Suspect in deadly carjacking was released from jail hours before killing victim, a father of 7

By Rachael Wilkerson

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    INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The Marion County Coroner’s office identified the victim in Monday’s deadly carjacking as 51-year-old Shane Coffman.

WRTV found the suspect involved had just been released from jail and that Coffman fought for his car.

His wife Julie said Coffman is irreplaceable. He was a loving father of 7 and businessman who was just getting gas and some lottery tickets.

“I want this man in prison for the rest of his life,” said Coffman.

“Everything happened so quick and I just said wow,” said Mike Stone.

Mike Stone said he was in the parking lot when the car-jacking happened off English Avenue, on Indy’s east side.

“He was just telling the man to get out of his car. He grabbed onto the car door. The dude took off and the guy was hanging onto the car and got thrown into the pole over there,” said Stone.

Another witness, Will Sharpe said he saw the suspect cross the street and hop into Shane Coffman’s car.

“He walked from right across the street there, ran to the car and jumped into the car. The guy didn’t want to give his car up. He was backing up. I thought the car door came off. He came against the pump and slammed him against the pump and kept going,” said Sharpe.

IMPD said Speedway police found the stolen vehicle off Holt Rd. on the west side.

The suspect is preliminary charged with murder and robbery.

WRTV does not name suspects until formal charges are announced, per policy.

Jail records show the suspect was released from jail just two hours before the carjacking. The Marion County Prosecutors Office said he was arrested for a suspected DUI case but charges haven’t been filed due to pending toxicology results.

The gas station where the carjacking happened is around the corner from the jail. “Transportation, right,” said Stone.

Court documents show the suspect took a plea deal last month for having narcotics (pills) in his pocket at the time he was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident. His 360 day sentence was suspended.

This isn’t the first time the suspect has been in jail for stealing a car.

He served two years in the Department of Corrections and was on probation for an auto theft conviction before this one.

That’s when he stole a woman’s car at a west side gas station off 16th street in 2018.

He was ordered to take mental health medication throughout his remaining sentence.

“It’s bad man. It shouldn’t happen ya know,” said Stone.

There is surveillance video of the incident. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will determine formal charges.

In the meantime, the suspect is at the Marion County Jail.

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