A 24-year-old man identified as Charles Ralph Burgess Jr., known to family and friends as CJ or Beezy, was found dead after a house fire in Indianapolis on November 5, 2021. Firefighters extinguishing a blaze at a duplex near New York Street and Sherman Drive discovered his body on the basement steps. The Marion County Coroner’s Office determined he had suffered multiple traumas, and investigators say he had been shot and stabbed before the residence was set on fire; officials ruled the death a homicide.

Surveillance footage from nearby homes reportedly shows a woman wearing a Halloween mask and carrying a gas can in the area. Detectives identified 27-year-old Brittany Snellbaker (also reported as Snelbaker) as a suspect, alleging she targeted Burgess over money related to living arrangements. Witness statements include an account of a confession. Snellbaker was arrested during a traffic stop and charged with murder, arson, and arson resulting in serious bodily injury; she was being held without bond at the Marion County Jail.

Burgess Jr. was remembered by loved ones as compassionate and protective, a big brother who enjoyed fishing and tattoos and supported many family members. If anyone saw activity near East Vermont Street on November 5, 2021, or has information about this case, please come forward.