INDIANAPOLIS — A judge sentenced an Indianapolis man to 55 years in the deadly 2020 shooting of his girlfriend on the city's west side.
A jury found John Henry guilty in January 2024 in the shooting of his girlfriend, 33-year-old Tara Smith, on Oct. 28, 2020, at a home in the 2200 block of Grand Prix Drive, near West 21st Street and Cunningham Road.
Officers were called about a person shot and found Smith dead inside the home.
During an interview with detectives, Henry stated that Smith had been suicidal in the past and she had a gun in the bedroom with their children. He said they struggled with the gun, and it went off, hitting her in the chest.
Detectives said what they found at the scene made them think foul play was possibly involved.
The couple’s 2- and 3-year-old children were in the room when the shooting occurred, and the 3-year-old was able to tell investigators what happened.