Guilty verdicts announced in Indianapolis murder cases

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Prosecutors have announced guilty verdicts for two men previously accused of two separate murders in Indianapolis.

Darius Butts

Darius Butts was convicted in the June 9, 2022, murder of Desmond Banks.

Gas station security cameras revealed to detectives the shooting happened shortly after Butts hit Banks’ Camaro with his ice cream truck in the parking lot of a gas station at 38th Street and Mitthoefer Road.

Butts, in the truck, was seen pulling around Banks’ car and striking it. Butts exited the ice cream truck to observe the damage, then tried to leave the scene.

Banks, noticing Butts, runs out of the gas station, waving him down. The two men are seen “having several conversations” about the accident, Butts eventually becoming agitated and drawing a gun.

Butts and Banks continue speaking, until Butts suddenly shoots him. Even after Banks collapsed, Butts continued shooting. He fled the scene in his ice cream truck.

Police found Banks’ body with multiple gunshot wounds. While still on the scene, Butts returned and turned himself in. Officers later found the murder weapon inside the ice cream truck.

In an interview with detectives, Butts reportedly said, “I did it. I smoked him. I ain’t going to lie. They got me on camera.”

Michael Coleman

Michael Coleman received his guilty verdict in the death of Sunny Gilbert following a three-day trial.

Gilbert was working at an auto shop on Aug. 19, 2023, when Coleman entered the garage bay to speak with him. At some point, Coleman pulls out a gun and starts firing, striking Gilbert an unknown number of times.

Security cameras caught Coleman chasing Gilbert around the garage and the parking lot before fleeing the scene.

Before dying from his injuries, Gilbert told police who shot him. Investigators then tracked Coleman’s vehicle to Anderson, where he was taken into custody by Anderson police.

Coleman and Butts have sentencing hearings scheduled for Aug. 22 and Sept. 10, respectively.

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