In a quiet Evansville, Indiana neighborhood, the life of 65-year-old Odie Carrier Jr. came to a tragic end in November 2018. A United States Air Force veteran and owner of an electronics company, Carrier was a father and grandfather known for his friendly nature. On the night of November 8, 2018, a neighbor reported hearing a gunshot at Carrier's residence. Police arrived to find him on the floor with a single gunshot wound to his hip.
He was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries a few days later on November 12.
The investigation into the shooting quickly uncovered a planned robbery that had turned fatal. Detectives discovered that Carrier had been communicating via text messages with a 17-year-old female named Mackayla Scarbrough, whom he had arranged to meet at his home. Scarbrough, along with two accomplices, 18-year-old Connor Johnson and 19-year-old Xzereus Dlamini, had plotted to rob Carrier.
On the night of the incident, Scarbrough went inside Carrier's home while Johnson and Dlamini waited outside. At some point, Johnson forced his way into the residence and, during the course of the robbery, shot Carrier with a. 22-caliber firearm. The three teenagers then fled the scene. A few hours later, a routine traffic stop for a different violation led to the apprehension of Johnson, Dlamini, and Scarbrough. Inside their vehicle, officers found drugs and a handgun that was later identified as the weapon used to shoot Carrier.
Subsequent investigations and interrogations revealed the roles each of the three played in the crime. All three were initially charged with murder, robbery, and burglary. Connor Johnson, the shooter, eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of probation. Mackayla Scarbrough and Xzereus Dlamini both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery. They were each sentenced to four years in prison and have since been released on parole.
