INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Malik Halfacre, a 28-year-old Indianapolis resident, has been sentenced to 145 years in prison for the murder of four people, including a 7-year-old child, following a dispute over a $1,400 stimulus check. Halfacre admitted guilt in June to the March 2021 killings of Eve Moore, 7, Dequan Moore, 23, Tomeeka Brown, 44, and Anthony Johnson, 35.
Halfacre’s girlfriend, Jeanettrius Moore, who is the mother of the deceased 7-year-old, was also shot but survived the incident. The victims were all related to Jeanettrius Moore, with Dequan Moore being her brother, Tomeeka Brown her mother, and Anthony Johnson her cousin.
The fatal shooting took place on March 13, 2021, at a home on Randolph Street. Halfacre was reportedly searching Jeanettrius Moore’s purse for a stimulus check she had received during the COVID-19 pandemic. When police arrived at the scene, they found Jeanettrius Moore, who informed them that Halfacre had fled with their 6-month-old daughter after the shooting.
Halfacre’s sister later contacted the police, revealing that she had the child and that Halfacre had admitted to the murders. She also shared that Halfacre had called a friend using her phone, who agreed to help him escape.
The police were able to locate Halfacre’s friend and kept surveillance on his house. During a traffic stop, the friend revealed that Halfacre was hiding at his girlfriend’s residence on Eastridge Road. This led to a standoff with a SWAT team that lasted several hours before Halfacre was apprehended without incident.
Upon his arrest, Halfacre confessed to the police that he had argued with Jeanettrius Moore over her stimulus check. After the shooting, he took the money, her purse, and her car, and fled the scene.
Yolanda Graham, the paternal grandmother of the deceased 7-year-old, expressed her wish for her granddaughter to be remembered not just as a victim of gun violence, but as a person. Eve Moore was described as a bright, happy child who was always in good spirits.
Prior to the March 2021 murders, Halfacre had a criminal record. He had shot a man in 2017 but pleaded to a lesser charge of pointing a firearm. He was initially charged with four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, armed robbery, felon carrying a handgun, and auto theft.
Ryan Mears, a prosecutor for Marion County in Indianapolis, initially considered the death penalty for Halfacre. However, Halfacre pleaded guilty to the murder and attempted murder charges a few months after his arrest, leading to the dismissal of the remaining charges.
After Halfacre’s sentencing, Mears thanked the victims’ families for their patience during the challenging period. He stated that the resolution provides finality to the criminal matter as the community continues to heal from the tragedy.