Manuel Francisco 'Frank' Alfaro, a 52-year-old Hispanic man, was fatally shot on March 31, 2018, in his home in New Chicago, Indiana. Alfaro, an ironworker for Local 395, was born in Gary, Indiana, on January 24, 1966. His life was cut short in a violent incident that also claimed the life of 39-year-old Heather Rayner, who was with him at his residence at the time of the shooting.
The investigation into the double homicide led authorities to 26-year-old Teal L.
Cross of Hammond, Indiana. Court records alleged that the motive for the shooting was a drug debt. Cross was subsequently arrested and charged with the murders of both Alfaro and Rayner. The case, however, faced significant challenges during the legal process.
In a turn of events, prosecutors made the decision in July 2019 to drop the murder charges against Teal L. Cross. This dismissal was attributed to delays in receiving DNA test results and other evidentiary issues that hampered the prosecution's ability to proceed with the case at the time. Despite this setback, the state expressed its intention to refile the charges against Cross at a later date, leaving the pursuit of justice for Manuel Alfaro and Heather Rayner unresolved.
