INDIANAPOLIS — Years after a man was shot and killed after a dinner honoring another victim of gun violence, his killer has been re-sentenced to 60 years.
Jeffrey Buckley had previously been tried, convicted and sentenced for Kirk Shurill’s murder in 2019.
Shurill, 38, was shot and killed inside a vehicle on Sept. 30, 2017, outside the Persian Temple #46 on East 23rd Street while attending a dinner in honor of Keith Williams, who was killed in a shooting on Sept. 20 near 10th Street and Grant Avenue.
In order to elude law enforcement, officers say Buckley was using fake ID's, changed his appearance and changed phones. He was arrested in April 2018, according to a past WRTV report.
The Marion County Prosecutor's Office says in August 2020, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed and remanded the trial court’s decision in Buckley's case. In March 2022, Buckley was found guilty after a three-day jury trial.
“The pursuit of justice is often a long and challenging road for victims and their families,” Prosecutor Mears stated after the verdict. “Since Mr. Shurill’s death, investigators, deputy prosecutors, victim advocates, and witnesses have remained dedicated to obtaining justice for him and his loved ones.”
Prosecutors say Buckley had approached a vehicle to tell Shurill he was being “disrespectful.” Buckley then pulled a firearm and shot Shurill multiple times, which caused the car to crash.
An autopsy determined Shurill sustained over 40 defects to his body and the cause of death was ruled to be multiple gunshot wounds.
