Dustin Michael Rhodes, a 28-year-old White man who had lived in Anderson, Indiana, his entire life, was newly engaged to be married in late 2024. His life was cut short following a dispute that escalated to violence on the night of December 7, 2024.
The incident began at the Steeplechase Apartments on West 53rd Street. According to his fiancée, Alyssa Young, Rhodes had been drinking and became emotional, believing she was posting about him on the social media app TikTok. An argument broke out, during which Rhodes allegedly threw Young to the ground and took back her engagement ring. In response, Young called an acquaintance, Brandon Brooks, who was at a local bar. Brooks, along with Mason J.M. Miller and Jordan Goode, then went to the apartment.
An altercation involving multiple people erupted. Young later told police that she heard a gunshot, after which she saw the three men rush back to a vehicle. She also reported hearing someone say, "Mason, why did you do that?"
Police were dispatched to the complex around 11:15 p.m. and found Rhodes suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in serious condition but later died from his injuries.
An investigation led to the arrests of four individuals. Mason J.M. Miller, 22, was charged with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and charging enhancements including the use of a firearm and being a habitual offender. Brandon Brooks, 30, and Alyssa Young, 27, were both charged with involuntary manslaughter, assisting a criminal, and battery resulting in serious bodily injury. Brooks faced an additional charge for unlawful transfer of a firearm.
Initially, a fourth suspect, Jordan Goode, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and assisting a criminal. The investigation continued for eight months, culminating in Goode’s arrest in Richmond, Indiana, on August 19, 2025. Upon his arrest, the 33-year-old’s charges were upgraded, and he became the second man, along with Miller, to be charged with the murder of Dustin Rhodes.
As of August 2025, court hearings for the defendants were scheduled in Madison Circuit Court Division 3. The cases against all four individuals were pending litigation.
