INDIANAPOLIS — An investigation by IMPD led to an Indy man being arrested in connection with a deadly overdose and nearly 80 grams of fentanyl being seized.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Overdose Task Force (ODTF) arrested 29-year-old Shane Johns. He faces multiple narcotics charges, including dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death.
The investigation began on December 21, 2024, when officers responded to a report of an unresponsive male in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle in the 700 block of E. Thompson Road. Medics pronounced the individual deceased at the scene, and signs of drug use were later discovered, indicating a probable overdose. Homicide detectives collaborated with ODTF to determine how the deceased came into contact with the fatal substance.
Through video footage, detectives learned that the victim had gone to the location to purchase narcotics shortly before his death. They identified Johns as the suspect responsible for supplying the drug.
On February 5, 2025, ODTF detectives, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), observed Johns entering a vehicle in the 4400 block of Southport Crossing Drive. When officers attempted a traffic stop, Johns fled, leading police on a short pursuit. He was ultimately apprehended, and a search of the vehicle yielded approximately 77 grams of fentanyl, about $30,000 in cash, digital scales, plastic baggies, and a loaded handgun magazine. A firearm was later found nearby, believed to have been discarded during the chase.
Johns was arrested on charges including drug possession with intent to distribute and resisting law enforcement. Following further investigation, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office filed additional charges on March 14, 2025, including dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death.
