Richard Jones

In the early hours of Thursday, June 18, 2020, Richard Jones, a 37-year-old man, was found shot to death on the near northeast side of Indianapolis, Indiana. His killing marked a grim milestone for a city grappling with a surge in violent crime, representing the 100th criminal homicide of a year that would ultimately set a record for violence in the community.

The incident unfolded just after 1:30 a.m. in the 3500 block of North Keystone Avenue. Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were called to the commercial corridor for a report of a person down. When they arrived, they discovered Richard suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of emergency medical personnel who responded to the scene, he was pronounced deceased.

Homicide detectives began an investigation, believing the shooting may have been connected to an attempted robbery of a business in the area. The location, near the intersection of North Keystone Avenue and East 35th Street, is a busy thoroughfare with a mix of local businesses and nearby residential streets. Investigators remained at the scene for several hours, collecting evidence and searching for anyone who might have witnessed the events that led to Richard's death. In the immediate aftermath, authorities did not release any description of a potential suspect or provide further details about the circumstances of the attempted robbery.

The death of Richard Jones came during a particularly violent period for Indianapolis. The city had already seen four other homicide investigations in the 24 hours prior to his death. Reaching 100 homicides by mid-June was a stark indicator of the escalating violence; in the previous year, the city had not reached that number until September. The trend deeply concerned law enforcement and residents alike, as the pace of killings continued to climb throughout the summer and the remainder of the year.

Publicly available information about Richard's personal life, his family, or what may have brought him to that specific location in the middle of the night has not been released. No obituary or statements from loved ones have been located, leaving a void where the story of his life should be. He is remembered primarily through the tragic public record of his death and his place in the city's difficult history with violent crime.

In the years since Richard was killed, there have been no public announcements regarding arrests or the identification of any persons of interest in his case. The investigation remains open but appears to have stalled, joining a significant number of other unsolved homicides from that period. The lack of resolution leaves many questions unanswered and means that those responsible for his death have not been held accountable.

The case is still under investigation by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. As of the latest available information, no new leads or details have been released to the public. The absence of closure in Richard's case reflects a broader challenge faced by the city, where many families continue to wait for answers and for justice for their loved ones.