene in his vehicle but was later discovered by authorities on a nearby street, where he was pronounced dead. Carnahan was transported by private vehicle to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
A lengthy investigation by the Jasper Police Department and the Dubois County Prosecutor’s Office followed the double fatality to determine how the events transpired and who else was involved. Detectives learned that the robbery had been premeditated and involved additional accomplices who facilitated the encounter. It was discovered that a handgun used by Carnahan had been provided to him by an associate specifically for use during the drug deal. The investigation also revealed plans for a distraction, involving a brick thrown at the seller's car, to assist in the robbery.
In February 2022, more than a year after the shooting, authorities arrested two suspects connected to the incident. Stephen Gomez, a resident of Huntingburg, was taken into custody and charged with aiding robbery, a Level 2 felony, obstruction of justice, and possession of marijuana. Investigators alleged that Gomez acted as a lookout during the attempted heist and had facilitated the transfer of the weapon to Carnahan.
A second suspect, Kevin Wayman of Taswell, was also arrested and charged with aiding armed robbery, a Level 3 felony, and false informing. Police alleged that Wayman owned the firearm used in the shooting and had loaned it to Gomez with the knowledge that it would be used during the drug transaction. He later reportedly attempted to mislead investigators regarding the gun's involvement. The arrests brought a new phase of legal proceedings to a case that had begun with two young men losing their lives over an illicit deal gone wrong.
