INDIANAPOLIS — A man who shot and killed his ex-wife's new husband in a church parking lot at her mother's funeral is going to prison for 40 years.
Stefen Lowe pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the Nov. 5, 2022 shooting death of Jermaine Turman at Oasis of Hope Church on East 25th Street. A murder charge was dismissed in the plea agreement.
The shooting devastated the families of the victim and the shooter. Turman's mother, Pamela Grant, is grateful the families avoided reliving the incident during a trial.
“It's a lot of relief that is all over,” said Grant. “So, I'll never forget, but I'm glad that it's over."
Lowe showed up at the funeral of his ex-wife's mother and started a fight with Shannon Turman's new husband, Jermaine Turman. Witnesses said Lowe went back to his car, then pulled up and pulled out a gun, shooting Jermaine in the chest.
With many family members in the courtroom for Lowe’s sentencing Friday, Deputy Prosecutor Shelby Thornburg read a statement from Shannon, which included:
"That day at my mother Lisa Jean's funeral was the most devastating day of my entire life. Why you came to hurt us I will never understand. My mother loved you. And all she wanted was a great homegoing, and you ruined that for her and all of us.”
Lowe's attorney, Brett Osborne, read an apology from his client:
“First I want to apologize to Mr. Turman's family and my family. I realize I have an anger issue that needs treatment, and since I have taken responsibility for what I did, the primary thing I will focus on in the future is getting control over my anger issue. I'm glad that we were able to avoid the trial and not make Mr. Turman's family and friends relive the terrible events that day. I want to thank the prosecutor, the court and Mr. Turman's family for allowing me to be able to take proper responsibility for what I did. Again, I'm terribly sorry for what happened. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make myself a better person."
Grant witnessed her son being killed. She testified at the sentencing, telling Lowe that she hopes one day she'll be able to forgive him, but she holds no animosity for his family.
After the judge delivered the 40-year sentence, Grant approached Lowe’s mother outside the courtroom.
“Are you his mother?” Grant asked. The woman confirmed she was.
“I'm so sorry” Grant told Lowe’s mother, putting her arm around her.
“My deepest condolences,” responded Lowe’s mother.
“We try to raise our kids the best way we can,” said Grant.
“We do,” said Lowe’s mother. “We do.”
“When they get grown and stuff, I mean, it's out of our hands," said Grant.
The families deal with a lifetime sentence of grief. Shannon and Jermaine had only been married for three months when he was killed. He was 42 years old and left behind five children.
"I just want people to think before they make a decision to pick up a gun and shoot somebody, because nobody wins," says Grant.