On March 1, 2016, the life of 55-year-old Shannon Dean Kitchens of Mccordsville, Indiana, was tragically cut short in a fatal shooting. His body was discovered by a passerby on the side of a rural road in Hancock County. Kitchens, a long-time welder, was a father of five and was remembered by his family as a loving and giving person who enjoyed the outdoors.
The investigation into his death would soon unravel a story of a drug deal that took a violent and deadly turn.
The events leading to Kitchens' death began to unfold on that Tuesday afternoon when he and a friend, Shawn Hammons, were using crack cocaine. Desiring more, they arranged to purchase drugs from a dealer named Damian Coleman. Kitchens had recently cashed a disability check and had a substantial amount of money with him. Hammons drove Kitchens to a Check 'n Go in Lawrence to meet Coleman. After Kitchens returned to the car, Coleman, who was waiting in the back seat, allegedly produced a gun in an attempt to rob him. A struggle ensued, and Shannon Kitchens was shot and killed in the front seat of the vehicle.
In a state of panic following the shooting, Hammons drove away and pushed Coleman out of the moving car. He then drove to a rural area and left Kitchens' body by the side of the road, also discarding the gun's magazine and Kitchens' cell phone. Initially, Hammons considered reporting his car as stolen to conceal his involvement but later decided to cooperate with law enforcement after consulting with an attorney. His testimony would prove to be a crucial element in the prosecution of the case.
The investigation led to the arrests of both Shawn Hammons and Damian Coleman. Hammons was charged with failing to report a dead body and hindering the investigation. In a pivotal development, he accepted a plea deal in exchange for testifying against Coleman. His plea agreement included pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit dealing cocaine, altering the scene of a death, and failure to report a dead body.
Damian Coleman faced more severe charges, including felony murder, attempted robbery, and conspiracy to commit dealing in cocaine. During his trial, the prosecution heavily relied on Hammons' account of the events. The defense argued that Hammons was the one responsible for Kitchens' death, pointing to a promissory note for a loan from Kitchens to Hammons as a potential motive. Despite the defense's claims and the fact that the murder weapon was never recovered, the jury was convinced by the evidence presented by the prosecution, which included phone records corroborating Coleman's presence. In January 2017, a Hancock County jury found Damian Coleman guilty on all charges, including murder and attempted robbery.
