Indy Man Gets 65 Years in Christmas Shooting That Left 1 Dead
INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man will serve 65 years behind bars for a fatal Christmas Day shooting in 2024.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office announced the sentence for Derek McKenzie on Tuesday. Court records show McKenzie was convicted last month of murder, unlawful possession by a serious violent felon, and felony firearm sentencing enhancement.
“In a matter of seconds, an irreversible and tragic choice was made that decimated the lives of two families, culminating in today’s sentence and a measure of justice for Cedric and his family,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement.
On December 25, 2024, police arrived at a home on Kitley Avenue on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Officers found Cedric Crews with a gunshot wound. Medics took him to a hospital, where he died.
Investigators say the shooting started over a slammed door. McKenzie demanded to know who slammed it, threatened to kill Crews, and shot him in the chest before running away.
Officers later arrested McKenzie at a home where they found several guns.
