In a tragic sequence of events that unfolded in a quiet neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana, 20-year-old Hailey Elizabeth Nelson lost her life. On the evening of Monday, March 27, 2017, the young woman, a graduate of North Side High School with a passion for entomology, scary movies, and video games, became a victim of gun violence.
That night, Hailey and her friend, 18-year-old Jenna Leakey, were found in the front yard of a home on Kensington Boulevard.
The two women had reportedly been chased by 20-year-old Tyler Nathan Nelson, who was firing at them as they ran between houses from Pemberton Drive. A trail of shell casings documented the terrifying final moments of their lives.
Jenna Leakey was pronounced dead at the scene, while Hailey Nelson was rushed to a local hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries. The pursuit ended when law enforcement, after obtaining a search warrant for a residence on Pemberton Drive, made a grim discovery. Inside the home, they found Tyler Nathan Nelson deceased. The coroner subsequently ruled his death a suicide.
The investigation by the Fort Wayne Police Department concluded that the incident was a double murder-suicide. As the gunman took his own life, no arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Hailey Nelson and Jenna Leakey, leaving a community to mourn the senseless loss of two young lives. Hailey was remembered by her family and friends for her kind heart and unique interests.
