"These animals need to be put out of their misery."
Three Black Teens Charged In Murder Of 61-Year-Old Haitian Immigrant
Re-printed from a story at WXIN Channel 59 on June 15th 2011
Three black teenagers were arrested for the brutal murder of a 61-year-old man in Indianapolis.
INDIANAPOLIS - Three suspects are now charged in relation to the murder of an innocent man who was gunned down during a random robbery on his way home from work.
Clayton Battice, 61, worked at Wonder Bread for more than 20 years and left behind a wife and children.
More than a week after her husband's murder, Shermell Williams Battice still couldn't bear to show her face on camera. She said it's because she's lost the one man who could make her smile.
"He had the heart of an angel," Williams Battice said. "He was very respectful and all I can say is he was just the kindest person."
Williams Battice said she was sleeping and never heard the gunshots that brought police to her apartment in the early morning hours of June 5th. Clayton usually woke her up after returning from his overnight shift at Wonder Bread, but the scene outside her window woke her up instead.
"I saw all the police vehicles so I just ran down the stairs calling Clayton," Williams-Battice said. "And when he didn't answer I knew he was, something happened to him."
Officers found Clayton Battice shot to death in an open stairwell two flights down from his apartment at the Bavarian Village complex on the east side of Indianapolis. Witnesses saw three young men jump into a white Chevy Blazer and take off. A nearby security camera captured the Blazer leaving and once the photos made their way around the department, a traffic officer discovered that he had pulled the SUV and the getaway driver over earlier that morning.
A week later, police arrested that alleged driver, 18-year-old Jonathan Williams, for assisting a criminal. He led detectives to a 16-year-old who they arrested for murder and robbery. Then, on Monday night, Fox 59 cameras were there when police made the final arrest. Police said 19-year-old Anthony Shockley was the first to pull the trigger after Clayton Battice told him he had no money to give them. Shockly was also arrested for murder and robbery.
"I can't sleep, I can't eat, I have to be medicated," said Williams Battice, who had already been battling depression. "My daughter will never see him again. My daughter is nine. And it's just leaving me with emptiness and shock."
Williams Battice now tries to fills that emptiness with the help of prayer with friends, photos of Clayton and the dozens of motivational phrases he left in the kitchen to remind him of the retirement he was just six years from reaching. Though she's thankful for the arrests, she said she's not satisfied.
"Those animals need to be put out of their misery, and I think they should get the death penalty," Williams Battice said.
Police said Anthony Shockley is also a member of the "Pop-it-off Boys" gang and has a long criminal past. He and the 16-year-old are also charged with Robbery and Attempted murder for a similar crime earlier that morning which put a Broad Ripple man in the hospital.
The victim, Mr. Battice, was a Haitian immigrant who worked the night shift. He was shot outside his apartment near 30th and Mitthoeffer on June 5th when he returned home from his job at a local bakery.
UPDATE 05/2013
Jamar Perkins, who was 16 at the time he took part in the murder of a 61-year-old man, was sentenced to 55 years in prison but is eligible for parole in 2038. He is currently housed in Pendleton Correctional Facility in Central Indiana.
Anthony Shockley, who was 19 at the time of the murder, was sentenced to 60 years in prison and is eligible for parole in 2041. Shockley is currently housed at Wabash Maximum Security Prison in Southern Indiana.
Johnathan Williams, who was charged with Assisting A Criminal for his part in the murder, had his charges dropped but was arrested and convicted of Dealing Crack Cocaine - his third conviction on this charge. Williams was given 6 months and released in March of 2013.
References:
WXIN Channel 59, Wife of murder victim speaks out as police arrest final suspect
WTHR 13, Teen Pleads Not Guilty To Senseless Murder
Re-printed from a story at WXIN Channel 59 on June 15th 2011
Three black teenagers were arrested for the brutal murder of a 61-year-old man in Indianapolis.
INDIANAPOLIS - Three suspects are now charged in relation to the murder of an innocent man who was gunned down during a random robbery on his way home from work.
Clayton Battice, 61, worked at Wonder Bread for more than 20 years and left behind a wife and children.
More than a week after her husband's murder, Shermell Williams Battice still couldn't bear to show her face on camera. She said it's because she's lost the one man who could make her smile.
"He had the heart of an angel," Williams Battice said. "He was very respectful and all I can say is he was just the kindest person."
Williams Battice said she was sleeping and never heard the gunshots that brought police to her apartment in the early morning hours of June 5th. Clayton usually woke her up after returning from his overnight shift at Wonder Bread, but the scene outside her window woke her up instead.
"I saw all the police vehicles so I just ran down the stairs calling Clayton," Williams-Battice said. "And when he didn't answer I knew he was, something happened to him."
Officers found Clayton Battice shot to death in an open stairwell two flights down from his apartment at the Bavarian Village complex on the east side of Indianapolis. Witnesses saw three young men jump into a white Chevy Blazer and take off. A nearby security camera captured the Blazer leaving and once the photos made their way around the department, a traffic officer discovered that he had pulled the SUV and the getaway driver over earlier that morning.
A week later, police arrested that alleged driver, 18-year-old Jonathan Williams, for assisting a criminal. He led detectives to a 16-year-old who they arrested for murder and robbery. Then, on Monday night, Fox 59 cameras were there when police made the final arrest. Police said 19-year-old Anthony Shockley was the first to pull the trigger after Clayton Battice told him he had no money to give them. Shockly was also arrested for murder and robbery."I can't sleep, I can't eat, I have to be medicated," said Williams Battice, who had already been battling depression. "My daughter will never see him again. My daughter is nine. And it's just leaving me with emptiness and shock."
Williams Battice now tries to fills that emptiness with the help of prayer with friends, photos of Clayton and the dozens of motivational phrases he left in the kitchen to remind him of the retirement he was just six years from reaching. Though she's thankful for the arrests, she said she's not satisfied.
"Those animals need to be put out of their misery, and I think they should get the death penalty," Williams Battice said.
Police said Anthony Shockley is also a member of the "Pop-it-off Boys" gang and has a long criminal past. He and the 16-year-old are also charged with Robbery and Attempted murder for a similar crime earlier that morning which put a Broad Ripple man in the hospital.
The victim, Mr. Battice, was a Haitian immigrant who worked the night shift. He was shot outside his apartment near 30th and Mitthoeffer on June 5th when he returned home from his job at a local bakery.
UPDATE 05/2013
Jamar Perkins, who was 16 at the time he took part in the murder of a 61-year-old man, was sentenced to 55 years in prison but is eligible for parole in 2038. He is currently housed in Pendleton Correctional Facility in Central Indiana.
Anthony Shockley, who was 19 at the time of the murder, was sentenced to 60 years in prison and is eligible for parole in 2041. Shockley is currently housed at Wabash Maximum Security Prison in Southern Indiana.
Johnathan Williams, who was charged with Assisting A Criminal for his part in the murder, had his charges dropped but was arrested and convicted of Dealing Crack Cocaine - his third conviction on this charge. Williams was given 6 months and released in March of 2013.
References:
WXIN Channel 59, Wife of murder victim speaks out as police arrest final suspect
WTHR 13, Teen Pleads Not Guilty To Senseless Murder
