Troy Newsome

Troy Newsome, a 29-year-old Black man known to friends as "Moonie," is remembered as a loving father and a "mad fucking cool" friend. He was devoted to his three children, Emma, Esmé, and Atticus, and to his girlfriend. His life was violently and abruptly ended on a cold Friday afternoon in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, leaving his loved ones to grieve a man taken from them far too soon.

The fatal shooting occurred on January 22, 2021. At approximately 3:40 p.m., Troy was in the 4900 block of Jefferson Street when he was targeted in a sudden attack. Witnesses reported that a brown SUV, possibly a Chevy Trailblazer, pulled up alongside him. Someone inside the vehicle opened fire, striking Troy multiple times before the SUV sped away from the scene. First responders were called to reports of a man down and found Troy unresponsive in the street. He was pronounced dead about 30 minutes after the shooting, and the Lake County Coroner's office later officially ruled his death a homicide.

The Gary Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the brazen afternoon killing. The case was soon taken up by the Lake County Metro Homicide Unit, which began the difficult process of piecing together the evidence. Investigators focused on the suspect vehicle, and in early February 2021, they released surveillance video to the public. The footage showed the brown SUV that was seen stopping near Troy just before he was shot and then fleeing the area. Detectives hoped that a member of the public would recognize the vehicle and provide the crucial tip needed to identify the driver and any other occupants.

Authorities made public appeals for anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it might seem, to come forward. They emphasized that tips could be submitted anonymously through a dedicated phone line, assuring potential witnesses that their identities would be protected. The motive for the shooting was not publicly released, leaving a void of unanswered questions for both Troy's grieving family and the wider community.

Despite the release of the surveillance video and the pleas for public assistance, the investigation into Troy Newsome's murder has grown cold. No suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in the years since his death. The brown SUV and the person or people inside it on that tragic afternoon have seemingly vanished, leaving a family without answers and a community with an unsolved crime in its midst.

The case remains an open and active investigation. The silence surrounding his killing is a source of ongoing pain for his family and friends, who continue to hope for a breakthrough that will lead to justice. Authorities continue to ask for help from the community. Anyone with information about the murder of Troy Newsome or the brown SUV seen at the scene is urged to contact the anonymous tip line at (800) 750-2746.