7 slain in Indy home

Another story making national headlines is a slaying of seven people on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis.

Police were called to the 500 block of North Hamilton Avenue about 10:15 p.m. after neighbors reported hearing screaming and several shots.

Police said the victims were shot to death execution-style, which typically means the victim is bound and shot in the head. However, it was unclear what Indianapolis Police Department investigators found at the scene.

The shooting occured in one of the rougher parts of Indianapolis. The last time a crime of this proportion occured in Indy was in 2000 when a woman in Morgan County deliberately hit another vehicle head-on, killing seven people. The driver was convicted of seven counts of murder and sentenced to 215 years in prison.

Victims include Alberto Covarrubias, 11; David Covarrubias, 9; Luis Albarran, 5; Flora Albarran, 22; Emma Valdez, 46; Alberto Covarrubias, 56; and Magno Albarran, 29. Indianapolis Police Department has identified a suspect, Desmond Turner, 28, who was on parole. IPD is seeking any information about Turner or his whereabouts.

Additional link:
Police ID suspect in family massacre

Taylor student mix-up

I’m sure by now, everyone has heard about this or seen it on the news.  On April 26, a van of students and staff from Taylor University was on its way from Huntington to Fort Wayne.  During the trip, the van was involved in a collision with a semitrailer on Interstate 69 near Highway 18.  Four students and one staff member were killed in the accident.  One of the students who was killed was Laura J. VanRyn.  A survivor was Whitney E. Cerak.  Due to mis-identification at the accident, the two girls were mis-identified.  Laura was Whitney and Whitney was Laura. 

Since then, this has made news coverage across the country.  Below are links regarding the information about the accident, as well as a blog from the family with health updates on Whitney Cerak.

Additional links:
Students, Staff Involved in Fatal Crash (original press statement from Taylor University 04/26/06)
In Loving Memory (memorial site)
New Details Learned About Van Accident (5/31/06)
Laura VanRyn (family blog)
Survivor’s ID was questioned weeks ago (6/2/06)
Laura VanRyn’s body to be exhumed (6/2/06)