India Antanette Blake, a 30-year-old Black woman remembered for her constant smile and loving nature, was a mother to five children who were left without her when her life was cut short. At the time of her death, she was also pregnant, a detail that added another layer of tragedy to her family's profound loss. Those who loved her described her as a funny and loving mother who would say goofy things, a woman whose sudden absence left a void in the lives of her children, who ranged in age from two to fifteen.
On the morning of Sunday, September 13, 2015, India was shot and killed in the 6000 block of Emma Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri. Her body was discovered in an alley in the north St. Louis neighborhood. Police reports stated that she had been shot in the head. Authorities alleged that the man responsible had also fired a weapon at a man who was with India, but he was not injured. The killing was a shock to the community and left her family heartbroken and searching for answers.
The investigation by the St. Louis police led to the arrest of 64-year-old David Harvey. He was charged with first-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action in connection with India's death. He was held on a one-million-dollar, cash-only bond. The motive for the shooting was not made public, leaving the community to grapple with the seemingly senseless violence. Harvey had a significant criminal history, including numerous gun charges stretching back over 18 years, a fact that deeply angered India's family.
Two days after India's death, her family and friends gathered for a vigil near the spot where she was killed. Their grief was mixed with frustration at a justice system they felt had failed. They questioned why David Harvey, with his extensive criminal record, had not been incarcerated at the time of the shooting. Her loved ones believed that if he had been behind bars, India would still be alive.
In April 2018, nearly three years after India's death, David Harvey went to trial. A jury acquitted him of first-degree murder and the related weapon charges in India's killing. The verdict was a devastating blow to her family. The prosecution's case was hampered by a crucial piece of evidence: a revolver was found on Harvey when he was arrested, but it did not match the bullet that killed India. Harvey's defense attorney suggested that the man who was with India at the time, Archie Taylor, may have accidentally shot her. While acquitted of murder, Harvey was convicted of illegally concealing a gun.
Years later, in August 2022, David Harvey, then 71, was charged with the murder of his 63-year-old ex-girlfriend and neighbor, Carolyn Jenkins. He was accused of killing her and dumping her body in a wooded area. In August 2024, Harvey pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in Jenkins's death and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. For the families of both India Blake and Carolyn Jenkins, Harvey's subsequent conviction was a painful confirmation of his violent nature and a somber reminder of a life they believe was unjustly taken. As of August 2024, the murder of India Blake officially remains unsolved.
