On June 12, 2015 at approximately 8:11 p.m., North District officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were dispatched to the 4500 block of North Dearborn Street on a report of a decomposed body found in a wooded area. The IMPD Homicide Unit responded to the scene and began their investigation. The decomposed body was later identified to be Jeremy Johnson, 23, of Muncie. After alerting investigators with the Muncie Police Department, it was confirmed that Mr. Johnson had been reported missing by family in October 2014.
After further investigation into the death of Mr. Johnson, 27-year-old Martize Kirkland (pictured) was identified as a person of interest in his death. On June 26, 2015, members of IMPD’s Gang Unit located Martize Kirkland and transported him to the Homicide office for questioning. After being interviewed, Kirkland was arrested and preliminary charged with Murder by investigators. On July 1, 2015, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office filed formal charges against Kirkland for Murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, auto theft and felon carrying a handgun. Kirkland is being currently being held in the Marion County Jail.