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Indianapolis Star
11 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis crime: A year over year look at homicide data and how we're doing in 2025
The first half of the year has brought a noticeable trend of several child deaths among homicide numbers, including a 14-year-old found shot dead in the snow, a 2-year-old left alone and neglected inside an apartment, and a 5-year-old choked to death with her father charged in her killing. Each year has its own set of trends, but overall, violence involving guns has remained a constant cause of homicides for the city. According to IndyStar and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police data, however, in the first six months of 2025, there has been a significant dip in year-to-date deaths compared to the past five years. 'This should give our community hope, but we can't do it alone," Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey told IndyStar. "We need our community to continue coming alongside us as we work to make Indianapolis a safer place for everyone. The work continues, and we're not letting up.' Summer officially starts on June 20, and while the warm months usually see more violence in the city, killings are down for the first half of the year compared to the same time last year. Indianapolis is not unique in this, as national trends show violent crime has been down in the first half of 2025, according to the Real-Time Crime Index. Major Cities Chiefs Association data shows homicides this year are down from 2024 in the first three months of the year. While statistics show a downward trend, Bailey said it's not a signal for the department to slow down. Brandon Randall, with Power of Tru Colors, who has worked with at-risk youth and young adults for 18 years, agrees. While there have been success stories, he's seen a few of the kids he's worked with die from violence. "Because the homicide numbers are down, there's a lack of urgency," Randall told IndyStar. "There is still a gun access problem with young people and adults. But I think there are more intentional conversations being had on the root causes of violence. It boils down to trauma, mental health, and poverty." IndyStar's data below captures the year-to-date homicides for the first few months over the past five years. In other news: Is there a serial killer in Indianapolis? What police are saying about 4 bodies found There were 15 homicides in January. Most are shooting deaths, but one woman died from asphyxia after being beaten with a hammer, and a toddler died from exposure due to being neglected. There were 11 homicides in February. Most are shooting deaths, except one woman died from blunt force trauma after being beaten to death. There was also one officer-involved shooting death that occurred. There were 14 homicides in March. Most were shooting deaths, except for one man who died from a stabbing. Summer program for youth: IMPD accepting applications for its weeklong Teen Academy There were 8 homicides in April, and all of them were shooting deaths. There were 12 homicides in May. Most were shooting deaths, except one victim who was stabbed, another who died after being hit by a vehicle, and 5-year-old Zara Arnold, who died from asphyxia after being choked. As of June 20, 2025, at 8 a.m., there have been two homicides in June, and both were shooting deaths. IndyStar is tracking homicide data for 2025
Indianapolis Star
05-06-2025
- Indianapolis Star
'She was a firecracker and sweetheart,' Family waits for answers after couple found dead
"Undetermined death investigation" is what police labeled the report after Christianna Mendez-Heitzman and Robert Simmons were found dead in the Courts Apartments complex. Simmons, 39, and Mendez-Heitzman, 22, were a couple who lived at the home with her 3-year-old daughter. Mendez-Heitzman's brother, who lived with the couple, found them when he returned to the apartment. His niece, Adriana, was asleep, and he took her out of the apartment and called 911. At 9:10 a.m. on May 31, 2025, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police responded to that 911 call from the 4400 block of Linwood Court. The couple was pronounced dead at the scene. The couple's loved ones told IndyStar they have suspicions of what happened, but are waiting on autopsy results from the Marion County Coroner's Office and confirmed information from detectives. Kerri Cunningham, who has been a longtime friend of the family, created a GoFundMe to help raise money for Mendez-Heitzman's funeral costs. She was at the apartment complex for hours after learning the news about the deaths and said neighbors shared their happy, albeit brief, moments with Mendez-Heitzman. She contacted Simmons' family to let them know what happened. "My heart is breaking for everyone involved," Cunningham said. IndyStar located Simmons' family, who said they were also at the scene of the death investigation, but they declined to comment. Cunningham said Mendez-Heitzman was focused on improving her life and worked hard to get her apartment and car. Mendez-Heitzman was a genuine soul who would help babysit Cunningham's young children. "I spoke to her the day before