On a summer evening in Lafayette, Indiana, the life of 38-year-old Gustavo Sanchez-Campuzano was tragically cut short. On August 10, 2017, the male resident was killed in a violent encounter that also claimed the life of his 67-year-old mother, Catalina Lujano-Campuzano. The two were out for a walk in the 800 block of Eastwich Drive when they were confronted by Franco Navarrete, who was Sanchez-Campuzano's brother-in-law.
Navarrete, who was experiencing marital issues with his wife, who
was Sanchez-Campuzano's sister, engaged in an argument with the mother and son. The confrontation escalated horrifically as Navarrete produced a firearm and shot both Sanchez-Campuzano and Lujano-Campuzano multiple times at close range. Following the shooting, Navarrete fled the scene, leaving his two victims to succumb to their injuries.
The day after the double homicide, on August 11, 2017, Franco Navarrete was arrested by the Lafayette Police Department. He was subsequently charged with two counts of murder. After his arrest, Navarrete's case proceeded through the legal system, culminating in a jury trial. In January 2019, a jury found Franco Navarrete guilty of both murders.
Following his conviction, Navarrete was sentenced to 120 years in prison for the killings of his mother-in-law and brother-in-law. A judge noted that Navarrete's action of calling the police on himself after the slayings showed some measure of remorse for his actions. Misael Sanchez Campuzano, Gustavo's brother, expressed in a court statement that the deaths of his mother and brother had shattered his family.
