Indianapolis, IN
Man convicted of murdering woman in 2023 shooting in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A judge this week convicted a 40-year-old Indianapolis man of the murder of a 31-year-old woman in 2023.
Troy Briscoe will be sentenced May 9 in Marion Superior Court 32 for the shooting death of Sabrina Cowen.
Prosecutors relied heavily on circumstantial evidence to establish what happened on the night of Feb. 13, 2023, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement in a news release issued Thursday.
Officers were called just before 10 p.m. Feb. 13, 2023, to the 3500 block of West 12th Street. That in the Andorra Park housing addition that’s a few blocks southwest of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Officers found Cowen lying in her yard with a gunshot wound. She died from her injuries about an hour later at a hospital.
Upon entering Cowen’s home, investigators found several signs of a struggle, including broken fingernails, a shell casing, and a pair of glasses on the floor, prosecutors said.
Neighbors told investigators that they heard a “boom” followed by screaming around 9:30 p.m. on the night of the murder.
Witnesses informed detectives that Briscoe and Cowen had a violent relationship, and Cowen had recently indicated she was “done” with him. According to prosecutors, Briscoe’s behavior had been described as erratic and threatening.
Prosecutors said home security footage from a nearby home showed Briscoe entering Cowen’s residence before the shooting and fleeing the scene shortly after. They also said data put Briscoe’s cellphone location near the crime scene before, during and briefly after the murder.
Also, his DNA was found on multiple beer bottles and a cigarette butt at the shooting scene, prosecutors said.
Ryan said in the statement, “We are pleased that this verdict may provide Ms. Cowen’s loved ones a sense of peace knowing that the defendant will be held accountable for his actions.”
Online court records show Judge James K. Snyder had a bench trial ahead of his verdict. He also dismissed a felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violence felon.
Help is available for victims of domestic violence. Below is a list of suggested resources on the Domestic Violence Network website:
Indianapolis, IN
State police arrest man in connection with two Monument Circle attacks
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
Indianapolis, IN
Where to find cooling stations in central Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
Indianapolis, IN
Heat Advisory and Warning for central Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
WRTV
A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
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