In the early hours of a Saturday in South Bend, Indiana, the life of 24-year-old De Ashay Thompson was tragically cut short. On March 14, 2020, at approximately 2:30 a.m., police were called to a Phillips 66 gas station on Lafayette Street following reports of gunfire. Upon arrival, they discovered Thompson unresponsive, having sustained a single gunshot wound.
She was quickly transported to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced deceased.
The investigation into her death revealed a chaotic scene that had unfolded moments before the fatal shot was fired. According to witness statements and surveillance footage from the gas station, an altercation had broken out. The video showed a man, later identified as 31-year-old Anthony Malone, brandishing a handgun. He was reportedly yelling at people, trying to prevent them from getting involved in a fistfight that included his girlfriend. In the midst of the turmoil, Malone was seen firing his weapon multiple times before fleeing the scene in a red Monte Carlo. The investigation moved swiftly, and within days, authorities identified Malone as the primary suspect through witness identifications and the video evidence.
On March 23, 2020, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office formally charged Anthony Malone, who was also known as Anthony Wilbourn, with murder and a firearm sentencing enhancement. Despite the charges, Malone remained at large. A search for him ensued, which came to a dramatic conclusion on April 13, 2020. After receiving a tip regarding his whereabouts, members of a U.S. Marshals Task Force located Malone driving in La Porte County. When they attempted a traffic stop, Malone fled, leading officers on a pursuit that crossed into St. Joseph County. The chase ended when Malone crashed his vehicle into a traffic pole in South Bend. He was then taken into custody and booked into jail.
In August 2021, Anthony Malone's case went to trial. While he was initially charged with murder, the jury found him guilty of a lesser charge: reckless homicide. The following month, he was sentenced for his role in De Ashay Thompson's death. The judge handed down a sentence of 21 years in prison, which consisted of six years for the reckless homicide conviction and an additional 15 years for the firearm sentencing enhancement. Malone was given credit for the nearly 500 days he had already served in jail since his arrest. In addition to the criminal proceedings, a civil lawsuit was also filed against the owner of the gas station, alleging that their negligence in allowing a large, uncontrolled gathering contributed to the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.
