INDIANAPOLIS — The man accused of fatally shooting a Lyft Driver last week on the city's west side also allegedly stole his car, then hid crime evidence before driving the vehicle to northwest Indiana where he was apprehended, a court document alleges.
Devin Powell, 24, told police he used his Lyft account to order a ride from the victim, 34-year-old Anthony Garland, before shooting him to death, a probable cause affidavit filed Friday alleges.
Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department began their investigation after being called about 6 a.m. Thursday to the 3000 block of Rolling Dunes Drive for a report of a person shot. That location is near the Waterfront Pointe apartment complex near Interstate 74.
Once there, police were told by responding firefighters they found a person down in the area. Medics treated Garland and he was later pronounced dead at the scene about 5:57 a.m, according to the affidavit.
Police did not find any shell casings at the scene, instead finding only a small amount of change in Garland's possession.
On Tuesday, the Marion County Coroner's Office said Garland's death was ruled a homicide by gunshot wounds. The affidavit states he suffered a total of six gunshot wounds.
Investigators identified the suspect by accessing Lyft records which showed he was the last person to order a ride from Garland. Using GPS monitoring from Lyft, they were also able to track Garland's vehicle, a 2013 GMC Arcadia, all the way to Merrillville.
There, Merrillville police officers located and conducted a stop on the car. It was occupied by Powell, who was driving, and a man who identified himself as his cousin. Officers also saw what appeared to be blood stains around the car's center console, according to the affidavit.
During an interview with police, Powell initially said he took off with the car after he found it running and unoccupied. He also said he had a gun with him in the car but that there was "no way" his gun killed Garland, adding that he hadn't called for a Lyft the day of his death.
Powell later admitted he called for a Lyft and got into an argument with Garland because he was "trying to screw him over and take his money," adding he shot in self-defense, the affidavit states.
Powell also said he went to his apartment after the shooting, which is within 100 yards of where Garland's body was found, and changed his clothes, bought seat covers to hide blood stains in the car, and vacuumed up four shell casings at the scene.
A separate probable cause affidavit alleges the suspect was involved in several thefts from a local Meijer where he worked.
Powell is charged with two counts of murder and one count of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.
He's scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference Oct. 18 in Marion Superior Court.
