Jan. 9—GOSHEN — Three people are being charged in a murder that occurred in Elkhart in late November.
Police spent nearly a month investigating the shooting death of Toby Ray Fisher, 32, of South Bend, which ultimately led to murder charges for Sami F. Hussen, 38; Ashley N. Seabolt, 41; and Stephonn T. Sutton, 36. The trio had their initial hearings in Elkhart County Circuit Court Thursday.
Elkhart police found Fisher covered in blood and not breathing in the 700 block of Monroe Street at River Run Apartments after a call for a shooting with injuries at 6:55 p.m. Nov. 26. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Using security footage from the apartment complex, police identified a woman in a dark coat with a fur hood and bag, walking toward Monroe Street, then abruptly stopping and running west. Minutes later, a man was seen carrying a bag with straps walking west on Marion Street. Following closely behind was Fisher, running the same path as an apparent blood trail found by first responders, and along which a cell phone was found.
McKenna Rink told police she came across Fisher lying dead in the grass before law enforcement arrived, left, and came across her mother Ashley N. Seabolt walking on Aspenwald Road in Elkhart just a few blocks away. Seabolt allegedly told Rink that she’d picked up Fisher from Three Rivers, Michigan, along with a man later identified as Stephonn T. Sutton. She’d claimed, according to the probable cause affidavit, the plan was for them to rob another person. Seabolt and her boyfriend were dropped off in the 300 block of Meisner Avenue in Elkhart, the affidavit reads.
At the Meisner Avenue property, police found five people in a shed in the backyard including Seabolt, who was arrested due to having a warrant. Scott Andrews reportedly told police that Seabolt had hidden a gun and she’d asked for help fixing a jam to the gun, which they found tucked between a shelf and wall next to where she’d been sitting when the shed door was opened.
On Nov. 27, police said they obtained surveillance footage from the Rebel Gas Station on Toledo Road in Elkhart that confirmed a white Honda Accord Seabolt and Fisher had been driving. On Dec. 2, Tribal Police at Four Winds Casino, 3000 Prairie Ave., South Bend, said they found the Accord and the Elkhart County Homicide Unit detained Heidi Webber and Sami Hussen for questioning.
Webber reportedly told police that Seabolt and Hussen had been trying to coordinate a drug deal for methamphetamine and fentanyl and on the day of the shooting, the affidavit reads. Webber and Hussen picked up Seabolt, Fisher and Sutton — although Webber didn’t know Sutton and couldn’t identify him in a photo lineup — and dropped Seabolt off at River Run Apartments, the court document reads.
Webber claimed that Hussen then put some meth onto a scale and Fisher said “You know what time it is,” before grabbing the meth and striking Hussen with a handgun, holding the gun to Webber’s head and robbing them, the affidavit reads. Webber said she heard gunshots and exited the vehicle but didn’t see Sutton or Hussen with a gun but Sutton also got out of the vehicle and took her purse with him, the affidavit reads. Webber and Hussen got back into the vehicle and left the area, the affidavit reads, and Hussen said he didn’t know if he hit the guy or not and that Hussen did get rid of his gun.
Webber claimed the shooting was self-defense, but Seabolt, Hussen and Sutton were charged with murder.
A forensic search of Fisher’s phone indicated a conversation between Fisher and Seabolt wherein Seabolt allegedly provided detailed instructions to Fisher on how to commit the robbery, the affidavit reads.
Seabolt also spoke to detectives and, according to the affidavit, confirmed that she set up the drug deal between Fisher, Hussen and herself, picking up Fisher and Sutton from Three Rivers along with Hussen and Webber. Seabolt told police that she’d exited the vehicle to go into an apartment at River Run and get more money for drugs and when she was returning to the vehicle, she heard gunshots and ran from the area, the affidavit reads.
Sutton told police he was with Fisher in Three Rivers when they were picked up and given a ride back to River Run Apartments due to Seabolt and Fishers having business with others in the car, the affidavit reads. Sutton claimed he went to a relative’s apartment and then walked back to the vehicle where Fisher was still inside, but surveillance footage did not show Sutton walking to any apartment prior to the shooting, according to the affidavit.
Alexus Legrand told police that she was at Toby’s home on Roys Avenue with several people including Sutton on the day of the shooting and claimed the purse he was carrying — that Sutton claimed to be a satchel he’d brought with him — contained perfume, a Michael Kors wallet, both items Webber claimed to have in her purse, the affidavit reads.
During court, public defenders were appointed to the trio and hearing dates were received. All three have separate pretrial conferences scheduled for Feb. 6, trial status conferences April 10, and jury trials May 5.
DOMINIQUE J. EDWARDS
A man accused of attempting to kill his father pleaded guilty to attempted murder during Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Dominique J. Edwards is accused of shooting and injuring his stepfather Anthony Shaw while at Shaw’s home along the 1600 block of Stevens Avenue in Elkhart on the night of Nov. 20, 2020, according to his probable cause affidavit. He faces charges of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony, and two misdemeanor counts of resisting law enforcement.
According to a probable cause affidavit, while visiting the home, witnesses said Edwards grabbed a pillow, went to Shaw’s bedroom and fired a gun through the pillow at him. Prior to the shooting, witnesses described Edwards as acting strangely and possibly being on drugs, the affidavit reads.
Shaw, who was shot in the leg and abdomen, told police Edwards said something to the effect of, “Sorry, Pops, but I have to kill you,” before he opened fire, according to details in the probable cause affidavit in the case.
Another man at the house told police, according to the affidavit, he then tackled Edwards, knocking the gun out of his hand. The man said he fought Edwards and chased him out of the house, according to the affidavit.
Edwards was located and arrested in December 2020 after an Elkhart officer was dispatched to the 1600 block of Morehouse Avenue to investigate a report of suspicious activity, the affidavit shows.
Edwards’ sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6.
RYAN D. SNYDER
A man who was arrested for the murder of his 2-year-old this month had his jury trial rescheduled during Elkhart County Circuit Court on Thursday.
Elkhart County Prosecuting Attorney Vicki Becker requested that Ryan D. Snyder’s new trial date of June 16 take precedence due to the the safety of some witnesses in the case.
Snyder, 37, of Elkhart, was arrested for the murder of his 2-year-old son Jaxon after an 18-hour standoff with police on July 7.
According to a probable cause affidavit, police were called to a home in the 57000 block of Pendleton Drive in Elkhart for a welfare check at 9:06 p.m. July 6, after it was reported that a man living in the home was threatening to kill two children, a 2-year-old son Jaxon David Snyder and 4-year-old daughter Penelope Sky Snyder.