FORT WAYNE, Ind. ---When it came time for Devon Stewart to speak, he tried to explain why he shot an 86-year-old woman standing inside her front door, defenseless, around 10:30 p.m. on June 1 of last year. Just 18, no place to call home, according to a probable cause affidavit, he was just “following the crowd” and didn’t realize until later the “severity” of his actions.

Charges were filed against Carlos Ellis, Jr. 19 in April 2025 and a friend of his, now an “unknown” suspect, for murder, felony murder and attempted robbery. Since then, the latter two charges were dropped. Ellis was found guilty of murder Thursday in Allen Superior Court after a three-day trial, Judge Fran Gull presiding.