INDIANAPOLIS — Prosecutors charged an Indianapolis man with murder, rape and abuse of a corpse in the killing of a missing woman the southeast side of Indianapolis.
Francisco Valadez, 29, pleaded not guilty at hearing on Monday, Sept. 16 and is being held without bond.
Officers responded to the 1800 block of Wagner Lane, near East Raymond Street and South Sherman Drive, shortly after 1 p.m. Sept. 9 on a report of a dead person found near a wooded area.
When officers arrived, they found 30-year-old Chanti Dixon dead outside of a home. IMPD said she was naked and had gunshot wounds.
"This is disgusting, disturbing, and no one deserves to be treated this way," IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said during a news conference on Sept. 9.
Investigators said family members had not heard from Dixon since the weekend and reported her missing Monday morning.
"She just moved over here and seemed like a pretty good woman. She stayed to herself. She was with her kids and her little dog. She had a cute little dog," said Javona Hines, who lived across from Dixon.
According to court documents, Dixon ordered an Uber after she got off work around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8. She never made it home though.
Detectives found the Uber driver's info, later identified as Valadez, and located him at a home in the 4400 block of Aristocrat Circle, near East 46th Street and North Mitthoefer Road.
According to court documents, detectives say Valadez admitted to shooting Dixon in the head while he was trying to have sex with her in the back of his car. Valadez claims a comment Dixon said made him mad, so he allegedly admitted to shooting her.
Valadez allegedly told detectives he dragged Dixon's body from his car and put it behind a concrete barrier at the dead end of Wagner Lane.
Officers arrested Valadez on a preliminary charge of murder in the killing of Dixon.
The Marion County Prosecutor's Office will make the final charging decision.
Police are asking anyone who has encountered Valadez as a driver, or knows more about what happened to Dixon, to come forward to police.
"That shouldn't happen to anybody regardless of whatever you're doing, whoever you are, wherever, that shouldn't happen. It shouldn't happen to anybody," Hines said. "I feel bad for her kids. I feel really bad because now, they don't have a mother."
"Women, girls, mothers have a right to exist in our community without fear of something heinous happening," IMPD Asst. Chief Catherine Cummings said. "This occurred in a residential neighborhood with children getting off the bus nearby."
Cummings encouraged riders to make sure they are getting into the right vehicle when using ride-shares. She also said riders should "share their ride" in the app they use, to make sure their whereabouts are known. She also said to "trust your instincts" and get out of a situation if it feels unsafe.
"Ride-shares continue to be a safe and excellent option," Cummings said.
Bailey added that you should not share personal information with your driver.
Uber responded to 13News's questions by saying Valadez has been banned from driving for them.
"We strive to build a platform where every experience is safe, comfortable and positive, and what these riders experienced is deeply upsetting," an Uber representative said in a statement. "We make our non-discrimination policy clear to all users and take any report of this nature seriously. We’re continuing to investigate this, and will take appropriate action.”
Anyone with additional information is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.