In the winter of 2019, the life of Richard Eugene Pettry Jr., a 42-year-old White male from Indianapolis, was tragically cut short. On January 12th, in the 1500 block of East Minnesota Street, Pettry was fatally shot. The incident prompted a criminal homicide investigation by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
An obituary remembered Richard Pettry as a man who enjoyed skydiving, fishing, and restoring cars.
He was a father and grandfather, survived by his children and a grandson.
The investigation into Pettry's death led to the identification of a suspect, 26-year-old Derrick Warner. On January 24, 2019, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Warner was a passenger. Warner fled from the car on foot, prompting a search that led to a temporary lockdown of two nearby schools. He was discovered hiding in a house on the city's southeast side and was taken into custody.
Following his apprehension, Derrick Warner was charged with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon in connection with the shooting death of Richard Pettry.
