The three-day bench trial for Damoine Wilcoxson, the man accused of shooting and killing 82-year-old John Clements in 2016, began Feb. 19 in Boone County Superior Court 1, with the state presenting its evidence against Wilcoxson.
Clements was checking his mail at his home at 685 Terrace Dr., Zionsville, just before 1 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2016, when he was gunned down with a high-caliber weapon in a drive-by shooting. At least three neighbors heard the shots and reported seeing a white Chevy Impala speed from the scene.
Clements died from the wounds two hours later.
Zionsville Police Dept. reported the shooting appeared to have no motive. Investigators had little evidence except for .223-caliber bullet casings left behind by the gunfire.
In the weeks following the attack, two drive-by shootings occurred on the northwest side of Indianapolis targeting Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Dept. headquarters. Investigators found dozens of .223-caliber bullet casings at both scenes, along with hand-written notes referencing “Yahuah.”
ZPD and IMPD worked together to determine if the three cases were related. Using ballistics forensics, casings found in the Clements home were matched to casings from the police stations shootings.
Lab results showed a partial DNA profile on one of the recovered notes as well as a partial profile on a shell casing from one of the IMPD shootings. The DNA was placed into the Combined DNA Index System for comparison, which produced a hit on Wilcoxson, who also had a previous IMPD report linking him to a white Chevy Impala.
Wilcoxson was apprehended by SWAT after a six-hour standoff where he hid inside of his girlfriend’s Indianapolis apartment with a 7-month-old baby. He was found guilty of attempted murder and criminal recklessness Dec. 4, 2017, in connection with the IMPD shootings.
Two cell devices were taken into evidence during Wilcoxson’s arrest. On one phone, more references were found to “Yahuah.” Wilcoxson also has the phrase tattooed on his neck.
Police used cellphone records from one of the apprehended phones to track Wilcoxson’s movements. The records showed a ping off a cell tower one-tenth of a mile away from the murder scene at 12:45 p.m. on the day of Clements’ murder.
Wilcoxson faces a first-degree murder charge. The trial is expected to last through Feb. 21. This story will be updated.
