Gaylyn Morris (L) pictured in court; (inset) shows Morris just before she started punching her rival at the bar (images via WTHR screengrabs)
A 27-year-old Indiana woman on trial in Marion County for murder after running over her cheating boyfriend outside a bar in 2022 looked on in court as a woman who witnessed the car attack tearfully testified to recalling a “crunching” sound.
Gaylyn Morris is accused of using Apple’s AirTag technology in order to track 26-year-old Andre Smith to the bar where she allegedly confronted him and the woman he was with before running the man over at least twice outside the establishment — scarring his surviving relatives for life.
“AirTag is a supereasy way to keep track of your stuff,” Apple says of the product. “Attach one to your keys. Put another in your backpack. And just like that, they’re on your radar in the Find My app, where you can also track down your Apple devices and keep up with friends and family.”
In an opening statement for the prosecution Tuesday, WTHR reported, Marion County Deputy Prosecutor Michelle Sharpe said that on June 2, 2022, in the hours before Smith’s death, Morris “had worked herself up into a tizzy and she needed to confront him and the woman she knew he was with.”
“But instead of tracking her stuff, she tracked Andre by hiding an AirTag in the back seat of his car,” Sharpe reportedly said.
According to a probable cause affidavit put together by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Morris tracked Smith to Tilly’s Pub in Castleton, where she was caught on video inside the bar throwing punches at the other woman, T.N., as described in court documents.
Day 2 in Gaylyn Morris murder trial. She tracked her cheating boyfriend Andre Smith to Castleton bar, then ran over him with her car. This video inside Tilly’s Pub & Grill. Morris wearing bonnet, fighting other woman while Smith tries to break it up. All 3 kicked out. @WTHRcom pic.twitter.com/A7vaplPtok
— Rich Nye (@RichNye13) August 16, 2023
Abby Winters, identified in the affidavit by her initials, took the witness stand and told jurors what she saw in the parking lot after midnight on June 3, 2022.
“There was a hitting of the gas and I did see him go down, and heard what felt like a speed bump and some crunching,” Winters said in court, according to WTHR’s account of what was said. “And then it went once, and then backed up again, and then forward again.”
Abby Winters tearfully testifies against Gaylyn Morris in Marion County (WTHR screengrab)
According to the affidavit, Winters, while out for a karaoke night with friends, said she saw that Morris was kicked out of the pub following the initial fight and disturbance; Smith and T.N. also went outside after picking up food.
Winters said she then saw Morris “hit the gas” and run over Smith twice in her blue Impala:
A.W. got to her car and looked over to her right and saw Smith standing there, and then he was not standing. A.W. stated that Gaylyn Morris was driving slow and purposeful, but once she got to Andre Smith, she hit the gas, and Smith fell over and was on the ground. A.W. saw her back up over him and then go back over to him again. She could hear the crunching sound and saw the car going up as if going over a hump. She remembers it being eerily quiet, she thought to herself is he really under the car and if he was still alive he would be screaming, but there was nothing from him, Gaylyn Morris or T.N. who was standing between the vehicles. A.W. thinks she was stunned, so she walked back inside the bar and just stood there, processing what she had just seen. A.W. stated that she just needed to go home, so she stepped outside and saw Gaylyn Morris over by where A.W. ‘s car was parked. Morris had gotten out of her car and was pacing around the parking lot.
Smith died of traumatic asphyxia.
J.Q., another witness in the affidavit, recalled Morris saying “I’m going to beat her,” just before fists started flying. Morris also revealed how she tracked Smith to the bar, the witness said.
“J.Q. stated that Morris picked up an empty beer bottle from a table. J.Q. said Morris stated she had air-tagged and GPS followed Andre Smith, and that he had been cheating on her. J.Q. stated that Morris went over to Smith and T.N. and swung at T.N. with the beer bottle, but Smith blocked it and grabbed Morris,” the affidavit said.
Authorities said that a search warrant executed a day after the alleged murder turned up an Apple AirTag packaging box inside Morris’ blue 2010 Chevrolet Impala. The shirt she was allegedly wearing at the bar was also found in the car.
Gaylyn Morris (Marion County jail mugshot), Andre Smith (family photo)
While Gaylyn Morris’ defense attorney Max Wiley reportedly called the case “tragic” and promised jurors they would see that his client is “not guilty of murder,” there is the issue of recorded police interview.
Cops said that Morris told key falsehoods and made certain admissions after waiving her Miranda rights.
“She said that she had not seen him at all on June 2nd. At some point during the day, she talked to him and confronted him about a woman she thought he was seeing. At the end of their conversation, Morris told Andre that he needed to pack his belongings from their home and leave,” the affidavit said.
Morris allegedly claimed that she was “just driving around” and found Smith at the pub because she spotted his car.
“She eventually found him at Tilly’s Pub. I asked Morris how she found him at Tilly’s and she stated that she was just driving around and remembered that he would get a hotel room at the Sheraton to be by himself or with other women. As she was driving, she said that she saw his car at Tilly’s,” court documents said. “She then began asking people about bars being open in the area and if anyone had seen a tall black dude with dreads.”
According to the defendant’s alleged version of events, Morris grabbed a beer bottle in self-defense because T.N. “got aggressive with her.” Morris then allegedly admitted she hit Smith with her car.
“As Smith was walking outside, Morris admits to hitting Smith with her car, but said she didn’t mean for him to go under her car,” the affidavit continued.
About the Apple AirTag? Morris allegedly admitted placing the tracker in Smith’s car — but only after cops pressed her on whether a search warrant would turn up such evidence.
Court records show the jury was selected Tuesday and opening statements followed. Trial is set to resume at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
Court notes anticipated that the trial could last 3 days.
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