Indianapolis man faces murder, attempted murder charges in Muncie shootings

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — A 21-year-old Indianapolis man faces murder and attempted murder charges in a connection with two shootings in Muncie earlier this month.

The Muncie Police Department announced Saturday morning that the man was among three arrests made in connection to the shooting death of a 27-year-old man on Sept. 5.

Ashuntiz Stewart died at an Indianapolis hospital a few days after he was found shot just after 8:35 p.m. Sept. 5 in the parking lot of an apartment complex just southwest of the intersection of West 23rd Street and South Walnut Street. That’s in a residential area with nearby church and businesses, about a mile north of the intersection of State Madison Avenue and Old State Road 3.

That shooting was connected to a second one that left two people injured just before midnight Sept. 5 in the parking lot of a commercial building northwest of the intersection of East Fifth Street and South Madison Avenue.

The arrests happened Sept. 8, Sept. 18 and Wednesday, said a news release dated Friday that the police department shared Saturday on social media. Here’s what’s available on the three men from the release and from online jail and court records as of Saturday morning:

• Lamont Jaden Duane Howard, 21, of Indianapolis, was charged in Delaware Circuit Court 3 with a high-level felony count of dealing in methamphetamine with intent to deliver 10 grams or more; and two misdemeanor counts: resisting law enforcement and unlawful carrying of a handgun. The release said a probable cause affidavit filed Friday sought for him to also faces charges including murder, attempted murder, and aggravated battery. He was being held in jail on a $40,000 bond. No initial hearing had yet been scheduled.
• Michael Leroy Jones, 24, of Muncie, was charged in Delaware Circuit Court 3 with a low-level felony count of unlawful carrying of a handgun with a prior felony conviction within the last 15 years. He’s being held in jail on a $15,000 bond while awaiting an initial court hearing on Thursday.
• Chandler Wayne Harris, 41, had a search warrant served on Wednesday that, the release said, was for a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. The release also said federal authorities had placed a retainer on Harris after his arrest. Harris was being held in jail on a $15,000 bond. No online court case could be found for him on Saturday morning, and where he lives was not immediately available.

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