Flora Albarran, a 22-year-old Hispanic female, was tragically killed on June 1, 2006, in a mass shooting at her family's home on Hamilton Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana. The horrific event claimed the lives of six of her relatives as well, spanning three generations of her family. Also killed were her mother, Emma Valdez, 46; Valdez's partner, Alberto Covarrubias, 56; her brother, Magno Albarran, 29; her five-year-old son, Luis Albarran; and her two younger half-brothers, Alberto Covarrubias,
11, and David Covarrubias, 8.
On that fatal evening, Flora had been running errands with a friend and stopped by the house to pick up her son. Her brother Magno arrived around the same time. They both found it strange that the house was dark. Flora and Magno entered the home to investigate. Witnesses outside heard Flora scream not to enter, followed by the sound of gunshots. Moments later, two men were seen fleeing the residence. The assailants had entered the home with the mistaken belief that there was a safe containing a large sum of money and drugs.
The investigation that followed led police to identify two suspects: Desmond Turner and James Stewart. Stewart was apprehended the day after the murders during a traffic stop. Turner, who had been released from prison just months prior, became the subject of a widespread manhunt and surrendered to authorities two days after the killings. Both men were charged with seven counts of murder, felony murder, criminal confinement, burglary, and robbery.
Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty for Desmond Turner but later agreed to a sentence of life without parole in exchange for Turner waiving his right to a jury trial. He was found guilty on 23 counts and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 88 years. James Stewart was also convicted on multiple counts, including seven counts of felony murder, and was sentenced to 425 years in prison. The Indiana Supreme Court later upheld Turner's conviction and sentence.
