INDIANAPOLIS — A 16-year-old is scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing Wednesday in the 2019 murders of a 16-year-old boy and his 15-year-old sister.
Nicholas and Ashlynn Nelson were students at Lawrence North High School. They were shot to death last August at their northeast side apartment near North Post Road and East 42nd Street.
Lometreus Sanders was 15-years-old when he was arrested shortly after the murders. Following a series of hearings, his case from moved from juvenile to adult court. He is charged with two counts of murder, dangerous possession of a firearm, and carrying a handgun without a license.
PREVIOUS | East side community begs for peace after siblings' murder
Nicholas and Ashlynn were getting ready for school when the shooting happened. Sanders was arrested a few days later.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Sanders claimed that an altercation began when Nicholas came into the room with a gun. He said he and Ashlynn had been dating "for a few weeks" before the shooting. On that morning, Sanders said he had thrown some pebbles at her window to get her attention and was invited inside.
Sanders told detectives that he and Ashlynn went into the bedroom and something happened when her brother, Nicholas, came through the door with a gun in his hand, according to court documents.
Sanders said he wrestled with Nicholas and the gun fell to the floor. He then fell on top of the gun and it "went off a few times, striking the brother," court documents said. The fight then went out to the landing where someone jumped on Sanders and pulled his hoodie down over his face. At that point, Sanders told detectives he was afraid so he shot Ashlynn in the head and then shot Nicholas again.
The teens' mom said Nicholas had a 4.6 GPA and was hoping to attend Purdue University. She said Ashlynn was quiet but a nice young girl.
