Background: News footage from the scene of the Jan. 25 shooting of Jarrell Pryor (WXIN). Inset (top): Jarrell Pryor (Facebook). Inset (bottom): Alexis Hawkins (Marion County Jail).
An Indiana man went on a date that ended in an ambush — and now two teenagers have been arrested and charged with his murder.
Jarrell Pryor, 25, was shot and killed after midnight on Jan. 25 during a date with Alexis Hawkins, 19, who was accused by police of setting Pryor up to rob him. In an arrest affidavit obtained by local Fox affiliate WXIN, Hawkins was allegedly coordinating with her boyfriend, 18-year-old Brian Winston Jr., on Instagram while she worked out a time to meet with Pryor.
On the night of their date, Winston allegedly shot Pryor while he sat in his car, killing the young father.
According to reporting by the Indianapolis Star, police determined that Pryor and Hawkins were on a date based on their Instagram messages — but Hawkins was allegedly sending messages to another man at the same time, making arrangements to rob Pryor while she was on their date. WXIN’s reporting on the affidavit identified that man as Winston.
After obtaining a search warrant on Hawkins’ Instagram account, police also found that she had done Google searches for “news today,” “news today near me,” and “shootings Keystone” on the day of the shooting. Police also found that she allegedly sent messages to several people asking for a ride from a location near the shooting around the time the incident took place.
When Hawkins was questioned by police on Feb. 6, the Indianapolis Star reported that she said she couldn’t remember that night. She specifically said she didn’t have any guns with her at the time, reportedly telling police, “no weapon to say I did anything. My fingerprints aren’t on anything.” Hawkins was asked by police if they would find her fingerprints in Pryor’s car, to which she responded, “it’s not going to be on no weapon, though.”
The Indianapolis Star reported that when police asked about a message sent by Hawkins in which she said she was going to make a “play,” she stopped cooperating and requested an attorney.
Hawkins was arrested in February and charged with murder and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. Her next court date is May 19.
Winston was charged with murder, felony murder, and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. He appeared in court on April 15 and is also scheduled to appear on May 19. Both Winston and Hawkins are being held at the Marion County Jail without bond.
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