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Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Indianapolis Star
Court docs show screenshots of IMPD officer harassing woman via Hinge, running her plates
Court documents show that an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officer used department resources to harass a woman before his July 18 arrest on allegations of official misconduct and harassment. A probable cause affidavit for his arrest accuses Officer Nicholas Cauley, 38, of harassing the woman, who he had a relationship with, through texts, emails, social media, and even the dating app Hinge. He is also accused of visiting her workplace while in uniform, and running her license plates through an IMPD computer. 'The trust our community places in us is built on accountability and integrity. When any officer violates that trust, it's our duty to act quickly and transparently,' said Chief Chris Bailey following Cauley's arrest. "We are committed to working closely with the prosecutor to ensure this case is investigated appropriately.' Cauley is a nine-year IMPD officer, most recently assigned to the department's North District. He was jailed and later released on bond, and is on administrative leave pending additional review by the chief. A news release from the department said his police-issued equipment has been collected, and his law enforcement authority has been suspended. He was arrested and formally charged with two counts of official misconduct and one count of harassment following an investigation by the department's Special Investigation Unit (SIU). On June 24, IMPD North District, which is the district where Cauley worked, received an email from the woman. According to court documents, it read, 'I would simply like his attempts to contact me to stop. If he had not been an officer I would have moved forward in some sort of legal way much sooner.' She added that as his behavior continues, "It becomes more difficult to ignore the seriousness of this issue.' Once North District referred the matter to SIU for review, Detective Lt. Craig Stewart was assigned the case. Stewart spoke with the woman the next day, and according to court records, she said the couple's relationship ended in August 2024. She said she noticed a discernible change in his behavior later that year. Court documents stated the behaviors included leveraging access to her personal property in an attempt to force her to speak to him by 'throwing (her) phone into the woods' and preventing her from having access to her personal items. Court documents also said the behaviors began to increase as she moved her belongings from their shared home. The woman told the detective that Cauley's behavior was "cruel" and that he was "saying unkind things." She said she cut off all contact with Cauley as much as she could in late December, which made him angrier, and she claims his harassment of her escalated. Court records reveal emails from Cauley to the woman, angry that she wasn't replying to him and had his phone number blocked. According to the probable affidavit for his arrest, the woman would get voicemails about her still owing him money and complaining about her canceling a previously shared subscription account. Then she said there would be a pattern of Cauley being apologetic before switching back to cruelty and name calling 'when he wouldn't get what he wanted." Officer Nicholas Cauley: IMPD officer accused of misconduct and harassing woman after recent divorce Even with Cauley blocked from texting her, the woman accused him of harassing her through Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, and even a PayPal and Pinterest account. She said Cauley contacted her through a Hinge account in June, insulting her. Court records reveal a screenshot of his message on Hinge to her stating, 'Hiii! How is being the fakest person going? All the lies you live going well? … 40 is not looking well on you. Whatever those rejuvenation companies are doing is not working. Hope all is well!" Before his alleged insults through the Hinge app, the woman accused Cauley of leaving a letter on her vehicle while she was at work in late March. The last time she'd spoken to him was before Christmas when she told him to stop sending mean emails and asked his mother to coordinate any needed communications so they didn't have to converse. She said she'd previously told him numerous times to leave her alone. Detective Stewart learned through GPS data that Cauley's marked police vehicle, while he was in uniform and working as an officer, traveled to the woman's workplace at 6:12 a.m. on March 24, according to court documents. Court records stated that further examination of Cauley's vehicle-mounted computer information showed him at this location near the time he was dispatched to a report of vandalism on North New Jersey Street before he left to respond. He also wasn't responding to a dispatched run, nor creating a self-initiated stop at that time or address. His confirmed location near the address coincides with the timeframe the woman reported receiving a letter on hervehicle at work. On June 30, Stewart allowed Cauley to provide a recorded statement about the allegations, and was contacted by Cauley's private counsel. But neither counsel nor Cauley has accepted or declined the offer to make a statement, court documents state. At one point, Cauley also used his law enforcement authority to look up the woman's license plate information, a news release from the department states. A harassment charge is a misdemeanor, while an official misconduct charge is a level 6 felony. Cauley could face up to six months to two and a half years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted. Cauley bailed out of the Marion County Jail July 19. His next court case is at 8:30 a.m. on July 22.
