In the autumn of 2015, the life of 17-year-old Coriana D. Johnson was tragically cut short in a violent act that shook an Indianapolis community. On the evening of October 4th, what began as a night out with her best friend, 18-year-old Michaela Mitchell, ended in a devastating double homicide that remains a painful mystery for their families. The two girls, who were described as inseparable, were together in a car on the northwest side of the city, in the vicinity of 21st Street and Berwick Avenue, when they were ambushed.
According to reports from that time, Coriana and Michaela were in the front seats of the vehicle, with two male companions in the back. An unknown assailant, or assailants, approached the car and opened fire, striking both of the young women multiple times. The gunshots proved fatal for both Coriana and her friend. In the immediate aftermath, the two men who were in the backseat of the car were unharmed and flagged down a passing police vehicle for help.
The initial investigation by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department suggested that the two teenage girls may have been lured to the location with the specific intent of being harmed. The male witnesses were taken in for questioning by authorities, but little information was gleaned from their initial statements. Despite the presence of two other people in the car at the time of the shooting, the case grew cold over the years. No suspects were ever publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the murders of Coriana Johnson and Michaela Mitchell. The senseless act of violence left a void in the lives of their loved ones, and the community continues to await answers and justice for the two young lives that were lost.
