MARION COUNTY — One of the Indianapolis shooters who took the life of Greenfield’s Jeffrey Herald on Nov. 27, 2021 was found guilty by a Marion County Jury of four charges against him, including two counts of murder, late Wednesday.
Tavaris R. Jackson, 28, Indianapolis was found guilty of first degree murder and felony murder and on two Level 2 felony counts of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury. Jackson is set to be sentenced in Marion County Superior Court 32 Tuesday, May 23.
A Level 4 felony charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon against Jackson was dismissed before the trial started.
The second man charged in the shooting, Laseanne Strode, 25, Indianapolis, took a plea deal in the case. Strode faces the same charges and is set to be sentenced Friday, May 3 in the same courtroom.
Herald’s family, who attended the trial this week in Indianapolis, told the Daily Reporter after the verdict was announced that justice was finally served.
“We are so thankful for the jury, prosecutors and detectives who worked on the case,” said Herald’s mother, Patricia Doughty of Greenfield. “I’m so thankful that justice will be served. No matter what has happened Jeff is gone. My boy is gone. He’s not coming back.”
Herald, 42, was shot in the 5400 block of Pleasant Hill Circle in Indianapolis nearly two and a half years ago. He died later that same night at a hospital.
Homicide detectives with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) investigated the shooting. On Dec. 26, 2021, the IMPD Violent Crimes Unit, U.S. Air Marshals and Indianapolis Airport Police detained and arrested Strode as he prepared to depart at an airport. Jackson was arrested and charged in June 2022.
A probable cause affidavit filed in the case states a witness who was with Herald at the time of the shooting reported they had gone to Pleasant Hill Circle, which is near Lynhurst Drive south of 10th Street on the west side of Indianapolis, to deliver marijuana or vape cartridges. The witness said that after they arrived, Herald exited the car and was shot shortly after. The witness said a man then came to the passenger door, put a gun to her head and told her to pop the trunk, which she did. The witness reported hearing two male voices at the trunk before both fled on foot.
A witness in the apartments near the shooting reported hearing people arguing outside in the parking lot before hearing a “pop,” according to the affidavit. When the witness looked out her window, she saw two men at the trunk of a car and a man on the ground. She reported the two men at the trunk grabbed a trash bag before fleeing.
Herald’s mother said while they are heartbroken over her son’s death, she’s hopeful he can be at peace and that it’s time for the family to move forward now that both shooters have had to face justice.
“We’re thankful someone is being held accountable,” Doughty said. “Now our family can start to grieve.”
