ANDERSON — An Indianapolis man’s trial on a charge of murder in the 2023 shooting death of a Pendleton man is taking place in Madison Circuit Court Division 6.
Courtney Lashion Radford Jr., 24, was arrested in May and charged with two counts of murder, armed robbery, burglary, resisting law enforcement, possession of a firearm by a serious felon and a firearm sentencing enhancement.
Deputy prosecutor Steven Hunt said in his opening statement Tuesday that the case is about guns, drugs and money.
Hunt said Radford left his job in 2023 and drove to Pendleton to rob a residence in the 5700 block of Ind. 67.
He said Radford watched the house for several hours and called in a pizza order to determine how many people were in the house.
Hunt said Radford entered the house and shot Jared Wininger and robbed him.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Pendleton Police Officer Scott Bertram, Radford admitted at the time of his arrest to killing Wininger on May 5, 2023.
The court document states that on that date, Wininger’s roommates returned to the residence and found him unresponsive on a couch with an apparent gunshot wound to the head.
Shortly thereafter, Pendleton officer Jerry Branson stopped a Ford Escape near the residence where the shooting was reported, according to the court document.
Branson reportedly observed a Black male in the driver’s seat and after contact was made, the vehicle fled the traffic stop.
The probable cause affidavit states Branson started to pursue the vehicle as it went into Anderson, observing several items being thrown from the Ford Escape.
The court document states that Branson crashed in Anderson and the Ford Escape continued to flee. The car was found abandoned near 18th and Halford streets.
Inside the car, police found several items and a cellphone that was thrown into a trash can, the report states.
The court document states DNA evidence was recovered from several items indicating that Radford had possession of the items.
Radford was arrested in May in Indianapolis while appearing for a probation appointment in Marion County, court records show.
During an interview, Radford at first maintained his car was stolen, but later confessed to the vehicle pursuit and the killing of Wininger.
Radford was convicted in 2020 on charges of two counts of armed robbery and two counts of criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, according to court records.