Amanda Lee Shroyer, a woman remembered by loved ones as kind, creative, encouraging, and passionate, was 30 years old when her life was cut short in a violent double homicide. A mother to four children, Brayden, Landon, Kaydince, and Audio, Amanda was known for her love of music and dancing, her dedication to serving others, and her deep affection for her family. Described as a woman of strong convictions who celebrated diversity and accepted everyone, her death on April 20, 2021, left a void in the lives of her parents, siblings, grandparents, and many other relatives and friends in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The tragedy unfolded at a residence in the 800 block of Third Street, the home of 40-year-old Jennifer Ann Dray. The violence was the culmination of a dispute over the property and drug inventory of a man who had recently died of a fentanyl overdose.
Associates of the deceased man reportedly blamed Dray for his death and conspired to rob her of his assets, which included a vehicle, money, and narcotics. Three individuals—Ronald W. Price, Marina Zrnic, and Joshua J. Dube—planned to carry out the robbery.
On the evening of April 20, Fort Wayne Police were called to the Third Street home around 5:25 p.m. According to court testimony and police records, Dube was already inside the house and was communicating with Zrnic. When Zrnic arrived with Price, Price allegedly pushed past her at the front door and opened fire. Both Amanda Shroyer and Jennifer Dray were shot. Dray was pronounced dead at the scene from her injuries. Amanda, gravely wounded, was rushed to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries later that day.
The investigation, led by the Fort Wayne Police Department, quickly identified the three individuals involved in the deadly plot. Following the shooting, Dube reportedly fled the scene with bags containing methamphetamine and cocaine. He was arrested later that night during a traffic stop. Marina Zrnic was identified as a person of interest shortly after the killings and was later arrested. Ronald Price, identified by his accomplices as the shooter, was apprehended in September 2021.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, both Joshua Dube and Marina Zrnic accepted plea agreements in exchange for their testimony against Price. Zrnic pleaded guilty to attempted robbery as a Level 2 felony. Dube pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and confinement. Both identified Price as the man who fired the fatal shots inside the home.
In February 2023, Ronald W. Price stood trial in Allen County. A jury acquitted him of two counts of murder but found him guilty on two counts of felony murder and one count of attempted robbery. Subsequently, the court sentenced Price to an aggregate term of 130 years in prison for his role in the deaths of Amanda Shroyer and Jennifer Dray. The attempted robbery conviction was vacated on double jeopardy grounds. In February 2024, the Court of Appeals of Indiana upheld Price's conviction and sentence, solidifying the outcome of the case. As of early 2024, the legal proceedings for all three individuals responsible for the fatal robbery attempt have been concluded.
