'My son died for no reason': Indy mother questions bail system after 15-year-old son killed
Update: Police announced on Feb. 21, 2024 that a third teen was arrested in the killing of Jeremiah Lewis. Brenden Dixson, 19, was arrested on a murder warrant the day before at East Washington and South Rural streets.
Previous reporting: Five months before he was arrested in a fatal shooting, prosecutors requested a higher-than-normal bond for Wardell Wright, stating in court records that he posed a risk to the community.
An Indianapolis mother is now questioning the court system and how Wright, the man accused of gunning down her 15-year-old son, bonded out of jail so quickly in a previous armed carjacking case.
“I feel like the court failed when it came to Wardell (Wright)," said Donnetta Lewis.
Wight, 19, is now facing murder and escape charges in the June shooting death of Jeremiah Lewis. In January, Wright was arrested in connection with an armed carjacking at an Indianapolis gas station.
Wright led police on a chase in the stolen vehicle and then on foot. Before he was arrested, Wright ditched a firearm altered with a Glock switch in a dumpster, according to the probable cause affidavit for his arrest.
He is facing charges of armed robbery, possession of a machine gun, auto theft, unlawful carrying of a handgun and two counts of resisting law enforcement in his arrest on Jan. 30, court records show.
Previous coverage: Teens arrested in connection with 2023 killing of 15-year-old
Marion Superior Court Judge Cynthia Oetjen set a surety bond of $10,000 and a cash bond of $500 after Wright was booked into jail on the charge of possession of a machine gun, which is a Level 5 felony. Wright's original bond was double what would normally be set for a Level 5 felony in Marion Superior Court as the judge determined an enhancement was appropriate.
Prosecutors ask for higher bond due to 'significant risk' to victim, community
The next day, police connected Wright to the armed robbery and presented additional information to the prosecutor's office so that enhanced charges could be filed in the case. Prosecutors asked for a bond of $100,000 and wrote Wright posed “a significant risk not only to the victim in this matter, but also to the community as a whole” in a motion for a higher-than-normal bond.
Wright had already posted his original bond so a magistrate denied the request from prosecutors for a higher bond. Wright was released from jail the day after his arrest around 7 p.m.
All of this was the normal operating procedure for the court system, said Emily VanOsdol, court administrator at the Marion County Superior Court.
“You can only hold people for so long without some (preliminary) charges,” VanOsdol said. “The prosecutors could get more information from a detective before the official charges are filed. It can happen both ways, where the initial bond is set high, and the official charges are less.”
Michael Leffler, a spokesperson for the Marion County Prosecutor's Office, noted prosecutors do not influence a defendant’s initial bond.
‘My son died for no reason’
On the day Jeremiah Lewis was killed, he was supposed take his mother’s car four minutes away to work at a thrift shop. Instead, the teenager was lured to the 2000 block of Lohr Drive by a friend from school, Donnetta Lewis said.
Police found the teenage boy inside his mom’s car suffering from gunshot wounds around 9:45 a.m. and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Wright and a 14-year-old girl were arrested and charged with murder in Jeremiah Lewis’ death on June 22, according to IMPD.
The girl told police she asked Jeremiah Lewis to meet her so she could buy marijuana, according to the affidavit for Wright’s arrest.
“I never knew my son to sell drugs because he was smarter than that,” Donnetta Lewis said.
The mother can’t understand why her son’s friend from school lured him to the location where he was killed. She doesn’t know why anyone would have wanted to hurt him, she said.
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“My son wasn't a bad kid,” Donnetta Lewis said. “He made straight A's since kindergarten all the way to 9th grade. Once this happened, all his teachers reached out stating how much of a good kid he was."
Ashley McKinney, a teacher at Lynhurst 7th and 8th Grade Center, said she was shocked to hear Jeremiah Lewis was killed in a shooting.
“He was funny and respectful,” McKinney said. “He cared about other kids and loved sports, especially football. He was very smart.”
Jeremiah Lewis had already started taking college-level classes through Ivy Tech while in 9th grade. Jeremiah was the kind of student who could make the day better for teachers, McKinney said.
The teenager, nicknamed “Scooby” by his family, left behind five younger siblings. Jeremiah Lewis liked to play basketball and wrestle his brothers and sisters.
“His younger siblings and cousins loved him,” Donnetta Lewis said. “We haven't found anything to take the pain away.”
Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances and the involvement of other individuals in the shooting, according to police.
Donnetta Lewis is hopeful everyone involved will be arrested.
“My son died for no reason,” Donnetta Lewis said. “No reason at all.”
Attorneys for Wright did not respond to requests for comment before publication of this article.
Contact the reporter at 463-214-7590.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis mother questions bail system after 15-year-old son killed
