Plainfield motel shooting suspect taunted victims, yelled racist remark before opening fire, court doc says

PLAINFIELD — The man accused of killing two people and wounding two others in a shooting earlier this month at a Plainfield motel may have yelled a racist remark toward the victim before opening fire on them, a court document alleges.

Witness statements indicated that Dalonny Rodgers, 28, also repeatedly taunted the victims — who are all Hispanic — while they were socializing. He then walked away twice and then came back. The third time he returned was when he opened fire, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The shooting resulted in the deaths of Alfredo Garcia, 52, and Jose Rolando Castenada Varela, 36. Two other men were hospitalized. One who survived suffered several gunshot wounds to his right arm and both legs while a second suffered at least two gunshot wounds to his abdomen and leg. The latter had to have multiple surgeries for his injuries, according to the affidavit.

It all started around 9:25 p.m. Sept. 10 when Plainfield officers were called to the White House Suites at 2688 E. Main St. for a report of shots fired. When they arrived, officers were told there were several people shot near a gazebo on the north end of the property.

Castenada Varela was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after police arrived. Meanwhile, the other three victims were taken to trauma hospitals in Indianapolis. Garcia was pronounced dead at Eskenazi Hospital shortly after 10 p.m.

Police were later told that Rodgers had been around some of the victims earlier in the week. The day of the shooting, he became agitated for some reason and yelled "F*** Latinos" toward them before returning to shoot them, the affidavit alleges.

Approximately 11 shots were heard before Rodgers drove away from the scene, according to the affidavit.

In interviews, witnesses told police they weren't sure what caused Rodgers to become angry.

Rodgers' girlfriend told officers that she and he got into an argument over "stupid stuff" while away from the hotel. He later returned that night and allegedly shot the four men.

Rodgers' girlfriend also told police she didn't know Rodgers to be involved in narcotics or violent crime, or that he carried a gun. She later admitted she was aware of the gun but hadn't seen it since two days before the shooting in their motel room, according to the affidavit.

Rodgers is currently wanted on two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder as a level 1 felony.

In 2014, Rodgers was charged with murder in a separate case. But he was acquitted on that charge and one of aggravated battery after pleading guilty to reckless homicide and carrying a handgun without a license.

A judge ordered him to serve consecutive sentences of six years with two suspended on the reckless homicide count and six years with one suspended on the handgun violation.

IDOC records show that his earliest possible release date was June 6, 2021.

Anyone with information concerning his whereabouts that can lead to his arrest can contact the Plainfield Police Department anonymously through the PPD Crime Tip Line at 317-754-5200 or call Crime Stopper at 317-262-TIPS.