On a tragic evening in Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 1, 2006, 22-year-old Flora Albarran, a Hispanic female, became one of seven victims in a brutal mass murder that claimed the lives of three generations of her family. The horrifying events unfolded at a house on North Hamilton Avenue, a place that would become the scene of one of the city's most infamous crimes. Flora had arrived at the home with a friend to pick up her 5-year-old son, Luis Albarran.
At the same time, her brother, Magno Albarran, also arrived. They both noticed the house was unusually dark.
Upon entering the home, they were met with a robbery in progress. Two men, Desmond Turner and James Stewart, had entered the residence under the mistaken belief that a safe containing a large sum of money and drugs was inside. When Magno Albarran entered, he reportedly drew a gun on one of the intruders, Desmond Turner. In the ensuing chaos, James Stewart allegedly shot Magno. A witness waiting in the car outside heard Flora scream, 'Not my baby!' followed by a series of gunshots. The assailants then turned their weapons on everyone else in the house. Flora, her son Luis, her brother Magno, her mother Emma Valdez, her mother's partner Alberto Covarrubias, and her two younger half-brothers, Alberto and David Covarrubias, were all fatally shot.
The investigation quickly led police to identify Desmond Turner and James Stewart as the primary suspects. Stewart was arrested the day after the murders during a traffic stop. Turner, who was considered the main triggerman, surrendered to authorities two days later at a fast-food restaurant. The motive for the horrific crime was determined to be a botched robbery. Turner had reportedly told others he 'needed money and was going to hit a lick.'
Both men faced numerous charges, including seven counts of murder. Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty for Turner but later agreed to a sentence of life without parole in exchange for Turner waiving his right to a jury trial. He was ultimately convicted on multiple counts and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus an additional 88 years. James Stewart was also convicted of seven counts of felony murder and other charges, receiving a sentence of 425 years in prison. The convictions brought a measure of justice to the grieving family and a community shaken by the senseless violence.
