Malik Sims

On July 15, 2024, a passing motorist driving along Stephenson Road, a gravel stretch near the Owen-Monroe county line in Spencer, Indiana, made a grim discovery. The body of Malik Sims, a 23-year-old Black man from nearby Bloomington, was found lying on his side about 20 feet from the road. A black plastic bag had been placed over his head. An autopsy later confirmed that he had died from a single gunshot wound to the head, and the Owen County Sheriff’s Office launched a homicide investigation.

The case began to unfold when one of Malik’s close friends grew concerned after not hearing from him since the previous day. Malik, who often played video games online with his friends, had not been active. The friend used the 'Find My iPhone' feature, which he and Malik shared, and saw that Malik’s phone had last registered its location 22 hours earlier. He drove to the spot, only to find it cordoned off by police as a crime scene. Investigators also learned that on July 14, Malik had sent a Snapchat message to a friend expressing distress about a man he identified as “QP.”

The message led authorities to focus on Quentin Lamont Porter Jr., a Bloomington man who was 27 at the time of his trial. The investigation, assisted by the Indiana State Police and Bloomington Police Department, soon uncovered a trail of evidence. Malik’s roommate told police that Porter had come to their apartment several times on July 13 and 14, acting strangely and asking for Malik. On one visit, Porter asked to buy marijuana from the roommate. The last time the roommate saw Porter was between 4 and 5 p.m. on the day Malik disappeared.

Investigators tracked Malik’s gray 2012 Audi A4 to a home near Indianapolis, where it was parked outside the residence of Porter’s grandmother. Porter’s cousin later testified that he had arrived unexpectedly in the unfamiliar car around 11 p.m. on July 14. A search of the vehicle revealed blood, bleach, and new seat covers. Further evidence emerged that on July 17, a man approached a student at a Bloomington apartment pool, borrowed her phone, and used it to call a towing company, requesting a tow for the Audi while identifying himself as Malik Sims and paying with Malik’s credit card. The tow company owner, who had heard about Malik’s death on the news, contacted the police.

Quentin Lamont Porter Jr. was arrested on July 24, 2024, and charged with murder, auto theft, identity deception, and theft. During his trial in Owen County in July 2026, Porter’s defense claimed that another person in a white SUV had killed Malik, possibly over a marijuana-related issue, and that Porter was scared for his life.

The jury was not convinced and convicted Porter of murder. In August 2026, he was sentenced for the killing of Malik Sims.