In the early morning hours of August 4, 2015, a violent double homicide shook the community of Lafayette, Indiana. Police were dispatched to a residence in the 2200 block of Perrine Street after reports of gunfire around 3:50 a.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered two men suffering from fatal gunshot wounds. The victims were identified as 46-year-old Terry L. Smith Jr. and 36-year-old Aaron Tyrone Hunter Jr.
Despite the immediate response of emergency services, both men succumbed to their injuries, launching a homicide investigation that would quickly zero in on two suspects believed to have targeted the men for a robbery.
Investigators worked rapidly to piece together the events leading up to the shooting. Within days, law enforcement made their first major break in the case. On August 6, 2015, police arrested 19-year-old Jacob Guffey in connection with the murders. The investigation continued, leading to the identification of a second suspect. On August 12, 2015, authorities apprehended 33-year-old Matthew Alan Oertel, who was subsequently charged with two counts of murder, two counts of felony murder, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. The allegations detailed a planned robbery that escalated into lethal violence, leaving two members of the community dead.
The legal proceedings following the arrests brought some closure to the families of the victims. In September 2016, Matthew Oertel appeared in court and entered a guilty plea to two counts of felony murder and one count of being a serious violent felon in possession of a firearm. A judge sentenced him to 55 years in the Indiana Department of Correction. During the sentencing hearing, the father of Aaron Hunter Jr. offered a powerful statement of forgiveness, despite the immense loss. Jacob Guffey, the younger of the two defendants, also faced significant legal consequences for his role in the crimes, facing a sentencing hearing scheduled for October 2016 where he was exposed to a potential term of up to 67 years in prison.
