On a summer morning in Indianapolis, the life of John Easley, a 27-year-old man, was tragically cut short. On July 12, 2017, just before 11:30 a.m., police responded to a report of a shooting in the 2900 block of Caroline Avenue on the city's northeast side. Upon their arrival, they discovered a grim scene that would leave a lasting impact on the neighborhood.
Easley was found deceased, one of two victims in what was determined to be a double homicide.
He and another man, 25-year-old Mark Secrest Jr., had both sustained fatal gunshot wounds. One of the men was discovered inside a residence, while the other lay outside the home, a testament to the violence that had just transpired. The incident was a stark reminder of the rise in multiple-victim homicides the city was experiencing that year.
In the wake of the killings, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department launched an investigation, with homicide detectives and crime lab personnel meticulously working the scene to piece together the events that led to the deaths of the two young men. Despite their efforts, the investigation proved to be challenging. Information surrounding the shooting was scarce, and a lack of eyewitnesses or substantial leads hampered the progress of the case.
To date, the murders of John Easley and Mark Secrest Jr. remain unsolved. No suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the double homicide. Law enforcement has urged anyone with information to come forward, hopeful that a crucial piece of evidence might still emerge and bring closure to the families of the victims and the community that was shaken by this senseless act of violence.
