In the early morning hours of December 13, 2010, a night that began with drinks at a local bar would end in tragedy for 32-year-old Angela K. Dodson. After returning to their shared home in Indianapolis, Angela, her boyfriend Curt Lowder, and a mutual friend, Troy Malone, decided to continue their search for more beer. This decision set in motion a series of events that would ultimately lead to Angela's untimely death.
The group drove in Lowder's truck to a friend's house, where Angela and Malone waited in the vehicle while Lowder went inside. It was during this time that the situation escalated, culminating in a fatal gunshot wound to Angela's head.
Initially, Lowder attempted to deceive authorities by claiming the shooting occurred at a gas station. He drove Angela to St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove, where he recounted this fabricated story to hospital staff and law enforcement. However, investigators soon determined that the shooting had actually taken place outside the friend's home on South Drexel Avenue. As the investigation progressed, Lowder's account of what happened continued to change. At one point, he alleged that Angela was shot by drug dealers to whom she owed money. Later, he would claim that the gun discharged accidentally as he was confronting and striking Malone, who he suspected of being intimate with Angela in the truck.
Despite his shifting narratives, the evidence pointed towards Curt Lowder as the perpetrator. He was arrested and subsequently charged with the murder of Angela Dodson. During his trial, Lowder admitted to lying to the police on multiple occasions about the events of that fatal morning. On December 16, 2010, the State formally charged him with murder and Class C felony battery. The jury found him guilty of both charges.
Following his conviction, the court proceeded to a sentencing phase where Lowder was also found to be a habitual offender. On March 19, 2012, Curt Lowder was sentenced to a total of ninety years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Angela Dodson. His sentence consisted of fifty-five years for the murder, enhanced by thirty years due to his status as a habitual offender, and an additional five consecutive years for the battery charge. Lowder later appealed his conviction, but the judgment of the trial court was affirmed.
