In Indianapolis, Indiana, 15-year-old Janiya Carr’s disappearance ended tragically when her body was discovered in a wooded area near her apartment block. A maintenance worker at her residence has been indicted in her brutal murder.
Janiya was initially reported as a runaway by her mother, Demetria Boston, on October 30, 2023. This report marked the beginning of a harrowing search that concluded two days later with the discovery of Janiya’s body. The site of the grim find was behind Carriage House East Apartments, where Janiya lived. The severity of the crime was evident from the gunshot wounds located on her head and cheek.
Investigators gained critical insight into the case through surveillance footage obtained from the apartment complex. This footage implicated 34-year-old Tevis Walker, a maintenance worker residing in the same complex. The video revealed Janiya entering Walker’s vehicle early on October 28, 2023. Later footage showed the same vehicle heading toward the woods where Janiya was eventually found. Notably, suspicious activity was observed in the vehicle even though it was dark and the lights were off.
Walker’s initial statement to the police claimed he had transported Janiya to meet a seller of a tablet, a meeting that reportedly never took place. He maintained that he returned Janiya to her apartment afterward. However, the stark contrast between his account and the evidence found, including the surveillance footage and the state of Janiya’s body, distinctly contradicted his claims.
Complicating the situation, it was discovered that Walker had existing warrants in Alabama and Georgia. These were not identified during his background check by the apartment complex, a lapse that has attracted significant criticism and raised questions about safety protocols in residential areas. This oversight has intensified the grief experienced by Janiya’s mother and the surrounding community.
The autopsy of Carr confirmed the cause of death as gunshot wounds with associated head trauma. Based on this finding, combined with the surveillance video evidence, Walker was arrested and charged with murder.
