IMPD: Indy man arrested after December 2024 fatal overdose

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man has been taken into custody after he reportedly sold drugs to a man in December 2024 that caused a fatal overdose on the city’s northwest side, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

According to court documents, 33-year-old Ladell Dean has been charged in Marion County with one count of dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death, a Level 1 felony.

On Dec. 21, 2024, officers responded to a home in the 6900 block of Caledonia Circle on a welfare check. When officers arrived at the home, they located 31-year-old Aaron Love, who was later pronounced dead. The Marion County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Love’s cause of death was the result of a drug overdose.

According to a social media post from the department, IMPD’s Overdose Death Task Force investigated the death and determined where the drugs Love had taken came from. This eventually identified Dean as the suspect in this case.

On Sept. 3, Dean’s charges were filed by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. At the time, Dean was being held in Hendricks County on unrelated charges. The post read that Dean is expected to be extradited to Marion County.

“Every overdose death represents a life cut short and a family left grieving,” IMPD Deputy Chief of Investigations Kendale Adams said in the post. “I commend the dedication of the ODTF, the MCPO, and the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office for their coordinated efforts in this case. Their work demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who profit from dangerous drugs. We continue to pursue justice for victims and their loved ones and to confront the devastating impact of drug-related deaths in our community.”

The court documents stated that Dean’s bond has been set at $40,000 in cash.