The Hovey Street Murders

The Victims
Gina Hunt and Andrea Yarell, both 24 years old, were the unfortunate victims of this crime. Gina's nearly two-year-old son, Jordan, and Andrea's four-month-old daughter, Charlii, were also killed in the attack. The scene was grim, with all four victims suffering fatal gunshot wounds. The brutality of the crime was compounded by the fact that the young children were likely in their mothers’ arms when they were shot.

The 911 call was placed from inside the house at 10:28 PM, but due to a dispatcher error, police were initially sent to the wrong address. This mistake delayed their arrival, and when officers finally reached the scene at 10:56 PM, the damage had already been done.

A Tragic Coincidence
Andrea Yarell was not a resident of the Hovey Street home; she was merely visiting Gina that evening. The two women had been close friends since elementary school, and Andrea’s presence that night was a tragic twist of fate. Andrea's father, Lesley, recalls the night with haunting clarity. He was initially told that his granddaughter Charlii had survived and rushed to the hospital, only to receive a devastating call on the way—Charlii had passed away from her injuries.

Lesley had visited the house the day before the murders and had a bad feeling about it. He warned Andrea to leave, but she assured him she would be leaving soon. Sadly, it was a promise she didn’t live to keep.

A House with a History
The house on Hovey Street had a notorious reputation as a stash house, which made it a target for criminals. In September 2007, just a few months before the murders, the home had been the site of another violent incident. Gina Hunt was present during that attack and had pleaded for the lives of everyone in the house. The intruders at that time were searching for a specific man who was not present. Although the police investigated, they couldn’t officially link the two incidents.

In August 2007, the house was also broken into, with items worth around $5,000 stolen. Despite these incidents, Gina continued to live there, unaware of the deadly encounter that awaited her.

The Investigation
The Indianapolis police acted swiftly, dedicating 90 officers to the case almost immediately. They believed they were searching for two men and promised the public they would not rest until the killers were brought to justice. Officer Frank Anderson vowed, “Whoever is responsible for this, we are gonna trap you like dogs... We are not gonna stop until we find you and put you in a cage where you belong.”

Witnesses reported seeing two men running north on Hovey Street around the time of the shootings. The murder weapons—a 9mm handgun and a .40 caliber Glock—were found near the crime scene, suggesting the suspects had dropped them while fleeing.

Further investigation revealed that Andrea’s boyfriend, Gene Boyd, was on the phone with her when the attack began. He heard gunshots and then the phone went silent. Before the call disconnected, he also heard Gina screaming about her babies, a haunting echo of the chaos that was unfolding.

The Arrests
Although the suspects weren’t found within the critical first 48 hours, arrests were made relatively quickly. Four men were taken into custody, two of whom were charged with the quadruple murder.

Ronald Davis, known as "Action," was one of the primary suspects. He faced charges of four counts of murder, four counts of felony murder, one count of robbery, and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery. His pastor publicly stated that Ronald was remorseful and was working with the victims’ families, but many, including Andrea’s father, doubted his sincerity.

Dontae Hobson was also arrested and charged with four counts of felony murder and one count of robbery. Two other men, Zarumin Coleman and Jasper Frazier, were arrested as well. While Coleman was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and assisting a criminal, Frazier was charged with one count of robbery and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery.

Frazier eventually turned himself in and provided the police with crucial information that led to the arrests of the others. He claimed that he hadn’t intended to be part of a murder and tried to stop Davis when the shooting began. However, Davis’s account of the events differed, with each man blaming the other for the killings.

The two other men confirmed Frazier’s story, placing the Glock in Davis’s hand. Ballistics later confirmed that Davis had fired his gun ten times, sealing his fate as the shooter.

Justice and Reflection
Initially, the state sought the death penalty for Ronald Davis, but he ultimately pleaded guilty. On November 10, 2010, he was sentenced to 245 years in prison. Despite his guilty plea, Davis continued to claim that Frazier was the true killer, a claim that was contradicted by the evidence and the testimonies of the other men involved. His earliest possible release date is October 4, 2137, a prospect that offers little solace to the families of his victims.

Andrea’s father, Lesley, attended all of Davis’s hearings and never saw any sign of remorse from the man who took his daughter and granddaughter from him. Yet, ten years later, Lesley made the difficult decision to forgive the men who shattered his life. He did this not for them, but for himself, believing that forgiveness was essential for his own peace and his journey to heaven.

Frazier, who cooperated with the police, avoided murder charges but was sentenced to 70 years in prison for his role in the robbery. His earliest release date is June 22, 2036. Hobson’s parole was denied in 2023, and his next possible release date is 2033. Coleman’s earliest release date is March 12, 2043.

Tommy Warren, also known as "Blunt," who had initially planned to join the robbery but backed out at the last minute, was later charged with assisting in planning the crime. He was sentenced to ten years but was released in 2013. Warren was arrested again in 2015 on weapons charges, a grim reminder that the cycle of violence can be difficult to escape.

Conclusion
The Hovey Street murders left an indelible mark on the community of Indianapolis. The senseless loss of four lives, especially those of two innocent children, serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of violence and the importance of justice. While the men responsible are behind bars, the pain they caused continues to resonate with the families and the community. The story of Andrea, Gina, Jordan, and Charlii is one of tragedy, but also one of resilience, as their loved ones continue to seek peace in the aftermath of unimaginable loss.