MARION COUNTY — A Marion County jury convicted a man for the murder and robbery of Eric Ballard in 2016.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced on Thursday that Gerald Tyree was convicted of murder, felony murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, and carrying a handgun without a license, following a two-day trial.
On Nov. 29, 2016, Ballard's girlfriend found him in their child's bedroom suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. When she arrived at the apartment, she noticed a sliding glass door was open and that the apartment was ransacked.
Investigators received a tip when a witness came forward with a recorded phone call they had with Tyree in which he confessed to Ballard's murder. Detectives then confirmed that the recording was Tyree by comparing it to his jail calls from when he was previously incarcerated.
Billy Holmes was also charged for his role in the fatal robbery. In March 2018, Holmes pleaded guilty to robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. A sentencing hearing for Holmes is set for Nov. 17 at 1 p.m.
A sentencing hearing for Tyree is set for Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m.
