On the night of October 20, 2015, Richard Noel Jr., a 25-year-old Black male, was fatally shot at his residence in the 3400 block of Arthington Boulevard in Indianapolis, Indiana. Reports indicate that someone knocked on his door, and when Noel answered, he was met with gunfire. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the scene and discovered Noel with multiple gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Known to his fans as Rico V, Richard Noel Jr.
was an aspiring rapper who was on the cusp of a promising career, with plans to travel to New York to meet with a popular DJ. His father described him as charismatic and a genius who loved music. The investigation into his death was immediately hampered by a lack of cooperating witnesses. His father believes the police could have solved the case by tracing electronic threats made to his son, which he alleges were over a girl. However, investigators informed the family that there was not enough information to file charges.
Despite the passage of time, no arrests have been made in connection with Richard Noel Jr.'s murder, and the case remains unsolved. The 'code of silence' within the community has been cited as a significant challenge for law enforcement in gathering the necessary information to move forward with the investigation. Anti-crime groups, such as the Ten Point Coalition, have launched campaigns like 'Let's Talk' to encourage community members to come forward with any information that could lead to a breakthrough in this and other unsolved homicides. Richard Noel Jr.'s family continues to await justice, holding onto the hope that someone will eventually break their silence and provide the information needed to solve his case.
