top of page
News & Articles


Warrant for alleged Hathaway killer identified through stolen gold coins
Swedzinski, 67, died of a bullet wound to the head and another to his chest, according to a probable cause affidavit written by Detective Gabe Furnish with the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.
Thursday, Michael Chavez Gustin, 22, was charged with murder, felony murder and burglary.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 31, 20254 min read


Hathaway Road homicide was an isolated incident, sheriff says
Folks in the 46845 zip code where new luxury homes abut farmland are jittery, wondering if the shooting death was random or personal.
It looks as though it was the latter.
"If it is any relief, there is no indication that the incident there, will lead to any others," Kenneth Litzenberg, public information officer for the Allen County Sheriff's Department, wrote Thursday in an email response.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 31, 20252 min read


Update: Hathaway Road victim ID'd, but who did it?
The victim was 67 years old and lived far north in Allen County.
His home in the 700 block of Hathaway Road is peaceful with large homes.
Roger Marvin Swedzinski died Saturday morning around 9:30 a.m. of multiple gunshot wounds.He was at his home.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 29, 20251 min read


"I already knew what it was for:" accused hit and run driver says
Surveillance video from a nearby business showed proof it was a hit and run accident, that the Saturn was traveling east on McKinnie, ran a red light at Lafayette and struck the northbound Chevrolet Silverado, according to a probable cause affidavit penned by Sgt. Matt Wilson, assigned to the Fort Wayne Police Department’s homicide, but a former fatal traffic crash detective.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 29, 20252 min read


In a magistrate's court, one return offender is polite but gets little sympathy
Flowers appealed to Keirns to place him in the JCAP program, an in-jail recovery program that has had success, but Keirns said the jail was full and basically, it was time for the state to pick up some of Flowers’ incarceration costs.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 28, 20253 min read


'Don't run up on me, bro:' fatal stabbing took only three seconds
It took three seconds to mortally stab the victim.
And a short time later to arrest Draylon Marquise Crutch

Jamie Duffy
Jul 25, 20252 min read


Massage parlor arrests update as FWPD patrols petty vice downtown
Last Friday, the Fort Wayne Police Department went out to clean up downtown Fort Wayne.
The operation from 4 p.m to 8 p.m. means it was still light outside when they arrested nine people, including some aging prostitutes whose mugshots will not be published here, their sorry lives already exposed in local media.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 24, 20254 min read


FWPD arrests teen in 16-year-old's Saturday morning homicide
Jamoni Burton, 19, who lived in the same apartment complex as his alleged victim, Kardenia Anthony Hollis, is now facing a virtual life sentence homicide. Thursday he was booked in to the Allen County Jail on a murder charge, according to the Allen County Sheriff's Department website.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 24, 20252 min read


'Tomorrow isn't promised:' sad message on teen victim's hoodie
Tuesday, the Allen County Coroner identified him. His name is Kardenia Anthony Hollis of Fort Wayne. He was 16 years old.
“They called him Nunu,” Parker said. Teens have told him that Hollis was a student at Northup High School.
Hollis was found early Saturday morning - around 3 am. - lying in front of the Woodbridge Apartments in the 1800 block of River Run.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 22, 20253 min read


Second man convicted of killing 'Twink,' a favorite city barber
On the night of Feb. 19, 2023, Brandon Golden and Daisha “Twink” Fitts walked out of the Fraternal Order of Eagles casino on Bluffton Road at 11:23 p.m., got into Golden’s van and left happy, pulling out on to Winchester Road
Six minutes later, Golden was frantically speeding back into the casino parking lot, his friend Daisha, a beloved local barber, dying between the passenger and the back seat after she was shot in an ambush at Winchester and Airport Expressway.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 18, 20254 min read


Alleged molester told victims' dad he was a doctor, court docs say
No, according to a probable cause affidavit written by long-time Fort Wayne detective R.J. Sutphin, Perry Mitchell Miles refused to leave the home after he was viewed in the act of molesting two little girls.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 17, 20252 min read


Second man on trial for shooting death of 'Twink,' a beloved barber
The state says Haywood, 32, and Devonte Travier, almost 31, acted in concert that night and ambushed Golden’s minivan at the intersection of Winchester Road and the Airport Expressway, killing Daisha “Twink” Fitts in error and missing their target, Golden, altogether.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 15, 20253 min read


Threats, then guns: is it now the norm?
It could have gone another way, if the bullets had hit their mark.
But as it is, the probable cause affidavit is scary enough.
Just before midnight July 10, Wyat Michael Prichard, 19, is accused of threatening to kill his girlfriend’s family members, according to a probable cause affidavit written by Allen County Sheriff’s Deputy Z. Filipiak.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 14, 20252 min read


Man found guilty of felony murder in Saint Marys meth homicide
Royal Davis, Jr. took the stand on the last day of his trial and told his story, even though it would have been difficult to overcome a felony murder charge when you flat out admit you were there when the homicide occurred.
Friday, after the full four-day trial, Davis was found guilty of those charges and the gun enhancement that can add up to 20 years to a sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 8.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 11, 20254 min read


'Street Justice' not OK for jury in Promenade Park homicide
The stabbing Jan. 4 of this year around 7:30 p.m. sparked outrage and further fear among some residents that it just isn’t safe to go downtown.
What happened was a drama in the local homeless community on display through video, testimony and evidence this week in Allen Superior Court.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 9, 20252 min read


Murder trial for 2023 Saint Marys Avenue homicide up this week
At 1:20 a.m. on Sept. 15, 2023, two people - Royal Davis, Jr. , 38, and Jessica Fuentes, 31 - burst into the back door of the home at the corner of Saint Marys and Margaret Street, disrupting a familiar family scene.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 8, 20253 min read


Murder case against teen dismissed for now, but could be refiled
The freedom bell rang for a 17-year-old charged with murder the day before fireworks took over the city of Fort Wayne.
A murder charge against Josiyah T. Derrick was dismissed July 3. He'd been charged with murder a few days after the June 23 homicide of Eriyn White, 20, of Fort Wayne

Jamie Duffy
Jul 7, 20252 min read


'Nobody dies in their sleep and looks like that;' family wants justice for prison homicide
Inmate Jeffery Clouser, 60, was found hours later with his face smashed in so badly, it's hard to imagine anyone surviving such an attack.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 3, 20254 min read


Pike's Pub defendants lawyer up; face criminal gang enhancement
Because of the seriousness of the charges and the threat of the enhancement that could double their sentences, if convicted, the men are lawyering up.
So far three have retained attorneys. They have until July 27 to find an attorney or a public defender, according to online court documents.

Jamie Duffy
Jul 1, 20253 min read


Shell casings and a gun in the trunk quickly lead cops to a teenage arrest
The turnaround on ballistics in Fort Wayne has reached a remarkable stage, worthy of a CSI episode on a major network.
Shell casings 50 feet from Monday night’s teen homicide victim, Eriyn White, 20, were traced to the gun of the accused shooter, Josiyah Derrick not even two days later.

Jamie Duffy
Jun 27, 20253 min read
Voir Dire Écrire
bottom of page
