On March 31, 2018, a violent double homicide occurred in the small town of New Chicago, Indiana, near Hobart. Authorities were called to a residence where they discovered the bodies of 39-year-old female Heather Rayner and her companion, 52-year-old Manuel 'Frank' Alfaro. Both victims had sustained fatal gunshot wounds, an act that investigators quickly determined was not random but a targeted incident.
Law enforcement launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the
deaths. Evidence gathered at the scene and witness statements led police to believe the shooting may have stemmed from a dispute over a drug debt. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department, assisting the New Chicago Police, worked to piece together the events that unfolded inside the home, eventually identifying a potential suspect.
In February 2019, nearly a year after the murders, police arrested 26-year-old Teal L. Cross of Hammond, Indiana. Cross was charged with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Rayner and Alfaro. Court records alleged that Cross had gone to the residence to collect on a debt, leading to the fatal confrontation.
However, the legal process faced significant hurdles. In July 2019, prosecutors from the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office moved to dismiss the murder charges against Cross. The dismissal was attributed to delays in processing DNA evidence and other evidentiary issues that were critical to the state's case. While the charges were dropped, officials stated at the time that the dismissal was without prejudice, meaning they retained the ability to refile murder charges against Cross once the necessary evidence was fully processed and available.
