Kyle X. Bonaparte, 20, is accused of killing Joshua Brown, 26, who died after he was shot multiple times at an apartment in the 1300 block of Delta Road on Oct. 4. Another person, Raina Beal, 23, died after she was shot in the head at the same apartment, according to investigators.
Bonaparte was arrested at a home in Portage, Ind. on Friday. The arrest was made by the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force, as well as the Portage Police Department and the Portage SWAT team.
Bonaparte faces three counts of murder and another count of tampering evidence. Bonaparte was indicted by the Clark County grand jury on Monday.
U.S. Marshals and Springfield Police Division detectives have been looking hard for Bonaparte for more than a week, Clark County Prosecutor Andy Wilson said.
“It was a team effort and we’re glad he’s off the street,” he said.
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No one was injured in the arrest, Portage officials said. Bonaparte was placed in the Porter County (Ind.) jail.
Brown allegedly told police Bonaparte shot him prior to being transported to Springfield Regional Medical Center, according to court records. He later died at the hospital.
A witness later told police she and the two victims had been inside the apartment most of the day. A man named “Chiraq” knocked on the door and entered the apartment with another man named “Packy,” the court records say.
The men began arguing, and Chiraq said, “I don’t have time for the (expletive),” then allegedly pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and shot Brown in the chest, police said in court records.
Brown then began shooting back, and the two allegedly exchanged several rounds of gunfire, court records say. Beal was caught between the two and shot one time in the head, police said.
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Bonaparte faces two counts of murder in connection with Brown’s death, including an alternative charge for allegedly causing his death as a result of felonious assault, Wilson said. Bonaparte also faces one count in connection with Beal’s death.
It was important to get Bonaparte off the street for both the safety of the community and local law enforcement officers, Wilson said.
“He knew that he was wanted and he knew that we were looking for him,” he said. “There’s no telling what he’s going to do. We were very fortunate that they were able to take him into custody without incident.”
A nationwide warrant was issued after the indictment for Bonaparte’s arrest and detectives later learned he was in Indiana, he said. Detectives and prosecutors worked with Portage officials to execute a search warrant at a home there, Wilson said.
On Thursday evening, local officials traveled to Portage to help with the arrest, he said. They began conducting interviews and starting the extradition process, Wilson said. It’s unclear when Bonaparte will appear in court, Wilson said.
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