she died, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary or wrong," Cunningham said. Mendez-Heitzman's loved ones are remembering her as a hilarious character who used to make them laugh no matter what was going on in life. Angela Heitzman said her niece was outgoing, energetic, made friends easily and had the best facial expressions. "One 4th of July, she and her brother, Jose, came to watch fireworks," Angela Heitzman said. "We had glow sticks and sparklers. She was so dramatic and silly." Online, teachers, former classmates and friends are sharing their memories of Mendez-Heitzman with many saying she was passionate about sports and fun to be around. Her mother, Tammy Heitzman, told IndyStar they texted often and said the young mom was always highlighting her skills in the kitchen or asking for advice. "She was showing off what she made to feed her daughter and brother," her mother said, describing the last time they spoke. "She was very passionate about the people in her circle, especially Adriana and (her brother)." Her sister, Stephanie Heitzman, said she looked up to Mendez-Heitzman the most growing up, because she admired how she was her own person. "Her personality was one of a kind. She was a firecracker and a sweetheart all in one," said Stephanie Heitzman. This article will update.
Indianapolis Star
30-05-2025
- Indianapolis Star
'She was brave': Zara's grieving mother hopes girl's killing prompts change
Editor's note: This article contains descriptions of child abuse. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the Indiana Department of Child Services' Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All adults are mandated reporters in Indiana. Zara Arnold was a "radiant little soul" whose brown eyes beamed with the wonder and curiosity of a 5-year-old. Her warmth was felt through the way she would sign, "I love you," in American Sign Language (ASL) to her mother, Tiara Finch, who is deaf. The vibration of Zara's laughter is what her mother remembers most. "Her giggle was the kind that stuck with you," Finch told IndyStar. "She was hearing, but I taught her ASL. It was the only language we used to communicate." Zara loved going to school, socializing with her friends, and dressing up as a princess. Although her life was cut short, Finch wants people to know that she made an impact. While the city struggles to understand how so many opportunities to keep Zara safe were missed, Finch wants people to also remember her daughter's smile and pureness. "She was brave in ways small and big and endlessly loved," Finch said. Her pure heart was displayed in the last words she said to her accused killer. Zara Arnold: Prosecutor looking into 'everybody' tied to 5-year-old's brutal killing, abuse Just before 11 a.m. on May 19, 2025, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called to a home in the 200 block of North Lasalle Street for an unresponsive 5-year-old girl. The only person in the home was Zara's father, 41-year-old Zachary Arnold. Cold to the touch and her body rigid, Zara was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives noticed she had multiple bruises and abrasions on her arms and face. There was bruising on the side of her neck. She appeared to have dried blood on her face, and nearby in a kitchen sink was a small tank top with blood. According to a probable cause for his arrest, Arnold later admitted to choking Zara two to three times the night before and has choked her on numerous occasions before. He claimed he wasn't trying to hurt Zara, but he was fighting with his ex-girlfriend, Andrea Lopez-Figueroa, and said she made him "go crazy." Later, police found videos on Lopez-Figueroa's phone of Arnold choking Zara and using a noose around her neck. 'Why'd you hurt me? Why'd you hurt me? I love you, Dad," were the last words the 5-year-old said, according to Arnold. He was arrested and formally charged with murder. Lopez-Figueroa was charged with assisting a criminal and failure to make a report for not calling 911. Finch has been facing homelessness and is working with groups and resources to help her get back on her feet and deal with the loss of her daughter. According to court documents, the mother had not seen Zara since September of 2024. Finch left Arnold when Zara was about 10 months old after claims of abuse, and between then and now, there was a long history of court orders, custody battles, and Finch not feeling like her concerns were heard. Despite a spate of subsequent concerns about other possible abuse, a Marion County judge ordered Finch to stop contacting police and the Department of Child Services with concerns about her daughter's safety. Alongside justice in her daughter's death, Finch wants people to take note of how a system tasked with keeping her safe failed. Tiara Finch: 5-year-old Zara was tortured and killed after Indiana judge silenced mom's pleas for help Finch declined to speak to the ongoing case and is instead focusing her attention on funeral arrangements and attaining resources. She has a GoFundMe set up for funeral costs for Zara and MealTrain representatives are collecting donations for the mother. Zara Arnold will be laid to rest on June 7, 2025.
