J’Mel Dowdell was 43 when he was shot in his Indianapolis home on Timber View Drive in the Castleton area on the morning of March 30, 2022. An entrepreneur, author and artist, Dowdell created a children’s series called The Button Nose Kidz and worked in marketing, home renovation and hairstyling. He was a father of three and remembered by friends and family for mentoring and promoting non-violence.The shooting was discovered just before 10 a.m.; Dowdell was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition and later died of his injuries.

Detectives initially described the incident as possibly domestic-related and questioned a 32-year-old person of interest, Dominique Bryant, who was released pending further investigation.Sixteen months after the killing a grand jury returned an indictment for murder against Dominique Bryant, and Bryant was arrested and held without bond with a trial date set for December. No specific motive has been publicly disclosed.

Does anyone who knew J’Mel or who has information about that morning have tips to share?