IN - Couple shot, wife Wilma Hochstetler killed during apparent robbery, Indianapolis, Sept 2020

[neue]

Indianapolis police are investigating the Thursday morning shooting death of a Greene County woman and the shooting of her husband as the couple were repairing a vehicle on the city's west side.

Wilma Hochstetler, 40, died at the scene. Jonathan Hochstetler survived a gunshot wound in the neck but was hospitalized in critical condition.

According to Facebook posts and information on a GoFundMe account established to assist the family with funeral and medical expenses, Jonathan Hochstetler had been at a work site when a tire blew on a trailer about 7 p.m. Wednesday. Two workers from the roofing and gutter company went to Worthington with his truck, and Wilma Hochstelter returned later with a spare tire. She also brought along her youngest child.


After fixing the tire, the couple was reportedly approached by two men with guns who took the couple's money and a cell phone, then shot the couple and fled. The suspects reportedly did not see the child in the vehicle.

Police said they found the couple about 1:30 a.m. the near 3000 block of North High School Road.

No other information was released by police Friday.

^Early reporting from Greene County couple shot; wife dies in robbery

 

[neue]

This is an obviously sad case that is also interesting for the relative lack of coverage and information.

Besides race and gender, there has been no description of the suspects, nor a public appeal for information from the police. The six year old son Bradon is said to have witnessed the shooting, and assisted his father, by locating his father's cell phone. There has, however, been a statement of forgiveness from husband Jonathan Hochstetler's father, Samuel:

"Jonathan’s father, Sam Hochstetler, read a letter Friday afternoon he wrote to the people of Indianapolis.

"I feel no hatred, bitterness, anger, nor revenge towards the two Black men that murdered my daughter-in-law,” Sam said. “I extend forgiveness for the two murderers. Revenge only begets more violence. My heart's desire for them is that they would repent, to fall on their faces before the Lord Jesus, and cry out for mercy for their own souls’ sake."

Excerpted from Bloomfield couple shot, wife killed, during apparent robbery in Indianapolis | wthr.com

 

[asmi106082]

This poor little boy. I hope he didn’t see his parents get shot. I pray that his daddy makes a full recovery so little BH still has one parent in his life. These types of crimes make me so mad. They could have easily just robbed them and left. But they decide to tear a family apart instead. Cowards. MOO.

 

[neue]

This poor little boy. I hope he didn’t see his parents get shot. I pray that his daddy makes a full recovery so little BH still has one parent in his life. These types of crimes make me so mad. They could have easily just robbed them and left. But they decide to tear a family apart instead. Cowards. MOO.

I hope the son did not see his parents get shot either. It's a small consolation that the father was not paralyzed.

It's truly an immoral and perplexing set of decisions that were made that night.
The perpetrations allegedly lurked outside a business, robbed two people, took one cellphone (but not two cellphones), left both vehicles, and started to walk away-- but then wildly shot at the victims.

^ A photo of the crime scene

 

[neue]

INDIANAPOLIS — Wilma Hochstetler was the youngest of 14 siblings. Her family came to Indianapolis from Bloomfield Monday afternoon to see where their baby sister was shot and killed and to ask why.

. . .
Jonathan and Wilma Hochstetler were working on a trailer at a roofing jobsite late Wednesday night when they were robbed and shot by two men behind Masters Auto Repair, 3702 North High School Road.

About 25 members of both sides of the couple’s family gathered at the crime scene to share their grief and try to imagine what happened.

"It makes it kind of like closure, but also brings it closer, the reality of it,” said Paul Slabaugh, Wilma’s brother.

The families built a memorial at the shooting site made from a wood pallet, decorated with flowers, balloons, photos and personal notes.

The Bloomfield couple has four children, ages 16,14, 10 and 6. Their 6-year-old son witnessed the shootings while sitting in the truck attached to the trailer.
. . .

Jonathan hopes to be released from the hospital in time to attend his wife's funeral. He is recovering from multiple surgeries after taking a bullet through his neck. He needs to pass a swallowing test on Wednesday in order to have a feeding tube removed.

Jonathan met with Metro Police Friday night at Eskenazi Hospital. Investigators have not released any suspect information but the family says the shootings were captured by a security camera.

Excerpted from A murder victim's family gathered to remember her Monday. | wthr.com

 

[LadyL]

INDIANAPOLIS — Wilma Hochstetler was the youngest of 14 siblings. Her family came to Indianapolis from Bloomfield Monday afternoon to see where their baby sister was shot and killed and to ask why.

. . .
Jonathan and Wilma Hochstetler were working on a trailer at a roofing jobsite late Wednesday night when they were robbed and shot by two men behind Masters Auto Repair, 3702 North High School Road.

About 25 members of both sides of the couple’s family gathered at the crime scene to share their grief and try to imagine what happened.

"It makes it kind of like closure, but also brings it closer, the reality of it,” said Paul Slabaugh, Wilma’s brother.

The families built a memorial at the shooting site made from a wood pallet, decorated with flowers, balloons, photos and personal notes.

The Bloomfield couple has four children, ages 16,14, 10 and 6. Their 6-year-old son witnessed the shootings while sitting in the truck attached to the trailer.
. . .

Jonathan hopes to be released from the hospital in time to attend his wife's funeral. He is recovering from multiple surgeries after taking a bullet through his neck. He needs to pass a swallowing test on Wednesday in order to have a feeding tube removed.

Jonathan met with Metro Police Friday night at Eskenazi Hospital. Investigators have not released any suspect information but the family says the shootings were captured by a security camera.

Excerpted from A murder victim's family gathered to remember her Monday. | wthr.com

[bbm]

glad there's surveillance video - hope it shows some identifying info on the shooters