Indianapolis Star
15-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
'Son-shine': Mother remembers son killed in mysterious shooting
Tonya Lewis didn't always like the nickname her son gave her, "Momdukes." But as Dontae Lewis used it lovingly over the years, she said it became an honorific. She called him "Son-shine" because of his smile and sense of humor. Dontae Anthony Lewis would have turned 30 on July 15, 2025. His family canceled his birthday trip to Miami after learning their family-first father of two was shot and killed on July 5 near Ensign Graham Edward Martin Park. Instead, his close family is having a cookout to mark his birthday. His death put him among at least 30 people who were shot over the Fourth of July weekend. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police have not announced any arrests or suspects in the shooting, which was initially reported as possibly self-inflicted in a release sent to the media. The Marion County Coroner's Office on July 7 declared the manner of death as homicide. The shooting in a parking lot near playground equipment at the intersection of West 13th Street and Fall Creek Parkway East Drive has left the family with more questions than answers. Dontae Lewis didn't hang around dangerous crowds, his mom said. The community loved him, she said. Over 150 gathered in a park in his memory on Saturday. His world revolved around his family, spending time with his kids, and taking them to parks and indoor playgrounds. "He was a great parent," she said. "If you've seen him, you've seen his kids." Dontae Lewis had three sisters and would call his mom in the morning. She would call him at night, she said. Dontae Lewis had a few jobs, his mom said, but had found stable work as a forklift operator. He worked hard and earned the respect of his boss, his mom said. Outside of work, Dontae Lewis loved to travel – especially toward the water. He took any opportunity he could to go snorkeling, get on a boat or ride around on a jet ski, his mother said. The family has been struggling with the lack of information about how or why Dontae Lewis was killed, his mom said. She wants to reach out to police every minute for updates, but knows she has to be patient. She said the other night she saw her son in a dream, smiling down at her with his characteristic, lovable grin.
Indianapolis Star
14-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Grieving Indy family replaces Kings Island trip with funeral planning after brothers killed
A family was getting ready to take a trip to King's Island, like they had done for years, when a mom noticed her youngest missing. Natysha Offett, 50, had just woken up when she noticed her 12-year-old son, Isreal "Izzy" Offett, was gone. She called his phone, but didn't get an answer. His sister checked his location, and it showed him on the west side of the city, far from where the family lives. So, the mother called his phone again. "Somebody had answered his phone," Offett said. Somebody told them that not only her youngest, but her middle son, 24-year-old Wayland Coe, were shot and killed. The brothers were found shot inside a vehicle on the west side of the city in the early morning hours of July 12. Instead of a fun trip to an amusement park, the family is left making funeral arrangements. "It's still fresh, but I have a lot of family and friends that's been coming by," Offett told IndyStar on July 13. But what Offett and other family members can't seem to understand is why the brothers were so far from home early in the morning, and who would have shot them? At 3:55 a.m., Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called about a person shot in the 5100 block of West 38th Street. Officers found Wayland Coe, 24, and Isreal Offett,12, inside a vehicle near a discount business and a food truck. They were taken to a hospital in critical condition, but didn't survive. Born 12 years apart, videos shared by their mom online show an energetic and happy Izzy Offett and a reserved Wayland Coe through the years. Their older cousin, Caroline Kennedy, said the family is close-knit. The boys had active parents and grandparents who were pastors. "I don't understand why they were there and at that time of night," Kennedy said. "They were good boys. Izzy was our heart. He was just a little boy. He was sheltered and loved to skateboard and do all those type of activities." The boys' uncle, who's also a pastor, William Bumpus III, said the elder brother stayed to himself around others, but with family, he was fun to be around. Natysha Offett would often invite extended family over for fun events where Coe's personality would shine. "You wouldn't think he'd have a joke, but he would come out with the funniest jokes," Bumpus said. "At their mom's 50th birthday celebration, I had never seen him dance, and we had a family dance competition, and he shocked everybody." He said Coe worked for U-Haul for years and was a father to a 4-year-old son, giving Natysha Offett her first grandson in 2021. Bumpus said Coe was a role model and always made sure to spend time with his little brother. Coe would try to set things straight if Izzy's grades were slipping. This past school year, the 12-year-old got his PlayStation taken away, but it motivated him to improve in his academics. "He was a 12-year-old boy, just how 12-year-olds are," Bumpus said. "Just all over the place. He wanted to explore and was a babysitter at the family functions when adults needed a break from the young kids. He was also very polite and wanted to be with his big brother." Brothers gone: Mother loses 3 sons to gun violence. Most recently in Indy's downtown mass shooting The brothers were two of six people shot and killed over the weekend since July 11, 2025, following the trend of an uptick in shootings and homicides in recent weeks. Teens and young adults have been the latest victims of gun violence from the string of weekend killings. The Fourth of July weekend saw a total of 30 people shot, with five people killed. The weekend before that, there were 15 people shot, with 6 people killed. This past weekend saw a total of 14 people shot, with 6 people killed. Bumpus said hopefully the family will hear details from the assigned detective in Coe and Offett's case in a few days. For now, he doesn't know the reason for them being shot and killed this last weekend. "From all we know, they were just simply at a food truck," Bumpus said. "And Wayland's thing was that he wanted to make sure Izzy stayed out of trouble, which is why he was always with him. Wayland was a protector. We just don't know the situation." Kennedy, who is the owner of Darron's Resource & Community Center, focused on healing not only youth but their parents, guardians