In the autumn of 2017, the life of 28-year-old Mary Patrice Chalonda Woodruff was tragically cut short in a violent act that also claimed the life of a friend. On October 30, Woodruff and 29-year-old Dewone Broomfield were discovered with gunshot wounds at Broomfield's residence on East Maryland Street in Evansville, Indiana. Woodruff had sustained a gunshot wound to her face and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Before succumbing to his injuries, Broomfield managed to make a harrowing
911 call, providing dispatchers with the names of the individuals he said were responsible for the attack: William Rice and Deshay Hackner. This crucial piece of information sparked an immediate police investigation that led to a chase and the swift apprehension of both suspects. Following their capture, Rice and Hackner were each charged with two counts of murder.
The subsequent legal proceedings revealed a troubling history for one of the accused. Deshay Hackner, also known by the alias 'Wire Man,' had recently been acquitted in a separate murder case from 2014 and had been released from jail only a week prior to the double homicide after posting bond in a case involving resisting law enforcement. Despite Hackner's claims of innocence, both he and Rice were brought to trial. The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor's Office announced its intention to seek sentences of life without parole for both men if they were convicted.
Ultimately, a jury found Deshay Hackner guilty on two counts of murder and two counts of robbery. Following this verdict, Hackner also admitted to being a habitual offender and to two firearm enhancements. He was subsequently sentenced to a total of 157 years in prison for his role in the deaths of Mary Woodruff and Dewone Broomfield.
