In the spring of 2016, a string of violent and seemingly random attacks struck the city of Indianapolis, leaving a community in fear and families shattered. One of the victims in this terrifying spree was Jay Higginbotham, a 40-year-old man whose life was cut short on the morning of May 12th. His death was not an isolated incident but part of a four-day wave of violence orchestrated by a young man who claimed to be 'purging,' a chilling reference to a horror film where for one night, all crime
is legal.
On that Thursday morning, Higginbotham was walking near the intersection of 9th and Denny Streets when he was confronted. Witnesses later recounted hearing several gunshots and seeing a light-colored sedan at the scene. A man in a black hoodie had approached Higginbotham, attempting to instigate a fight. When Higginbotham tried to walk away, the aggressor demanded money before shooting him multiple times. The attacker then callously rifled through Higginbotham's pockets before fleeing the scene, leaving him to die.
The investigation into the murder of Jay Higginbotham, along with two other killings and robberies that occurred between May 12th and May 15th, led police to 19-year-old Johnathan Cruz. Prosecutors would later reveal that Cruz was on a self-proclaimed 'purge,' and evidence showed he had sent text messages and made statements to others about his deadly activities. His victims appeared to be chosen at random, adding to the senselessness of the crimes.
Johnathan Cruz was arrested and faced a multitude of charges, including three counts of murder for the deaths of Jay Higginbotham, Billy Boyd, and Jose Alberto Ruiz. In April 2017, to avoid a potential death sentence, Cruz pleaded guilty to the three murders and one count of armed robbery. The following month, he was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would never again pose a threat to the community he had terrorized. Two other individuals, Elijah Brooks and Steven Clark, were also charged for their alleged roles as accomplices in some of Cruz's crimes, including driving a stolen getaway car and participating in a robbery. Brooks was charged for his involvement in the murders of Higginbotham and Boyd, while Clark faced charges for armed robbery.