and family. She believes mental health help and therapy are missing from the conversation regarding youth. "I don't think we're targeting the root of the problem," Kennedy said. "Boxing and basketball are good, but it isn't helping alone. Violence is steady, persisting, and the parents do need to step up, even if it means they get help for themselves." She said their family has experienced violence and death before. One of her nephews was shot and killed after being carjacked a few years ago, and her son, whom the organization is named after, died five years ago after struggles with mental health. She said she's given services to children in their family, but said Wayland Coe and Izzy Offett weren't the young people she worried about. "I know we can't hold our kids' hands throughout their whole life, but we can lead by example," Kennedy said. "I just plead with the city: Stop letting the streets take our kids." Anyone with any information on the brothers' killing is asked to contact Detective James Hurt at 317-327-3475 or email him at Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477, by downloading the mobile P3tips app , or visiting
UPI
05-07-2025
- UPI
2 dead, 5 injured in Indianapolis early-morning mass shooting
Two teens were killed and five others injured during a mass shooting early Saturday morning in downtown Indianapolis. File Photo by Justin Lane/EPA-EFE July 5 (UPI) -- Two teens are dead and five others wounded after a mass shooting in downtown Indianapolis early Saturday morning. The shooting killed two boys, ages 16 and 15, at about 1:30 a.m. near the intersection of South Illinois and West Washington streets in downtown Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Star reported. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey blamed parents for allowing hundreds of teens to go unsupervised while out at night. "This kind of violence ... is completely unacceptable and unnecessary," Bailey told media. "We are not your children's keepers. You are," he added. "Parents and guardians have got to step up." The 16-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other boy died after being taken to a nearby hospital. Four other shooting victims also were taken to local hospitals, and a fifth walked into a hospital. Police found the victims while responding to a report of a fight at the same location and said four of the surviving shooting victims are teens, and the other is 21. Two of the teens are 19-year-old adults, and the others are ages 16 and 17. Police have not determined a motive but detained seven for questioning and recovered several firearms. The mass shooting was among several violent incidents that occurred after the annual Independence Day fireworks ended on Friday night. Bailey said police made 20 arrests during the night and recovered firearms from two juveniles in the downtown area before the mass shooting happened. He said one was carrying a semi-automatic rifle that was stuffed into the youth's pants.
Indianapolis Star
02-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
'He wasn't some gangster.' Family says teen shot and killed after going to friend's home
In a string of recent homicides, Jaylon Hayden's family doesn't want people to gloss over their grief or write him off as another statistic. His shooting death capped a weekend that saw seven people killed and at least nine people injured in shootings across Indianapolis. The 18-year-old joins two other teens who lost their lives in a separate shooting. His mother, Shianna Hayden, told IndyStar her son was a lovable person. Jaylon Hayden was her oldest of three boys and was into mechanics and cars. He planned to go to trade school and eventually own a shop after serving in the military. Understanding how quickly technology is advancing, he wanted to be ahead of the curve and not limit himself. "He was pushing through the fear of going into the military," Shianna Hayden said. "He was speaking with different people to learn more and wanted to join for the benefits, the discipline, and to use what he learned toward his dreams." The teen was previously a student at Crispus Attucks High School, but unenrolled himself earlier this year to join an accelerated program. His mother didn't agree at first, but he explained that he didn't want to be surrounded by distractions. He often spoke about trying to evade certain peer pressures at school. "He was always very good at acknowledging the real from the fake in things and people," his brother, Kevin Hayden, told IndyStar. "He never put himself in a position that would make him uncomfortable." Even with him being so sure of himself, Shianna Haydon worried. Raised with both of his parents in a Christian household, the mother said she was strict, but after her son turned 18, he was granted more freedom. She would warn him about being around certain people. Jaylon Hayden, 18, fatally shot on North Butler Avenue Just before 4 a.m., on June 30, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called to the 3500 block of North Butler Avenue for a person shot. Officers found a Jaylon Hayden shot at a home near Wes Montgomery Park on the city's east side. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition but later died. Shianna Hayden said he was at his best friend's house when other people showed up. Some of those people, the mother was told, had issues with her son. But what led to the shooting remains under investigation. Four hours before his death, he'd texted his cousin Siniya Mincey, 21, to pick him up, but she didn't see the message. "He wasn't a bad kid, period," Mincey told IndyStar. "He didn't deserve this." Ki'ayjah Pierson has known Jaylon Hayden since they were 11 years old, and said she doesn't want people to assume that, as a young Black man, he must have done anything to deserve being shot and killed. "He wasn't some gangster," Pierson said. "He was a Godfearing man." Shianna Hayden said his death was unexpected because her son had a support system. Even though he'd make his own decisions once he turned 18, she said her son was never a fool. "We believe in God almighty and we're just praying for each other," Hayden said. "As a mother, I don't expect people to know how I feel. 'Cause I know even when the smoke clears, and justice is served, and people move on, you're still left dealing with the internal struggles." The family has created a GoFundMe for the 18-year-old's funeral costs. No arrests or suspects have been announced by police in this case. Anyone with any information on Hayden's death is asked to contact Detective Christopher Winter at 317-327-3475 or email him at Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477, by downloading the mobile P3tips app, or visiting
