Sparkle Majors

Sparkle Majors

Victim Found Fatally Shot On North Side

April 18, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS -- Police are looking for a 21-year-old man in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman on Indianapolis' north side early Monday morning.

The shooting happened just before 7 a.m. inside an apartment at the Presidential Estates Apartments in the 1700 block of Century Circle South, near Harcourt Road and 79th Street.

Sparkle Majors, 21, was found shot in the head inside the apartment and died at the scene, investigators said.

Two children were inside the home at the time of the shooting. Child Protective Services took a toddler and a baby from the home after the shooting.

Neighbors said they were outside with their children waiting for a school bus when shots rang out.

"I heard about three to four gunshots," said Kimberly Carver, who lives in the complex. "Before we could pick up the phone to call 911, police were already at the scene."

Indianapolis police identified the suspect as Chris Woods, 21, of Indianapolis. Police said he left the apartments southbound on foot after the shooting.

Woods is black, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs about 135 pounds. Woods has a high fade haircut with curls on top. He was last seen wearing dark clothing, Indianapolis police Sgt. Linda Jackson said.

The suspect and victim knew each other, but details of that relationship weren't released. Police said Majors was staying at the apartment when Woods came in and started firing.

Greenbriar Elementary School was locked down as police scoured the area. Children were allowed into the school as they arrived, but they are not allowed to leave. Westlane Middle School was also locked down, school officials said.

Police were searching in an area known as Grandview Reserves, trying to find Woods.

Some residents said they live in fear of more violence.

"I'm too scared to even look out my window to even see what apartment they're from. What if they see me looking at them?" one resident said.

UPDATE

April 20, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The man accused of shooting and killing a woman in a northwest side apartment on Monday will be in court Thursday.

Police say they apprehended Christopher Woods following a short foot chase Tuesday evening at Community North Hospital, where security officers recognized the suspect. Officers had been searching for Woods since Monday's shooting. A court hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

Woods faces preliminary charges of murder, possession of a firearm without a license and unrelated drug charges. IMPD had targeted him as a suspect in the shooting death of 21-year-old Sparkle Majors.

Majors was gunned down at Presidential Estates Apartments. Her two children were home at the time. Family members say Woods is the father of one of those children, and Majors and Woods were a couple.

Vicky S. Wade

Seymour Man Accused in Beating Death of Wife

April 24, 2011

SEYMOUR, Ind. (AP) - Police say a southern Indiana man who tried to kill himself is accused of killing his wife.

Seymour Police Chief Bill Abbot told The Tribune of Seymour that 56-year-old Terry L. Wade was arrested Sunday after being released from the hospital.

Wade is charged with murder in the beating death of his wife, 54-year-old Vicky S. Wade. Police say they found her body at the couple's home after a request for a welfare check from a family member at the home.

Abbott says Terry Wade was also found at the home and hospitalized for an overdose after he tried to kill himself.  Following an autopsy Friday morning, the coroner's office has determined Vicky Wade's cause of death as a result of blunt force trauma.

Obituary

Vicky S. Wade, 54, of Seymour, passed away Thursday, April 21, 2011 at her residence.

Vicky was born July 6, 1956 in Seymour. She was the daughter of the late Doug Harmon and Anne Williams Harmon Fisbeck who survives.

Vicky was an employee of Ai-sin. She was also an Avon representative, doing fund raisers in Jackson, Jennings and Bartholomew Counties. Vicky contributed to “Kids Corner” of the Seymour Tribune. She enjoyed writing, especially short stories. One of her other enjoyments were animals.

Vicky married Terry Wade, October 29, 1983 in Hope. She is survived by her husband, Terry; a son, Travis Wade; sisters, Kristal (Sean) Hubbard and Michelle Hallett; and her mother. She was preceded in death by her father.

A celebration of Vicky’s life will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Voss Chapel. Calling will be from 4 p.m. until time of the memorial celebration Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be written to the donor’s choice.

Arrangements are under the careful direction of Voss & Sons Funeral Service and Tri-County Crematory in Seymour.

Lavenna Shorter

Lavenna Shorter

Man Shot, Killed Girlfriend In Alley

911 Call Alerts Officers To Victim

April 9, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS -- A man was arrested and charged with murder after a woman was found fatally shot in an alley on Indianapolis' east side early Saturday.

Indianapolis Metro Police were called to an alley just east of the 900 block of Sherman Drive at about 2 a.m.

A 911 caller told dispatchers that she heard a gunshot and then heard a woman screaming, 6News' Myrt Price reported.

"Officers arrived and discovered one female suffering from a gunshot wound," said Kendale Adams, Indianapolis police public information officer. "Indianapolis EMS arrived on scene and pronounced the victim deceased."

Police charged Oscar Hall, 38, in connection with the shooting. The victim was identified as Lavenna Shorter, 42.

After receiving the tip from the 911 caller, police tracked Hall down at a home in the 9400 block of East 43rd Street, where they took him into custody.

"He was transported to the homicide office, where he was interviewed and subsequently charged with murder," Adams said.

Police said the shooting may have been the result of some sort of domestic dispute. Neighbors said they believe Shorter was trying to break-up with Hall, which may have sparked the dispute.

"From what I understand, he may have been stalking her," Adams said.

Police said Hall has a lengthy criminal record and was just released from prison earlier this year.

Also:

INDIANAPOLIS -- The family of a slain Indianapolis woman who police said was killed by her boyfriend early Saturday is speaking publicly.

Lavenna Shorter's family said they are still in shock about her death, but they admit they knew she was having problems with her boyfriend, 6News' Myrt Price reported.

"He killed my daughter, and it was cold-blooded," said Marie Adams, Lavenna's mother.

"It's killing me, man. That was my baby. Words cant describe," said Lavenna's father.

Shorter's family said they are devastated and are still trying to come to terms with the fact that she is gone.

"She was a nice young lady. She wasn't into nothing. (She would) go to work and take care of her two girls. She was just a nice person, anyone will tell you in the world she was a beautiful person," Adams said.

Family members said the nightmare began Saturday morning when Oscar Hall barged into her home.

"He stole her key. She didn't know he had a key, and he opened her door. He came in and started tripping and she said, 'Let's go. I'm going to take you home.' That's where she was taking him to his mother's house," Adams said.

However, once the couple arrived in the 900 block of Sherman Avenue, police said Hall shot and killed Shorter.

Police said the shooting happened in front of Shorter's daughter, Corey Hooten.

Hooten said after the suspect shot her mother, he then pointed the gun at her.

"He put the gun to my head and asked me if I want to be next," Hooten said.

Hooten said Hall eventually lowered the gun and drove off.

"For some reason, God stepped in and saved her," Adams said.

Shorter's family said Lavenna and Hall had been dating for a few months, but she had recently been trying to break things off.

"I just don't understand why he did this," Adams said.

The family said the only way they can ever have closure is for the suspect to pay for what he allegedly did.

"I want justice," said Adams. "I want him punished severely."

Shorter's mother offered advice to women who may find themselves in a troubled relationship: get away as fast as you can and don't be afraid to get help from family and friends.

UPDATE:

August 25, 2011

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - A man was sentenced to 60 years in prison on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to killing his 42-year-old girlfriend.

Oscar Hall was charged with murder from an incident on April 9, when police say he shot his girlfriend, Lavenna Shorter, in the head after an argument escalated. It happened around 2 a.m. in an alley in the 900 block of Sherman Avenue, near 10th Street.

Shorter’s daughter was reportedly home when the shooting happened.