Police arrested an Indiana man after he allegedly shot the mother of his child and killed four of her family members after a dispute over a stimulus check Saturday, numerous sources reported.
Malik Halfacre, 24, is facing preliminary charges of murder, attempted murder, and robbery in connection with the homicides. Relatives of the victims say the shooting happened after Halfacre told Jeanettrius Moore, the mother of Halfacre’s child, that she had to give him half of the recently distributed $1,400 stimulus checks, according to Fox59.
NEW INFO | Malik Halfacre told detectives that he was fighting with his girlfriend because he wanted her stimulus check before he opened fire on her family, killing four people — including a 7-year-old girl.
https://t.co/P3zrk7b1Ra— WRTV Indianapolis (@wrtv) March 16, 2021
“He wanted some of Jeanettrius’ tax money, stimulus money,” Wendy Johnson, Moore’s cousin, told Fox 59, referring to an argument that took place the day before the homicides. “She had just got her money, and he wanted half of her money. She said, ‘No, you don’t deserve any of this. I work. I take care of our child. You don’t do anything.’”
The next evening, Halfacre allegedly returned to the home where Moore and her family members were, and demanded she give him the money. After Halfacre began rummaging through Moore’s purse, the dispute escalated and he opened fire. (RELATED: Man Confesses To Killing Neighbor, Cutting Her Heart Out And Feeding It To His Family)
Moore was injured in the shooting. Her brother Daquan Moore, 23; her mother, Tomeeka Brown, 44; her cousin, Anthony Johnson, 35; and her daughter, Eve Moore, 7, were shot and killed, according to WISH TV.
After Moore was shot, she reportedly sought help from a neighbor.
“She was frantic. She was hysterical. She was in pain,” Craig Jackson said after he saw Moore knocking on his door, according to WISH TV. “She said her baby daddy shot her, and he shot her, her mother and the kids. She said she was the only person who got away.”
Jackson called 911. While waiting for police to arrive, Jackson asked Moore about what happened in an effort to keep her conscious.
“I said, ‘Why did he shoot you?’ And her exact words were ‘stimulus money,'” Jackson said, according to WISH TV.
“She kept on saying, ‘Please help me, please help me, please help me.’ And I told her, I said ‘The police are on the way. The police are on the way,’” Jackson added.
Police who arrived at the scene found four dead bodies. Moore was taken to the hospital and was released Monday, family members said, according to WISH TV.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police took Halfacre into custody Sunday evening after several hours of a standoff. Police used tear gas and a SWAT team entered the home to arrest Halfacre, who was found in the attic, the Indy Star reported.
Halfacre had also allegedly taken a six-month-old girl from the home where the killings took place. Police issued an Amber Alert, and the child was found safe early Sunday morning, according to the Indy Star.
TAKE A LOOK: Police need your help locating 25-year-old Malik Halfacre. Police believe he is armed and dangerous while calling him a suspect in the quadruple murder last night.
If you see him call 911. DO NOT APPROACH https://t.co/oYDk9htisV pic.twitter.com/QRJwtAUUhO
— Darius Johnson (@DariusJohnsonTV) March 14, 2021
Halfacre was previously arrested in 2017 for shooting a man, and took a plea agreement in 2018 for pointing a firearm, WISH TV reported.