In a quiet suburb of Indianapolis, a transaction arranged online turned deadly, ending the life of 41-year-old Bradley 'Brad' McKinney. On March 30, 2018, the male, who was White / Caucasian, traveled to a home in Lawrence to purchase a drone from an acquaintance. Little did he know, this meeting would be his last.
While at the residence, another man present, Richard Chambers, approached McKinney and, without apparent motive, shot him in the head.
The sudden violence of the act was jarring in the broad daylight of the neighborhood. A nearby police officer heard the gunshot and was able to respond quickly. McKinney was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced brain dead and later taken off life support.
Richard Chambers, a 34-year-old from Pendleton, was apprehended by law enforcement shortly after the shooting, with assistance from neighbors who helped officers locate him. He was subsequently charged with murder. In a bench trial held in 2019, Chambers was found guilty of the senseless killing. For his crime, he was sentenced to serve 58 years in prison, bringing a measure of justice to the family and friends of Brad McKinney, whose life was tragically cut short over a simple online marketplace deal.
