Woman charged with felony murder following deadly botched robbery in Muncie

MUNCIE, Ind. — A woman is now charged with murder after a botched robbery attempt led to a deadly stabbing in Muncie.

Muncie police were first called to the 2100 block of E. Cornell Avenue on Feb. 6 and found a man dead in a pool of blood.

Shannon Miller called 911 and told dispatchers she was simply walking through Morningside Park when she came across the dead body. Miller claimed she was just an innocent bystander on her way to the gas station who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

After additional questioning, Miller said she believed her ex-boyfriend may have committed the killing.  

Miller’s boyfriend then contacted police and detailed what led to the violence.

The man claimed he arranged to meet Miller to have sex and get high at an abandoned garage. The man told police he texted Miller he had “20G of good” and would soon have $400 in cash.

The meeting led to Muncie’s first homicide of the year when police said Ronald Wright Jr. interrupted the pair claiming he had a gun and demanding drugs from Miller’s ex.

When Miller’s ex insisted he didn’t actually have any drugs, Wright allegedly told him, “That’s not what she said.”

During that alleged robbery, the man being robbed stabbed Wright one time in the armpit and then ran away while the would-be thief bled to death.

The man who actually committed the stabbing has not been charged with a crime because prosecutors think he acted in self-defense. The man said he feared for his life and believed he was going to die.

Instead, Miller is now accused of felony murder because prosecutors believe she set up the meeting thinking her ex had a large amount of meth that could be stolen with Wright’s help.

“When you’re thinking about doing these things and somebody dies, there’s a consequence for that,” said Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman.

While Miller did not commit the stabbing, she is being charged with felony murder and robbery, even though she may not have intended for anyone to get hurt.

“People can be held accountable for murder even though they did not intend the person to die and did not kill the person or engage in the violence,” said Hoffman. “The only intent that’s required to be proven is the intent to commit a violent felony. That being a robbery.”

Police claim Miller tried to hide her connections to Wright, but insist text messages tied her to failed drug-related robbery.

The prosecutor hopes the death and the criminal charges include a legal lesson everyone can learn from.

“The biggest takeaway from felony murder or people thinking about felony murder is you really need to be careful who you’re associated with and number two what you’re doing,” said Hoffman. “People need to be aware of that and stay away from these violent crimes and attempts to commit violent crimes.”

Miller is due in court for an initial hearing next month. She’s now being held without bond pending trial.