A Lake County judge has reset bail at $7,500 cash for 34-year-old Rena Dixon, who is charged with murder in the April 26, 2025 fatal shooting of 27-year-old Aaliyah Shewan. Prosecutors say Shewan was shot inside an East Chicago apartment and later died at a nearby hospital. The new bail figure follows a string of hearings late last year and renewed filings this month.
Court action and bail
According to the Chicago Tribune, the judge reset Dixon’s bail to a $7,500 cash surety after hearings in August and December 2025. Court records show Dixon faces a murder charge, a firearm-use enhancement and an unlawful-possession count. Those records do not indicate she has posted bond. A status hearing in the case is currently scheduled for March 26, 2026.
Prosecutors' account
Charging documents described by AOL say Dixon invited an Aurora couple to her residence in the 1300 block of West 150th Street. Shewan was found shot in the living room and was later pronounced dead at St. Catherine's Hospital, according to those filings.
The documents reportedly reference audio captured by a baby camera that includes a pause before a gunshot, and they describe the apartment as being in disarray when officers arrived. Police say Dixon was located sitting in the passenger seat of a Chrysler 300 outside the building and that alcohol was detected at the scene.
Defense response
As reported by the Chicago Tribune, Dixon’s attorney, Adam Tavitas, told the court that two other men who were present did not see the shooting and that the gun involved has not been recovered.
Deputy prosecutor Paul Namie wrote in court filings that a woman said someone “was not supposed to be there” just before a gunshot and that the men at the apartment tried to de-escalate the situation, according to the same report. No one else who was at the apartment testified at the bail hearing, and no motive was offered in court.
What the charges mean
In addition to the murder charge, prosecutors have sought a firearm enhancement and charged Dixon with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. Indiana law defines that offense in the Indiana Code, which covers gun possession by people previously convicted of certain serious violent felonies and treats it as a separate felony offense.
If Dixon is convicted of the underlying count and the enhancement, those add-ons could significantly increase the amount of prison time she faces.
Next steps
Dixon remains in Lake County custody unless she posts the ordered $7,500 cash surety. Court records reviewed by the Tribune do not currently show that bond has been posted.
Her next status hearing is set for March 26, 2026, when prosecutors and the defense are expected to return to court to address discovery issues and any additional motions. Investigators and attorneys are anticipated to file further evidence and legal briefs ahead of that date.
