In a tragic turn of events, 20-year-old Azya Knowles, a female resident of Indianapolis, Indiana, lost her life in February 2015. On the evening of February 11th, police discovered her inside a pickup truck riddled with bullets near the City-County Building in downtown Indianapolis. She was rushed to a nearby hospital and placed on life support, but succumbed to her injuries two days later. An autopsy would later confirm that she had been shot multiple times.
Initially, her organs were kept viable for donation.
The driver of the truck, William Smith, initially concocted a story for investigators, claiming that he and Knowles had been pursued and fired upon by unknown assailants on the Near Westside of the city. However, the physical evidence at the scene and on the vehicle did not align with his account, and police could find no indication that a shooting had occurred where he claimed. Investigators soon began to believe that Smith himself had shot Knowles inside the vehicle before driving to the downtown location. Their suspicions were further solidified by the discovery of a handgun in Smith's possession at the time of his apprehension, along with a startling $30,000 in cash inside the truck.
As the investigation progressed, William Smith was officially charged with the murder of Azya Knowles. A friend of Knowles later testified that Knowles had previously told her that Smith had pulled a gun on her during their relationship, which had begun in the summer of 2014. In the days leading up to her death, the friend noted that Knowles had not been herself and seemed as though something was wrong, having spent three consecutive days inside Smith's house.
In March of 2016, a jury found William Smith guilty of murder, as well as carrying a handgun without a permit and possession of marijuana. For his crimes, he received a sentence of 62 years in prison. The tragic loss of Azya Knowles was deeply felt by her family and friends. She was remembered for her work with Job Corps and at a local Papa John's pizza. Her funeral service was held at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, where loved ones gathered to mourn her untimely passing and celebrate the life she had lived.
