On the evening of December 30, 2017, a chilling discovery was made in a vehicle on Green River Road in Evansville, Indiana. Inside was the body of Michael Pardee, a 41-year-old man from Danville. An autopsy would later confirm he had died from a single gunshot wound to the head. This violent act was not a random occurrence but the tragic culmination of a drug deal that had twisted into a fatal robbery. Mr.
Pardee was a white male.
The investigation into his death revealed a prearranged meeting for a marijuana transaction. DaSean Summers, a 20-year-old, had orchestrated the deal. He arrived at the location accompanied by 21-year-old Donovan Thomas and another individual, Romano Wright. The supposed drug buy took a dark turn when Thomas pulled out a gun, revealing their true intention was to commit a robbery. In the chaos that followed, Michael Pardee attempted to intervene and was shot and killed by Thomas.
The Evansville Police Department worked diligently to piece together the events of that night, which led to the identification and arrest of the three men involved. Donovan Thomas, the man who pulled the trigger, was charged with murder. DaSean Summers, who had set the entire incident in motion, faced a charge of felony murder, which holds a person accountable for a death that occurs during the commission of a felony. Romano Wright was also arrested for his part in the crime.
The subsequent legal proceedings brought resolutions for the actions of two of the suspects. Donovan Thomas was found guilty of murder and was handed a 65-year prison sentence for his central role in the killing of Michael Pardee. Romano Wright entered into a plea agreement, admitting guilt to a lesser charge of conspiracy to commit robbery, and was sentenced to four years of incarceration. The final outcome of the legal case against DaSean Summers, who was facing the felony murder charge, is not publicly documented.
