In the early morning hours of April 4, 2020, a brief and violent encounter at a motel on the east side of Indianapolis tragically ended the life of 21-year-old Dejure Taylor. A male resident of the city, Taylor was at the Motor 8 Inn when he and another man, Robert Edwards, were approached by three individuals. The interaction was short-lived before two of the men, one of whom was later identified as Dwayne Pope Jr., drew firearms and began shooting.
Taylor was struck by more than ten
bullets and was pronounced dead at the scene. Edwards was seriously wounded in the barrage of gunfire but survived. The entire incident was captured by the motel's surveillance cameras, providing crucial evidence for the ensuing investigation. The footage showed Pope and the other assailants confronting Taylor and Edwards before the fatal shots were fired.
Investigators were able to track Pope's movements after the shooting through the surveillance video, which showed him leaving in a silver Nissan registered to his girlfriend. Police located the vehicle at a nearby hotel where Pope was staying and took him into custody. A search of Pope's hotel room and the car uncovered significant evidence linking him to the crime. Clothing matching what the shooter was wearing in the video was found in the room, and three bullets that matched the caliber and make of the shell casings recovered from the motel were discovered in the vehicle.
In January 2023, following a three-day jury trial, Dwayne Pope Jr. was found guilty of murder for the death of Dejure Taylor. He was also convicted of attempted murder for the shooting of Robert Edwards, aggravated battery, and carrying a handgun without a license. The following month, Pope was sentenced to 100 years in prison for his role in the deadly shooting.
