A man accused of gunning down another man in a south-side Indianapolis parking lot nearly two years ago is finally behind bars in Marion County, after fleeing the country the day after the killing. Zacarias Antonio Antunez-Padilla, 48, was extradited from Honduras and booked into the Marion County Jail this month, where he is being held without bond as he awaits trial.
The case dates back to around 9:30 p.m. on December 30, 2024, when Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the 4200 block of El Lago Boulevard near South Rural Street and East Hanna Avenue, according to court documents cited by WTHR. Officers found 30-year-old Dilmer Gabriel Juarez Murillo suffering from fatal injuries in the parking lot, and as reported by Fox 59, Murillo died from blood loss after being stabbed twice and shot once in the neck. The shooting turned out to be the last homicide recorded in Indianapolis in 2024.
A Night of Drinking Turns Deadly Without Warning
Court documents indicate Antunez-Padilla had been drinking Modelo beers with Murillo and other witnesses inside their vehicles in the parking lot for about 30 minutes before the two men walked behind a car, where gunfire suddenly erupted. The same court filings note that bystanders heard no verbal argument beforehand, leaving investigators without a clear motive for the shooting, per court records relayed by Fox 59.
According to court filings, two witnesses told detectives that Antunez-Padilla pointed a handgun directly at them as they got out of their vehicle to check on Murillo. The brandishing of the weapon forced the witnesses to pause before rendering aid, and Antunez-Padilla then fled the parking lot alone in his vehicle. Multiple people who witnessed the violence later helped police piece together the investigation, Fox 59 reported.
Suspect's Car Found Abandoned With Blood on the Rim
Police later found the suspect's car abandoned near a dumpster on Creek Way the day after the killing, according to Fox 59. Officers discovered blood on the car's tire rim, along with beer cans and bullets inside the vehicle. By the time detectives caught up to that evidence, Antunez-Padilla was already gone.
IMPD detectives established on January 3, 2025 — just days after the killing — that Antunez-Padilla had boarded an American Airlines flight to Honduras on December 31, 2024, the day after the shooting, per court documents cited by WTHR. A murder charge was formally filed against him that same month, but with the suspect out of the country, the case shifted into a lengthy international extradition effort involving federal partners.
Nearly a Year on the Run Before Honduran Arrest
Honduran news agency Noticiero Hoy Mismo reported in December 2025 that Antunez-Padilla was apprehended in the municipality of San Antonio de Oriente, in the Francisco Morazán department east of Tegucigalpa, under an outstanding U.S. extradition warrant. The Honduran outlet reported the arrest as pending extradition to the United States.
The United States Marshals Service helped return the suspect to Indiana, and Antunez-Padilla was ultimately returned to Marion County nearly 20 months after the killing, according to Fox 59. Following his extradition and booking into Marion County Jail this month, he was scheduled for an initial court hearing in Indianapolis on September 22, according to court records cited by WTHR.
Marion County Prosecutor Tommy Thompson said authorities will search worldwide for suspects and hold them accountable in Marion County, per Fox 59. The extradition was made possible in part by continued diplomatic cooperation between the two countries — the Los Angeles Times reported in February 2025 that Honduran President Xiomara Castro reaffirmed the continuation of the U.S.-Honduras extradition treaty following bilateral negotiations, preserving the legal framework that allowed fugitives to be returned to face charges in American courts.
Case Unfolded Amid a Violent Year for Indianapolis
The killing occurred during a particularly deadly stretch for Indianapolis. WTHR reported in January 2025 that IMPD investigated 208 total homicides in 2024, consisting of 173 criminal homicides and 35 non-criminal cases — marking the fifth consecutive year the city surpassed 200 total homicides. IMPD Chief Chris Bailey reported in December 2025 that Indianapolis saw a 20% decline in criminal homicides and a 21% drop in non-fatal shootings from 2024 to 2025, as the department pursued targeted violent crime reduction strategies.
If convicted of murder, Antunez-Padilla faces a statutory prison sentence ranging from 45 to 65 years under Indiana Code § 35-50-2-3, with an advisory sentence of 55 years and potential fines up to $10,000, according to Justia Law. It remains unclear whether prosecutors will pursue additional charges tied to the allegation that he pointed a firearm at witnesses as he fled the scene, and details about his legal representation and expected plea have not yet been made public ahead of his initial hearing.
