In the quiet community of North Vernon, Indiana, the life of 23-year-old Donavon Dante Montell Booker was tragically cut short on the evening of Monday, April 15, 2019. He was fatally shot in the upper torso while standing in the driveway of a home on Squire Lakes Boulevard in the Country Squire Lakes subdivision. Emergency responders transported Booker to St.
Vincent Jennings Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Booker's death quickly gained momentum, aided by a home security camera system that captured the entire incident. The video footage showed a light-colored four-door passenger car pulling into the driveway, from which four individuals emerged. An altercation ensued, during which a male suspect fired a pistol at three people in the driveway, striking Booker. Witnesses later identified the shooter as 30-year-old Stephon Moore of Louisville, Kentucky.
Within a day of the shooting, investigators, acting on tips and evidence from the scene, located Moore in Louisville. He was arrested and subsequently charged with one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder. The motive for the shooting appeared to stem from a dispute over a woman, though a witness stated that Booker was merely a bystander and not involved in the initial conflict.
Three other individuals were also taken into custody in connection with the incident. Frank Bailey was charged with battery resulting in bodily injury and disorderly conduct, while Fashion Ellis faced a charge of battery. A fourth suspect, Destiny Bailey, was later arrested and charged with assisting a criminal. The investigation revealed that the suspects had traveled from Louisville to North Vernon on the day of the shooting.
