In what was described as a tragic and violent end to a history of domestic abuse, 34-year-old Tiffany Plummer was found dead in a Fishers, Indiana apartment on March 23, 2020. The events leading to the discovery of her body unfolded dramatically, with a police standoff that shut down a portion of the city.
The incident began when law enforcement responded to a call, and an individual inside the apartment, later identified as Derrick Upshaw, fired at officers.
This initiated a standoff that drew a heavy police presence to the apartment complex at State Road 37 and 141st Street. After the situation de-escalated and police were able to enter the residence, they found both Plummer and Upshaw deceased inside in what was investigated as an apparent murder-suicide.
Further investigation into the lives of Plummer and Upshaw revealed a disturbing pattern of domestic violence. Upshaw had a criminal history that included previous charges of violence against Plummer. In a prior incident, Plummer reported to police that Upshaw had physically assaulted her, hitting her in the face, pulling her hair, kicking her, and biting her. She had escaped that attack by jumping from a third-floor balcony while her two children were present in the apartment. Despite charges of rape, criminal confinement, battery, and strangulation, Upshaw had reached a plea deal that resulted in no additional jail time, with most of the charges being dropped.
Upshaw also had a prior conviction for domestic battery in the presence of a child and strangulation from a 2017 incident involving a different woman and a child. For those charges, he received a minimal jail sentence. Due to his convictions, Upshaw was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. The fatal incident in Fishers underscored a tragic cycle of violence and raised questions about the effectiveness of the justice system in protecting victims of domestic abuse.
