Docs: Arrest warrant issued for man accused of killing woman on Indy's near west side

INDIANAPOLIS -- An arrest warrant has been issued for a man police believe shot and killed a woman for "snitching" in a drug case.




According to court documents, 31-year-old Clayton Bryan is facing felony charges of murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

'You know how you got where you are, right?': Homicide investigation

The investigation into Bryan began on June 25, 2023, when officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were called to the 500 block of N. Tremont Street for a reported shooting. Officers arrived and found a woman, who they later identified as Jordyn Pierce, suffering from gunshot wounds.




Pierce was transported to Eskenazi Hospital, where she later died. A homicide investigation was subsequently launched, with investigators obtaining and reviewing surveillance footage. Court documents reveal that a man with a ponytail was following Pierce. Police said the man, who they believe was Bryan, was wearing a black baseball-style hat, a black t-shirt with a "Chucky" face on the lower right side, dark colored pants and sneakers.




Detectives noted that the man and Pierce "appeared to be in an argument." A short time later, the man got closer to Pierce and appeared to shoot her with a firearm multiple times before fleeing the scene on foot. The man and Pierce were the only individuals observed in the area, court documents said.




A subsequent autopsy report concluded that Pierce suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the back of her head and her lower back.




Three days after the fatal shooting, a detective drove down the route they had observed the suspect allegedly run down. Court documents show the detective drove north in the alley to W. Walnut Street, where he reportedly observed a man sporting tattoos and long brown hair who appeared to resemble the suspect the detective had spotted in the surveillance footage.




The detective soon lost sight of the suspect in the southwest corner of West Walnut Street and North Pershing Avenue.

Possible motivations behind the slaying

As the investigation unfolded, detectives began to receive anonymous tips alleging Pierce's murder was connected to a recent narcotics arrest of a man on June 22, 2023, at the Conoco Gas Station on W. Washington Street.




Detectives proceeded to review audio and video jail calls involving this suspect. During one call, the incarcerated man accused Pierce of "playing a role in his arrest." Pierce was reportedly on the call with the inmate, an unidentified woman and another man detectives described as having a "soft male voice."




In the call, detectives believe they overheard a woman they believe was Pierce tell the inmate that she had been thinking about him. The inmate responded with more accusations while asking what she meant.




Pierce then could be heard "pleading her case" before the call ended. The inmate then immediately called the other woman on the call back. This phone call occurred 20 minutes before Pierce's death, court documents said.




During another call, the inmate spoke about Pierce with a different female. During the call, the inmate accused Pierce of waving at him before his arrest and informing police that he had an active warrant for his arrest.




Three days after Pierce's fatal shooting, the inmate was told by someone during another jail call:




"You know how you got where you are, right? I'm supposed to tell you that "Joey" handled that. You're catching what I'm putting down, right?" 




Detectives then turned their attention to Bryan and his alleged involvement in Pierce's murder after he was arrested on July 2, 2023, for an active warrant in an unrelated case. They noticed that Bryan's hat and sneakers matched the description in the surveillance footage.




During one call with an unidentified woman, Bryan allegedly admitted that he was the person responsible for Pierce's shooting death. The conversation occurred on July 3, 2023, and the woman asked Bryan after she had "heard something he did while he was released" before he was arrested again on July 2.




She said the incident occurred on Indy's west or south side. Bryan responded and asked if it involved a male or female. The caller confirmed it did involve a woman.




"Yep! Did that!" Bryan allegedly said.




"What the f***, Joey!" the woman replied.




As detectives searched Bryan's phone, they allegedly discovered multiple messages containing the name "Jordan", which they believe was a mispelling of the victim's name "Jordyn."




Detectives also reviewed multiple messages Bryan had allegedly sent in the hours following the shooting. One of these texts read:




"Yeah I just took care of us problem."

Next steps

Online court records indicate an arrest warrant was issued for Bryan out of Marion Superior Court 30 on Thursday.









This is a developing story. Check back here for updates



via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/docs-arrest-warrant-issued-for-man-accused-of-killing-woman-on-indys-near-west-side/