Indianapolis Star
29-05-2025
- Indianapolis Star
'She was brave': Zara's grieving mother hopes girl's killing prompts change
Zara Arnold was a "radiant little soul" whose brown eyes beamed with the wonder and curiosity of a 5-year-old. Her warmth was felt through the way she would sign, "I love you," in American Sign Language (ASL) to her mother, Tiara Finch, who is deaf. The vibration of Zara's laughter is what her mother remembers most. "Her giggle was the kind that stuck with you," Finch told IndyStar. "She was hearing, but I taught her ASL. It was the only language we used to communicate." Zara loved going to school, socializing with her friends, and dressing up as a princess. Although her life was cut short, Finch wants people to know that she made an impact. While the city struggles to understand how so many opportunities to keep Zara safe were missed, Finch wants people to also remember her daughter's smile and pureness. "She was brave in ways small and big and endlessly loved," Finch said. Her pure heart was displayed in the last words she said to her accused killer. Zara Arnold: Prosecutor looking into 'everybody' tied to 5-year-old's brutal killing, abuse Just before 11 a.m. on May 19, 2025, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called to a home in the 200 block of North Lasalle Street for an unresponsive 5-year-old girl. The only person in the home was Zara's father, 41-year-old Zachary Arnold. Cold to the touch and her body rigid, Zara was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives noticed she had multiple bruises and abrasions on her arms and face. There was bruising on the side of her neck. She appeared to have dried blood on her face, and nearby in a kitchen sink was a small tank top with blood. According to a probable cause for his arrest, Arnold later admitted to choking Zara two to three times the night before and has choked her on numerous occasions before. He claimed he wasn't trying to hurt Zara, but he was fighting with his ex-girlfriend, Andrea Lopez-Figueroa, and said she made him "go crazy." Later, police found videos on Lopez-Figueroa's phone of Arnold choking Zara and using a noose around her neck. 'Why'd you hurt me? Why'd you hurt me? I love you, Dad," were the last words the 5-year-old said, according to Arnold. He was arrested and formally charged with murder. Lopez-Figueroa was charged with assisting a criminal and failure to make a report for not calling 911. Finch has been facing homelessness and is working with groups and resources to help her get back on her feet and deal with the loss of her daughter. According to court documents, the mother had not seen Zara since September of 2024. Finch left Arnold when Zara was about 10 months old after claims of abuse, and between then and now, there was a long history of court orders, custody battles, and Finch not feeling like her concerns were heard. Despite a spate of subsequent concerns about other possible abuse, a Marion County judge ordered Finch to stop contacting police and the Department of Child Services with concerns about her daughter's safety. Alongside justice in her daughter's death, Finch wants people to take note of how a system tasked with keeping her safe failed. Tiara Finch: 5-year-old Zara was tortured and killed after Indiana judge silenced mom's pleas for help Finch declined to speak to the ongoing case and is instead focusing her attention on funeral arrangements and attaining resources. She has a GoFundMe set up for funeral costs for Zara and MealTrain representatives are collecting donations for the mother. Zara Arnold will be laid to rest on June 7, 2025.
