On March 2, 2018, the community of Lafayette, Indiana, was shaken by the violent death of 30-year-old Black male Thayer Thomas Summers. Known to his friends and family for his dedication to his loved ones and his "Family over Everything" motto, Summers was discovered mortally wounded in the early hours of a Friday morning. Police officers responded to a report of a person down in an alley situated within the 900 block of Virginia Street at approximately 7:10 a.m., where they found Summers
suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. Despite emergency responders rushing him to St. Elizabeth East Hospital, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The investigation by the Lafayette Police Department quickly pivoted toward the theory that Summers had been the victim of a setup. Detectives uncovered evidence suggesting that the shooting was the tragic result of a botched robbery plan. According to court documents and police statements, 22-year-old Brooke Stichter was identified as a key figure in the events leading up to the murder. Authorities alleged that Stichter had conspired to lure Summers to the secluded alleyway under false pretenses, specifically to facilitate a robbery. Following these findings, police arrested Stichter and charged her with conspiracy to commit robbery in connection with the homicide.
While Stichter was taken into custody for her role in orchestrating the encounter, investigators also focused their attention on a potential shooter. A man named Curtis Stewart emerged as a primary suspect early in the case. Law enforcement officials located Stewart and found him in possession of a small-caliber handgun, which was collected as evidence. He was brought in for questioning regarding his involvement in the fatal shooting. However, after the initial interrogation, Stewart was released without formal charges being filed against him at that time, as prosecutors and detectives continued to evaluate the evidence to build a definitive case. The death of Thayer Summers remained a complex investigation, with authorities piecing together the actions of those who conspired to lead him to the alley where his life was taken.
