Indianapolis, IN – A gruesome scene unfolded in a home in Indiana on Monday, where a woman was discovered brutally murdered. A man is currently in custody.
A 22-year-old named Regulus Baka faces a murder charge, as reported by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
Authorities have confirmed the identity of the victim as Shanaiya McDonald. The circumstances surrounding her passing and the subsequent events are harrowing and unsettling.
In the early morning of December 30, at 5:43 a.m., the victim’s roommate contacted authorities after discovering her deceased behind a bedroom door, as detailed in court documents acquired by The Indianapolis Star.
Authorities reported that McDonald exhibited clear signs of head trauma and was declared dead soon after emergency medical personnel reached the apartment on Ella Dobbs Lane in south Indianapolis.
Officers reportedly discovered a towel soaked in blood on a porch outside. Inside, it is reported that blood was splattered all over the place.
Authorities noted indications of a confrontation, as detailed in the legal filings acquired by the publication. Authorities claim that a plastic bag, soaked in blood, was found beside the body. A strip of transparent adhesive tape was found on the upper part of the victim’s head.
Authorities report that the woman who discovered the tragic situation is said to have identified a potential suspect in her roommate’s demise.
A witness reported hearing a woman cry out for assistance at approximately 4 a.m. on that day.
According to the apartment management, maintenance workers subsequently discovered McDonald’s cell phone in a dumpster, along with a laptop displaying her name on the sign-in screen, as claimed by the police. Authorities reportedly discovered a significant clue in the same dumpster: a piece of clear plastic tape stained with blood, resembling the tape located on the victim’s head.
Authorities report that the dumpster in question was captured by a surveillance camera positioned in its line of sight. According to the footage obtained from the device, a man is observed exiting the complex, discarding an item, and subsequently departing in a vehicle, as claimed by the police.
Subsequently, authorities reportedly connected a vehicle belonging to the Baka family to the one captured in the surveillance footage, as stated in the court documents. Surveillance cameras located approximately four miles from the incident reportedly recorded footage of the vehicle, identified as a black Ford Fusion, at approximately 4:33 a.m.
Authorities reportedly located the vehicle at another apartment complex, which they searched following the acquisition of a warrant. According to law enforcement, the car’s owner stated that Baka was resting at his parents’ home just around the corner.
According to the court document, several individuals departed from Baka’s parents’ residence when the police first requested them to leave. The accused, on the other hand, reportedly declined at first, according to law enforcement officials.
Eventually, following the deployment of the SWAT team, the utilization of a drone, and the activation of a distraction device, Baka reportedly exited, according to police claims.
The police questioned the defendant about any injuries as he left the scene.
The accused reportedly spoke extensively during a later confession following the reading of their rights and questioning.
Initially, investigators employed a French translator to ensure that Baka comprehended his constitutional rights, as outlined in the court documents referenced by the Star. Baka reportedly claimed he did and then insisted on carrying out the interview in English.
The accused reportedly claimed that their relationship was marked by turmoil, with the woman often being unfaithful and mistreating him. Baka presented proof of the alleged abuse, including claims that McDonald threatened to kill his family and struck him in the face without any justification or reason.
Baka mentioned that he visited the victim on December 29 and remained there overnight, as McDonald’s birthday was on December 31. The joyous occasion quickly took a turn when the woman struck the man and warned that she would summon someone else to confront him, according to his claims.
The accused maintained that he initially brushed off the slaps but ultimately retaliated against McDonald after withstanding a specific amount, leading to a fierce altercation, according to police reports.
At one point, Baka reportedly stated that McDonald picked up a knife and threatened his life, leading him to confess that he began to punch her in the head multiple times. The conflict escalated from that point.
The man reportedly struck the woman on the floor with a space heater, hitting her in the head four times. Subsequently, he reportedly employed a kitchen pan to deliver additional similar strikes.
The accused reportedly confessed to using tape to cover McDonald’s nose, aiming to prevent her from breathing. Baka reportedly claimed to have used a knife to stab her before throwing away the cellphone, computer, and roll of tape in a dumpster located outside the building.
The individual in question is presently held at the Marion County Jail. He is scheduled to be in court for a hearing on January 3.
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