An Indiana homeowner has been charged after authorities say he fatally shot an unarmed man he described as “suspicious,” alleging the man had tried to get into his house and break into vehicles in the neighborhood.
Martell Pickens, 30, was charged Monday with reckless homicide in the May 7 shooting death of 25-year-old Khadolphee Taylor outside Pickens’ Fort Wayne home, according to Allen Superior Court records.
Pickens told Fort Wayne police he woke up at about 2:45 a.m. and saw a “suspicious” man moving through the neighborhood, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by WANE.
He claimed Taylor had been trying to break into several cars nearby.
Home surveillance video from Pickens’ property appeared to show Taylor attempting to enter the residence, prompting Pickens to step outside with a Glock .45-caliber handgun and confront him, the affidavit said.
At roughly the same time, a neighbor dialed 911 to report what was happening.
“What are you doing?” Pickens could be heard saying on the video, while also warning Taylor to “back up.”
Taylor continued moving toward him, and Pickens then opened fire, according to the affidavit.
Officers found Taylor bleeding from a single gunshot wound to the chest. He was then rushed to a nearby hospital and was later pronounced dead.
Pickens admitted to police that he shot and killed Taylor, according to the affidavit.
Pickens also allegedly acknowledged that Taylor was unarmed and appeared to be under the influence before he shot him, court documents obtained by 21 Alive show.
Investigators later learned that about 20 minutes before the shooting, police had conducted a traffic stop involving Taylor.
Officers noted Taylor appeared to be intoxicated or mentally impaired, found he was driving with a suspended license, had his car towed and instructed him to walk home, according to the affidavit.
Months after investigators pieced together the full picture, Fort Wayne Police Detective Brian Martin laid out the case against Pickens.
“Based upon the investigation, Pickens knowingly armed himself and voluntarily exited the safety of his residence to confront Taylor,” Martin wrote in the affidavit obtained by WANE.
“During that confrontation, Pickens intentionally discharged a loaded firearm, striking Taylor in the chest and causing his death.”
Martin wrote that there was “probable cause to believe Pickens recklessly killed Khadolphee D. Taylor by engaging in conduct constituting a plain, conscious, and unjustifiable disregard of harm, the disregard involving a substantial deviation from acceptable standards of conduct.”
Pickens was arrested on Monday and booked into the Allen County Jail. He is being held without bond.
If convicted of reckless homicide, Pickens faces one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Under Indiana’s “stand your ground” law, deadly force can be justified when a homeowner reasonably believes that force is necessary to defend themselves on their own property, according to Purdue Global Law School.
