Double homicide on Indy’s east side continues 2021’s trend of cases involving multiple victims

UPDATE 2/14/2025: After pleading guilty by agreement to two robbery resulting in bodily injury charges (Level 2 Felonies), Ball was sentenced to 20 years in prison, plus three years suspended on probation. He also received 633 days (nearly a year and nine months) of jail credit and 211 days of class B good time credit.

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INDIANAPOLIS — Police are searching for answers after a deadly double shooting Monday night on Indianapolis’ east side.

The killing marks the 10th time this year the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has investigated a case involving multiple homicide victims. Just six months into the year, that is a significantly higher pace than the city has seen in recent years.

Just before midnight on Woodsmall Drive, neighbors heard several gunshots, and police found two men shot to death inside a car resting near a light pole. Officials identified the victims as 22-year-old Justice Wills and 18-year-old Eric Colvin.

“I know what they’re going through after losing a daughter to gun violence. It hurts really bad,” said reverend Malachi Walker.

Reverend Walker, with Young Men Inc., is holding his annual youth summer camp, helping 40 kids play ball and learn life lessons about how to settle disputes without violence.

“We teach the kids you can take control of your life, but it’s all about making good decisions and choices,” said Walker.

It’s not clear what motivated the overnight double homicide, but including mass murders this year on Adams, Randolph and at the FedEx ground facility, there have now been 10 homicide cases with multiple victims in 2021.

That compares to 13 such cases for the entire year in 2020, 11 for all of 2019 and just four cases involving multiple homicide victims in 2018.

For his part, reverend Walker thinks the best way to slow the killings is for the community to continue to support more programs targeting young kids, keeping them off the streets and out of trouble.

“We’re losing lives. We’re losing kids’ lives, and programs like this are the best way to go,” said Walker. “We attend a lot of meetings and do a lot of talking, but when the rubber hits the road, we as a city are slow to respond, and this is ridiculous.”

No arrests have been made in this latest case, and police did not have any details to release on a suspect. Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.