Eleven years after four relatives were found shot to death in a near-north Indianapolis home, loved ones were back on North Harding Street on Wednesday, standing on the vacant lot where the house once stood. They held a vigil, lit candles and laid out photographs, still pushing for answers in the March 24, 2015 killings of Terri Bettis, 18-year-old Davon Whitlock, 32-year-old Tiara Turner and 48-year-old Sherri Taylor. No one has been convicted in the case. Family members said the pain feels as raw as ever and hoped a fresh spotlight might finally spark new leads. “When are we going to get peace?” one relative asked quietly as the candles flickered.
Arrest and dismissal timeline
According to a Marion County press release, prosecutors charged Nicholas Dunn on Jan. 23, 2019, with four counts of murder and an unlawful-possession-of-a-firearm offense after investigators said new information connected him to the North Harding Street scene. More than three years later, in July 2022, the state moved to dismiss those murder counts just days before trial, citing what officials described as “significant evidentiary challenges,” as reported by WRTV.
Evidence problems in court filings
The state’s motion said two crucial witnesses had died and that DNA results tied to items recovered from inside the home were compromised and therefore could not be used in court, according to court filings. Coverage at the time noted that prosecutors planned to resubmit the DNA samples for additional forensic testing in an effort to salvage usable evidence. Those reports also emphasized that dropping the charges did not shut the door permanently, and that the case could be refiled if new admissible evidence emerges, according to WLWT (AP).
Family marks 11 years, renews pleas
During Wednesday’s remembrance, relatives shared memories of the four victims and repeated their calls for investigators to keep pushing the case forward, according to WTHR. The station reported that a child at the vigil stood up to say, “I miss my grandma… I love you,” a reminder that the ripple effects of the killings stretch across generations. Family members told WTHR the grief never really fades, it just settles into daily life. The outlet also said it reached out to Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears for comment, but he was unavailable.
Investigators still ask for tips
Indianapolis Metro Police and the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office say the case is still open, and officials have renewed their call for tips from the public, according to WRTV. Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact the IMPD homicide office or Crime Stoppers. Prosecutors have stressed that the 2022 dismissal did not close off the possibility of future charges, and that they intend to pursue additional forensic testing if solid evidence becomes available. Detectives continue to urge neighbors and community members to share any memories, recordings or details from the spring of 2015, no matter how minor they might seem.
Legal note
The July 2022 motion that led to the dismissal of the murder counts did not prevent prosecutors from refiling charges if they later obtain new admissible evidence, court records state. Court filings show the state identified the deaths of key witnesses and compromised DNA testing as the main hurdles to taking the case to trial. At the time the murder charges were dropped, authorities said the suspect remained in custody on a separate aggravated-battery case, according to the state’s earlier press release.
