INDIANAPOLIS — A man accused of gunning down a woman on an Indianapolis sidewalk is now charged in her death.
Deonta Nelson is charged with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. His initial hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 7.
On Aug. 28, in the 200 block of North Rural Street on Indy's near east side, neighbors heard the gunfire that led to the death of 27-year-old Emily Lee Anna Willis.
According to arrest records, two people playing basketball nearby saw a car pull into a nearby church parking lot. They told police two people inside the car were trying to talk to a woman who was walking away from them.
They heard the woman yell, "Leave me alone!" and then saw her start running down the street, screaming for help.
Moments later, those same witnesses said they watched a passenger in the car open fire, shooting the woman at least 20 times.
The arrest records also show right before she was shot, Willis was trying get in touch with two friends on Facebook Messenger, telling them two men were trying to get her into their car and that she needed someone to come get her at a library on Washington Street.
According to those court records, police investigating Willis' murder pulled surveillance video from several businesses along Washington Street. Video from the library shows the victim trying to run away from two people in a gray Honda that was chasing her.
Days after Willis' murder, IMPD said it tracked down the suspect, using license plate readers to identify the vehicle he was in that night.
Police also learned that Willis was involved in some sort of disturbance before she was killed.
According to the arresting documents, Nelson denied shooting Willis, but said he knew her and had seen her earlier that day. He was arrested and later charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.