In the winter of 2019, the life of 18-year-old Alayna Ortiz was tragically cut short in a burst of violence that was not intended for her. On the evening of January 9th, the Portage High School senior was a passenger in a red SUV in a Griffith, Indiana, apartment complex parking lot when she was fatally shot in the head. The events of that night were set in motion by a drug debt and a robbery plan that went horribly awry.
The intended target of the violence was Ortiz’s boyfriend, who
was driving the vehicle. One of the men charged in connection with the murder, Giovante Galloway, owed Ortiz's boyfriend $1,600 for marijuana. Unable to pay the debt, Galloway allegedly conspired with his uncle, Juarez Rogers, and at least three other individuals to rob his dealer. The group had reportedly attempted a burglary at the boyfriend's home in Gary days earlier but were unsuccessful. On the night of the shooting, they followed the SUV carrying Ortiz and her boyfriend to the Park West Apartments in Griffith.
In the apartment complex parking lot, members of Galloway's group, at least two of whom were armed, approached the SUV and attempted to get inside. When the driver tried to flee, a shot was fired, shattering a window and striking Alayna Ortiz. Her boyfriend drove a short distance away and flagged down Griffith police officers. Ortiz was rushed to a hospital in Gary, where she succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation into Alayna Ortiz's death led to the arrests of several suspects. Giovante Galloway was taken into custody and reportedly confessed to his involvement in the planned robbery. His uncle, Juarez Rogers, was arrested later. Both men were charged with murder, armed robbery, and burglary. A third suspect, Elrice Williams, was also subsequently charged with murder and other felonies in connection with the case. Authorities believe at least two other individuals were involved in the incident but they have not been publicly charged. In a separate development related to the case, the sons of Juarez Rogers were accused of intimidating an informant who was cooperating with the police investigation.
