Indy man charged with murder confesses to running over victim with his own Jeep

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man went to court Tuesday morning to face charges of murder and robbery following a fatal crash on Indy’s southwest side.

The violence took place around 11:10 a.m. on August 14 when IMPD officers were dispatched to investigate a person struck at the intersection of W. Troy Ave and Denison Street.

According to court records, 24-year-old Seth McPeak gave a detailed confession and told police he was arguing with his girlfriend in the middle of the street and got mad when the victim yelled at them to get out of the road.

That exchange of words quickly turned to murder.

After assaulting the victim and stealing his Jeep, McPeak allegedly admitted he circled the block three times, then floored the gas, swerved off the road and deliberately ran over the victim with his own stolen vehicle.

“There’s no sense in hunting someone down like that,” said the victim’s brother Mike Vidito. “The way this happened was absolutely senseless.”

Mike says his 56-year-old brother Robbie Vidito loved motorcycles and was a member of the Mars Hill Charity Riders before his life was cut short.

“There’s a void in my heart and a lot of other people’s hearts,” said Mike. “If I could sum things with Robbie, he had a heart the size of Texas.”

According to the affidavit, McPeak confessed he’d never met the victim before, and after running from the scene, he ditched his clothes and shaved his face and head to change his appearance.

Still, just seven hours after the fatal crash, police were able to track down and arrest the accused killer.

In addition to robbery and murder, McPeak is also charged with auto theft, battery, and failure to remain at the scene of a crash. Court records show that at the time of the murder, McPeak had an active warrant for his arrest stemming from domestic battery of his pregnant girlfriend in July.

Robbie’s family just wishes people would think about the consequences of their actions before letting minor disputes lead to violence.

“Other people need to learn a lesson from this,” said Mile. “This kid doesn’t realize he’s ruined his life and a lot of other lives when you do something like that.”

During an initial court hearing Tuesday morning, a public defender was appointed to the suspect’s case. A preliminary trial date was set for late October.