Late on the night of June 27, 2021, 32-year-old Justin Michael Smead of Rome City, Indiana, was fatally shot at Gallop’s Truck Stop in Kendallville. Police arriving just before midnight found multiple victims; Smead had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigation described the attack as a random act of violence and identified 24-year-old Matthew Rodriguez as the suspect, with no known connection to the victims.

Rodriguez was located after his sister told police he arrived at her home claiming to have shot three people. He was taken into custody following a brief standoff at an eastern Ohio rest stop on June 30 and was extradited to Indiana. Rodriguez faced one count of murder and two counts of attempted murder; a plea deal filed before trial limited his potential sentence to a maximum of 85 years, with sentencing set for August 23, 2022.

If anyone knew Justin or was at Gallop’s Truck Stop that night, please share any information that could shed light on what happened.