In the fall of 2018, the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was rocked by a violent crime that cut short the life of a young woman with a promising future. Tracey Aileen Andrews, a 21-year-old female, was tragically killed on Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2018. A graduate of South Side High School in 2016, Andrews had joined the National Guard and was assigned to the HHC 38th Combat Aviation Brigade in Shelbyville.
Those who knew her remember her love for shopping, swimming, and school athletics.
The circumstances of her death were part of a grim and violent episode. Andrews was one of three people killed in a shooting inside a home on Downingtown Drive. The other victims were 23-year-old Joevonn Johnson and 20-year-old Colton D. Messmer. The incident, which also left two other individuals critically injured, was the result of a drug-related armed robbery. According to prosecutors, one of the deceased individuals was selling marijuana from the residence, which led to the deadly confrontation.
The investigation into the triple homicide led to the arrests of two men, Kameron Joyner and Gerald Pinkston. In September 2019, Joyner, who was 23 at the time, pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder for his role in the Thanksgiving Day killings. As a result of his plea, he was sentenced to 200 years in prison. The identification of Joyner and Pinkston was aided by the testimony of one of the surviving victims and another witness who was present at the scene.
Gerald Pinkston was also charged in connection with the murders and faced trial for his alleged involvement. The families of the victims, including Tracey Andrews's family, shared their profound grief during the legal proceedings, emphasizing the senseless loss of a young woman who was dedicated to serving her country.
