State of Indiana v. Leon Benson

Indianapolis, Indiana defendant, Leon Benson, was accused of killing Kasey Schoen, age 35, who lived in Plainfield, about 20 miles southwest of Indianoplis on August 8, 1998.



Schoen was sitting in a truck with the engine running and his foot on the brake when he was shot at about 3:30 a.m.



A newspaper carrier for the Indianapolis Star newspaper, saw a black Dodge Ram truck drive past her and park on the west side of Pennsylvania Avenue. She saw a black man standing at the passenger window of Schoen's truck. While she was loading a newspaper venting machine about 150 feet from Schoen's truck she heard gun shots. The man standing next to the truck turned toward her with a gun in his hand but stopped, went back to the truck, and shot several more shots into the vehicle. She got into her vehicle and called 911 but the call did not go through. As she drove away, she saw the shooting walking south and then run into a parking lot.



The newspaper delivery woman eventually reached 911. She stated the the man she saw shoot Schoen was wearing a black shirt and black pants with three white stripes down the legs. She did not get a good look at his face.



Five .380 caliber shell casing were found next to the truck.



Schoen was not a drug user but was likely gay and he was killed not far from The Varsity Lounge, a gay bar. The bar tender at the the lounge identified Schoen as a customer.



An informant told