In the autumn of 2017, the life of David Verne Carroll, a 34-year-old male construction laborer from Hillsdale, was tragically cut short. On October 27, 2017, Carroll was fatally shot at his residence on North 18th Street in Terre Haute, Indiana. Born on November 2, 1982, in Terre Haute, he was a father to a son and a daughter.
The investigation into his death led law enforcement to two individuals, Vernon Lee Eversole and Ashley Johnson.
The ensuing legal process revealed the details of their involvement in the events that transpired on that fatal day. Johnson was the first to face justice, reaching a plea agreement in 2018. She pleaded guilty to robbery resulting in bodily injury, and in exchange, a murder charge against her was dismissed. For her role in the crime, she was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment.
Vernon Lee Eversole’s case proceeded to a jury trial in late 2023. The prosecution, led by Deputy Prosecutor Jason Saunders, presented a case that resulted in the jury finding Eversole guilty of murder, attempted robbery, and pointing a firearm. During the sentencing phase, the court took into consideration Eversole's extensive criminal history, which included 18 prior felony convictions. This history was a significant factor in the court's decision to hand down an aggravated sentence of 70 years in prison for his part in the death of David Carroll.
