In the summer of 2016, a tragic series of events unfolded on the northeast side of Indianapolis, culminating in the death of 24-year-old Wesley Small. On the night of July 27th, police responded to a call of shots fired in the 4400 block of Primrose Avenue. Arriving at the scene, they discovered a grim tableau inside a gray sedan: three individuals had been shot. Small was pronounced dead at the scene. Another man, 29-year-old Dajuan Mitchell, and a woman were found critically injured.
Mitchell would later succumb to his injuries at a local hospital.
The investigation into the shooting painted a picture of retribution and violence. Authorities came to believe that the incident was connected to another recent homicide. The woman found in the car, 31-year-old Ashley Lewis, was identified as a suspect in Small's death. Investigators alleged that Lewis and her boyfriend, Dajuan Mitchell, had sought out Small because they believed he was cooperating with police regarding the fatal shooting of a man named Jason Byrd, which had occurred just two days prior. Mitchell was reportedly a suspect in Byrd's death.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the confrontation escalated when Mitchell, a convicted felon involved in buying and selling guns, allegedly forced Small into their car at gunpoint. Mitchell is said to have handed the weapon to Lewis. At some point during the tense encounter, Small reportedly drew his own gun and opened fire, striking Lewis in the face and fatally wounding Mitchell. In response, Lewis admitted to investigators that she fired back, killing Wesley Small.
Ashley Lewis was arrested on August 5, 2016. Initially, she faced charges of voluntary manslaughter and criminal confinement. However, these charges were later upgraded to murder. Following her arrest, she was held in police custody without bond awaiting trial.
