Brandon Riggs was a 36-year-old Black male known to his friends and family as a spirited and family-oriented individual who served as the 'glue' that held his loved ones together. Born in Charleston, Missouri, he later relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2008 with his fiancée and children, seeking a fresh start after the tragic loss of a son. In Indianapolis, he built a life working at a local Applebee’s and pursuing a passion for flipping houses. Those who knew him described him as the life of the party, a man with a constant smile who loved fishing and deeply cherished his role as a father to his remaining children.
On the afternoon of November 12, 2019, tragedy struck at a residence in the 2400 block of North Rural Street on the east side of Indianapolis. Officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of two individuals down inside the home around 4:19 p.m. Upon their arrival, first responders discovered Riggs alongside 25-year-old Natasha Jones. Both had sustained fatal injuries, and the Marion County Coroner’s Office subsequently determined that they had died from gunshot wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene, leaving their families and the local community in a state of shock and mourning.
Despite an immediate investigation by homicide detectives, law enforcement struggled to identify those responsible for the double homicide. Police canvassed the area and urged the public to come forward with information, emphasizing that tips could be submitted anonymously. However, no suspects were publicly identified in the aftermath of the shooting, and reports indicated that the incident appeared to be isolated. As the investigation continued in the years following his death, no arrests were made, and the case remained open with authorities continuing to seek leads to bring justice to the victims' grieving families.
