Teen Couple Allegedly Ambushes and Kills Young Father During ‘Date’ Setup, Police Say

True Crime Today | Daily True Crime News & Interviews

Teen Couple Allegedly Ambushes and Kills Young Father During ‘Date’ Setup, Police Say

An Indiana father’s date turned into a deadly ambush when two teenagers allegedly conspired to rob and murder him, authorities say. The victim, 25-year-old Jarrell Pryor, was shot and killed after midnight on Jan. 25 while meeting 19-year-old Alexis Hawkins, who investigators claim lured him into the trap.
According to an arrest affidavit, Hawkins was allegedly messaging her boyfriend, 18-year-old Brian Winston Jr., on Instagram at the same time she was arranging a date with Pryor. After meeting with Pryor, Hawkins reportedly kept Winston informed, and Winston is accused of fatally shooting Pryor while he sat in his car, leaving the young father dead at the scene.
Police determined Pryor and Hawkins were on a date based on Instagram messages between the two. However, officials say that Hawkins sent additional messages on the same platform to coordinate the robbery, which ended in Pryor’s murder. A subsequent search of Hawkins’ Instagram account revealed she also conducted multiple online searches related to local news and shootings near Keystone shortly after the incident.
Investigators say Hawkins sent out messages to several people seeking a ride from a location near the shooting around the time it occurred. When police interviewed her on Feb. 6, she reportedly claimed to have no memory of the night Pryor was killed, emphasizing that no weapon could be linked to her.
Officers further questioned Hawkins about a message in which she allegedly mentioned making a “play,” and she reportedly ended the interview and asked for a lawyer. She was arrested in February on charges of murder and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury; she is due back in court on May 19.
Winston, who faces charges including murder, felony murder, and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, appeared in court on April 15 and is also set for a May 19 hearing. Both he and Hawkins remain in the Marion County Jail without bond.
Family and friends of Pryor recall him as a dedicated father to his young daughter, Honey, noting that he avoided trouble before his life was cut short on the night of the alleged ambush.
Want to listen to ALL our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, The Menendez Brothers: Quest For Justice, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, The Murder Of Sandra Birchmore, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com