Second man charged in Portage homicide
A second Gary man has been charged in connection with a Portage homicide in late April.
Timothy Sandifer IV, 20, was charged with aiding, inducing or causing murder in perpetration of a robbery, a Level 1 felony, and aiding, inducing or causing a robbery, a Level 2 felony, according to charging documents.
The charges stem from the April 29 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Darion Anderson of Hammond.
Sandifer is being held in Porter County Jail with no bond. He is scheduled for an initial hearing on Friday before Porter Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Clymer.
Montrell McLaurin Jr., 19, also has been charged with murder, murder in perpetration of a robbery and attempted robbery, a Level 2 felony, in Anderson’s shooting death, according to court records.
McLaurin, whose case has been assigned to Porter Superior Court Judge Mary DeBoer, also is being held at the jail without bond. He is scheduled for a bond review hearing on May 29.
Portage police officers responded to a call for a person entering a home and shooting a man in the 5300 block of Aspen Avenue at 12:35 a.m. on April 29, according to records. The shooter drove off in a dark gray SUV, according to records.
Officers found Anderson shot on a living room couch with a Glock 19 9mm handgun near his body, according to records. They began administering aid before he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to court records.
An autopsy found Anderson died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds and the cause of death was homicide.
A magazine spring and follower were located on the couch under Anderson and numerous live rounds of .45 caliber ammunition were scattered on the couch and floor.
A witness who was inside the house when the shooting occurred told police she heard about eight to 10 gunshots. The witness walked toward the living room, turned the corner and saw a man point a gun at her and told her not to move before leaving the house, according to court records.
Surveillance video showed a dark-colored Jeep Grand Cherokee arriving in the area and circling a cul-de-sac around a man standing in its center, according to court records. The man approached the driver, and a few moments later the driver and front seat passenger exited, according to records.
All three walked toward the house in the 5300 block of Aspen Avenue, and after the shooting all three entered the Jeep and drove off, according to records.
Another witness at the scene told police McLaurin came to the residence to sell marijuana, and that throughout the sale he was holding a pistol with a wood grip, according to court records. McLaurin started pointing the gun around and someone yelled “Grab it” before it fired, according to court records.
Staff reporter Alexandra Kukulka contributed.
