INDIANAPOLIS -- A 17-year-old boy has now been charged with murder and robbery for his alleged role in the death of Kurt Estes at the Landings at 56th Street apartments in Lawrence last year.
Emontai Cathey, now 17, was 16 on Nov. 15, 2017, when he and another man, 21-year-old Kaelon Washington, are accused of killing Estes during a drug deal.
Washington was arrested days after Estes’ death on charges of murder and robbery. A juvenile – now identified as Cathey – was also questioned at the time but was not charged until last week.
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According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case, police believe Cathey and Washington arranged to sell Estes crack cocaine at the Landings at 56th Street apartment complex. Police also believe they intended to rob him when he arrived.
It was during that robbery, according to witness testimony and the results of an autopsy, that Estes was struck in the back of the head with a blunt object and then shot four times.
According to the affidavit, police now believe then-16-year-old Cathey was the shooter.
Murder and robbery charges were filed against Cathey last Wednesday – a day after the Marion County Crime Lab matched blood found on one of Cathey’s shoes on the night of the shooting to Estes.
A warrant for Cathey’s arrest was issued the same day, and he was taken into custody a day later. Prosecutors initially asked for, and were granted, a seal on documents in the case. That seal was lifted on Wednesday.
A status conference for Cathey was scheduled Thursday morning in Marion County Criminal Court 5. Washington’s next scheduled court appearance was a pretrial conference set for April 24 at 9:00 a.m.
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