Indianapolis Star
20-05-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Residents demand answers after off-duty Anderson cop's shootout in Indy neighborhood
Many neighbors heard the gunshots, but Nancy Michael saw everything. She always makes a cup of coffee and watches the sunrise from the floor-to-ceiling windows inside her Woodruff Place home. The light was starting to come over the trees in her neighborhood when a "reddish car" came speeding down the street. Then she saw a pickup trying to hit it. She also noticed a black car. The first vehicle she saw spun around, went into the air, and landed in her neighbor's front yard, across the street, breaking an iron fence. "At that point, they had started to shoot," Michael told IndyStar. "I didn't know who was who or what was what." Michael called 911 as two guys came down the street with semi-automatic guns. One of them had a face mask on. "They were running toward the red car. Shots were going back and forth. The other guys in the red car leaped out and ran across the yard," she said. One of the bullets struck a child's bedroom nearby. Michael would later learn that one of the men she saw coming down the street was an off-duty Anderson police officer. He was with his brother-in-law, trying to retrieve his stolen personal vehicle. "The guy kept saying, 'I'm with the police, I'm with the police,'" Michael said. "I don't know why they would be wearing a mask. I don't know why they would not have called the IMPD to help in a chase, and I don't know why they would be carrying those guns. I don't think that's what Anderson's department issues." She, along with other neighbors, had those questions and many more. The shooting happened early in the morning, and by late evening, more than two dozen Woodruff Place residents gathered at her home to hear from Larry Craciunoiu, the assigned Indianapolis Metropolitan Police detective covering the case. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police responded to the 911 calls in the 600 block of Woodruff Place West Drive about 6:30 a.m. on May 19. They initially reported that the Anderson officer was believed to have been grazed by a bullet, but after being taken to a hospital in stable condition, they learned he wasn't shot. The off-duty officer had actually fallen, Craciunoiu, who is a part of IMPD's Critical Incident Response Team that investigates anything involving a police officer, told Woodruff Place residents. Officers quickly determined that two suspects had run from the stolen vehicle. A perimeter was set up around the area as officers, the K-9 Unit, and a drone began searching the area for the suspects. Arsenal Tech High School and H.L. Harshman Middle School were placed on lockdown. The Anderson police officer, who lives in Indianapolis, had reported his Dodge Challenger stolen about 5 a.m., Craciunoiu said. The vehicle had a tracking device, so the officer and his brother-in-law went searching for the vehicle. When asked by residents if the officer called Indianapolis police when the car was located, the detective said no. Craciunoiu is investigating the criminal side of what happened with the shooting and car theft and asked residents to share evidence they may have, such as surveillance video. The vehicles involved were a maroon Dodge Challenger, a gray Dodge 2500 Ram pickup, and a black Mercedes-AMG. The Challenger was the stolen personal vehicle that belonged to the officer. The Mercedes is what he was driving to find it, and the pickup belonged to his brother-in-law. No one was hurt besides the officer falling. It's unclear who fired the shot that went into the child's bedroom. He fell: Anderson officer hurt trying to recover stolen vehicle near Arsenal Tech Many residents said they have children in the neighborhood who were getting ready for school, and people were getting ready for work before the shooting. Jack Jackson was asleep when he heard a large crash. "At first I thought, 'A garbage truck?' But it's not Thursday," Jackson told IndyStar. "Then we heard the gunshots, and that's when it got really scary. I could look out the window from upstairs and see some interaction. I could see the car in my yard, and I was on the phone calling 911." His iron fence was damaged by the maroon Dodge Challenger. "Fences can be repaired," Jackson said. "Neighbors are pretty upset, though. The car was stolen, and that's clearly wrong, but an off-duty, out-of-county police officer trying to retrieve his own car, and all of this erupted in a quiet neighborhood while people were getting ready for work and school. That's just not right." Indianapolis police said their initial investigation indicates shots were fired by the off-duty officer and the suspects before they crashed the Dodge and ran away. Three firearms were taken into evidence in the case. The Anderson Police Department would not confirm with IndyStar if the off-duty officer would be facing any disciplinary action or if they're conducting an internal investigation. Both of the auto theft suspects remain at large. Anyone with information about this incident can reach Detective Larry Craciunoiu at 317-327-3475 or by email at You can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.
