In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the life of 18-year-old Traeven 'Trae' Harris was tragically cut short. On September 11, 2016, police responded to a call of gunshots at a home on Holton Avenue. Inside, they discovered a horrific scene. Harris, along with 37-year-old Consuela Arrington, and her 18-year-old daughter, Dajohiona 'Dae' Arrington, had been fatally shot. Dajohiona, who was eight and a half months pregnant, also lost her unborn baby boy in the attack.
A fourth victim, a 14-year-old girl, was found critically injured from both gunshot and stab wounds but survived.
The investigation into the brutal slayings led police to 20-year-old Marcus Dansby. He was arrested and subsequently charged with four counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The Allen County Coroner's Office determined that Harris died from gunshot wounds. The deaths of all victims were ruled homicides. In the face of a potential death penalty, prosecutors and Dansby reached a plea agreement.
In May 2019, then 23-year-old Marcus Dansby pleaded guilty to the four murders, including that of the unborn child, and the attempted murder. As a result of his plea, the prosecution agreed not to pursue the death penalty or a sentence of life without parole. In July 2019, Dansby was sentenced for his crimes. He faced a lengthy prison sentence for the shooting and stabbing deaths that claimed the lives of Traeven Harris and three others.
